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Chapter 18 A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

Chapter 18 A Framework for Integrating Business Applications . Overview. Motivation Information Organizer Practical Experiences . Motivation. All information of importance is to be made available to different categories of users . Containing information which must be reused .

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Chapter 18 A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

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  1. Chapter 18 A Framework for Integrating Business Applications Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  2. Overview • Motivation • Information Organizer • Practical Experiences Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  3. Motivation • All information of importanceis to be made available to different categories of users. • Containing information whichmust be reused. Another method to access and interrelate associated information in different systems is called for. • Microsoft’s Active Directory: a tool for sharing information between different applications. • IEC1346, OMG, IT4 • Aspects, Objects Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  4. Information Organizer • A product for integration of systems • Focuses on information systems • Introduces new concepts • Objects • Aspects • Reuse! Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  5. Introduction, cont. • Reuse of legacy systems • Data • Applications • Application patterns • Another possibility of reuse Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  6. Technical details • Builds on Microsoft technologies • Windows 2000 • COM • Active Directory • Security • Reuse again! Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  7. Concepts • Business Object Model • The conceptual model • Contains definitions of concepts • Information Organizer • The application • Business Object Framework • The implementation of Business Object Model in Information Organizer Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  8. Business Object Model • The conceptual model • Introduces new concepts • Objects • Aspects • Relations • Roles • Views Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  9. Objects • The most central type of entity in the model • Objects model physical or logical objects • Represent entities in the applications to be integrated • E.g. “valve”, “pump”, “issue”, “workflow step”. • Little functionality in itself - related data is carried by its Aspects Aspect Aspect Object Aspect Aspect Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  10. Aspects • Contains part of the functionality of an object • Often contain documents of some kind • Are often associated with (legacy) applications • Can be added and removed dynamically • New types of aspects can be added when the system is ready to handle them Object Aspect Aspect Aspect Aspect Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  11. Relations • Objects exist in relation to other objects • Typed or generic relations • Allow connection of objects with certain aspects • New types can be defined • Used to structure the objects • Trees • Arbitrary structures • Can be interpreted by a user or the system itself Object Object Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  12. Roles • A certain function offered by an object • Implemented by aspects • Not very clear description Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  13. Views • Limits the visibility • Objects, aspects, and relations • Different categories of users • Different information interesting depending on context • Possibility to switch views • The selected item still in focus • E.g. locate an issue in a personal view, then switch to workflow view • Can be added dynamically Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  14. Business Explorer Presentation layer Application specific user inter- face System-wide information model Integration layer Data/application layer Issue manage- ment system Document manage- ment system CAD system Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  15. Business Object Framework • The implementation of Business Object Model • The “core” of Information Organizer • Examples of tools and functions • Generic implementation of Aspects, Objects etc. • Configuration environment • Development environment • Runtime environment • Mechanisms for defining object and aspect types • Implement certain COM interfaces Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  16. Information Organizer • Conventional three-layered architecture • User interface layer (three types) • Business Logic layer (Business Object Framework) • Data layer • Applications • Documents • Databases • Three types of user interfaces available • “Thin” client – standard browser • “Fat” client – installed code on client machines • “Ultra-thin” client – WAP client Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  17. Information Organizer, cont. Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  18. Application Patterns • Generic implementations of commonly occurring patterns • Non-domain specific patterns • Three patterns are described • Business Process Support, “workflow” • Document Management Support • Relational Database Connector • Applied on Information Organizer level • No support needed from participating applications Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  19. Business Process Support • Adding “workflow” concept to systems • Configuration • Runtime support • New object, aspect, and relation types • Processor • Process • Process Flow • Target • “Above” original application level Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  20. Business Process Support, cont. Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  21. Document Management Support • Creates documents “on the fly” • Uses templates • Inserts data from objects • Designed for Internet • Integrated with archive system Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  22. Relational Database Connector • A means of retrieving data from a standard database • Generic implementation • Builds on XML • Separates data from presentation • Each data row is represented by an object in BOF • Data still resides in the database • Security on row level Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  23. Relational Database Connector, cont. • Data • Description of data records • Information whether some data items are writeable • Presentation • Presentation format Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  24. Practical Experiences • Component based development can be highly profitable. • A significant part of the development time was spent in learning the full capabilities and impacts of existing technologies and components. • Development of custom functions for the framework actually occupied a smaller part of the total project time. • One of the main reasons why verbal commitments to component-based development often fall short in practice. Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  25. Relations Relations Properties Properties MyService Camera Notepad Help Change Change Services Services Delete Delete A three layered implementation architecture UI UI UI UI UI Aspect Web- Cam Word Business BO DS File Data File DS = Data Storage UI = User Interface BO = Business Object Dll = Dynamic linked library UI UI UI UI UI Aspect dll BO Note- pad Business DS DB File File Data Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  26. A workflow application Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Process View Template Actions Template Actions Template Actions A A A BO BO BO BO A BO Performed Actions BO Performed Actions A A A Personal View A A Issue A Issue B BO User 1 A BO - instances of different business object types A - instances of different aspect types BO User 2 A Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  27. Practical Experiences – cont. • Integrating modern, well-componentized applications is easy and straightforward • Integrating monolithic applications is difficult and cumbersome. • A Generic front-end “connector”to database provide 60 to 80 percent of the original application functionality. Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

  28. Summary • Component-based approach • Reuse • Integration • Reuse of components not originally designed as reusable components • Reuse of application patterns • Level of integration can be chosen • Basic integration reusing the applications “as is” • Data level (using Relational Database Connector) • Implementation in COM Building Reliable Component-based SystemsChapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications

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