I have limited knowledge of Java-based technologies, and for business enforced reasons, I may need to decide whether WebLogic Integration (WLI) or Oracle Service Bus (OSB) is the better choice for integrating a small number of standalone systems together. Both products seem capable of similar tasks, though in one case (WLI) the integration is more technically driven where the other (OSB) is more business process driven.
Assuming cost is no option, can anyone provide a good description of when one would choose to use one product vs. the other? Is one choice going to involve more custom Java coding vs. configuration?
Well it depends.
OSB will integrate existing BEA's Aqualogic Service Bus. It is a service bus only.
WLI will no longer exists. Now it will be part of Oracle BPEL PM ( Oracle BPEL Process Manager execution engine )
A service bus may be used to integrated webservice "ready" applications. If your small applications can already be deployed as webservices this would be the correct choice, there is nothing to coordinate there, you just, expose them.
In the other hand, WLI is for coordinating the interaction among services and create a new one. You would code the way those services will be interacting with each other.
If your applications are very "process" oriented ( where little to none user interaction is required ) and you need to create a new service out of this this would be the choice ( I think the apps should be webservice ready anyway )
If your applications are more user oriented, and you're binding them together to create a new flow ( a business process ) then the right tool would be Oracle BPM. With that tool you can integrate applications ( which may not be web-service ready ) create a new business process and expose it as webservice.
So , it depends on your needs.
With Oracle BPM tool you can integrate your apps and deploy them as WS.
As for Oracle BPM goes, I could give you more details if you need :)