# Introduction to ALSB

ALSB is a configuration-based, policy-driven Enterprise Service Bus (ESB). It provides highly scalable and reliable service-oriented integration, service management, and traditional message brokering across heterogeneous IT environments. It combines intelligent message brokering with routing and transformation of messages, along with service monitoring and administration in a unified software product. For more information, see BEA AquaLogic Service Bus Concepts and Architecture.

This documentation tells how to use the ALSB Plug-in for WorkSpace Studio to configure services and polices. These are design-time activities, so you do not need a running WebLogic Server instance. The Web-based ALSB Console, also provided with ALSB, provides the same design tools as the ALSB plug-in, and it also provides run-time activities such as monitoring. You need a running WebLogic Server instance to use the ALSB Console. See Using the AquaLogic Service Bus Console.