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

2. Page 2 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications Overview q Motivation q Information Organizer q Practical Experiences

3. Page 3 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications Motivation  All information of importance is to be made available to different categories of users. Containing information which must 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

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

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

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

7. Page 7 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

9. Page 9 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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 Object Aspect

10. Page 10 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

11. Page 11 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

13. Page 13 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

15. Page 15 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

16. Page 16 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

18. Page 18 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

19. Page 19 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

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

22. Page 22 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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

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

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

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

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

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

28. Page 28 Building Reliable Component-based Systems Chapter 18 - A Framework for Integrating Business Applications 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