The section includes the following items:
Integration of PDM modules and accounting systems with CAD
Development of integration services between CAD, BIM-platforms and application systems
Possible methods for constructing integration mechanisms
A universal method and approaches to application integration that would satisfy all the tasks and conditions does not exist! However, there is a way that is optimal within the framework of a specific integration scenario.
Application integration is a complex and multifaceted task that covers all levels of the corporate system – its architecture, hardware and software, and processes.
When integrating business processes, a company must identify, implement and manage corporate information exchange processes between different business systems. Thanks to this, the organization can simplify operations, reduce costs and improve response to customer requests.
Integrated integration includes process management, process modeling and a workflow that encompasses various tasks, procedures, architectures, the required input and output information, and the tools required for each step in the business process.
The architecture of almost any application can be represented by three logical levels:
1) the presentation level is the level of the user interface intended for viewing, entering and correcting data, sending requests to the end users of the application;
2) the level of business logic – the level at which the business logic of the application is concentrated, the flow of data is managed and the interaction of parts of the application is organized;
3) data level – the level responsible for organizing data access and working with the database, this is the level of the database servers.
Since the “docking” with the intermediate environment can be performed at each of the logical levels, three basic ways of integrating applications with an intermediate layer are distinguished:
1) integration at the data layer – the intermediate layer receives data from the database;
2) functional integration – the intermediate layer is integrated with the level of business logic through APIs and services provided by the application;
3) integration at the presentation level – data on screen scraping technology is extracted to the intermediate layer. Provides access to application functions through the user interface by simulating user input and reading data from the monitor screen.
1. Integration bus
Technology based on the ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) architecture, which provides managed interaction between all applications connected to the enterprise bus.
Modern industrial systems are complex software that can process messages based on universal formats and provide multi-channel messaging between all business applications.
The main components of such systems are:
-integration broker, playing the role of service bus (performs the functions of data reformatting, message routing, transaction management, monitoring and control of application interaction);
-set of adapters that allow different applications to connect to the broker.
2. Intermediate layer
Integration of these applications regardless of the specific implementation of the integration solution involves two main steps:
1) definition of a uniform data model within the enterprise that provides a unified view of entities;
2) establishment of physical connections between the components of the integration solution.
Different repositories use different data schemas for the same entity. The task of the intermediate layer is to harmonize the differences between these schemes.
3. Data replication
Data replication refers to the process of moving data between two or more repositories.
Replication is a data-processing-oriented transformation technology designed to solve migration, consolidation, data warehousing tasks.
Since the process of moving data involves their extraction from one source, loading into the target repository, as well as a possible companion-
often using the term ETL (Extraction Transformation Load).
The technology of replication is focused on processing very large amounts of data.
4. Federation of Information
Under the federation of information is understood the process of extracting data from various sources in real time and presenting them in a unified unified form. This is a technology of transparent access and data transformation, providing a single interface for access to all corporate information.
Advantages of the federation of information are:
– the ability to integrate structured and unstructured data from many sources;
– access to data in real time (on demand);
– support for the processes of reading and writing data;
– the ability to transform data for business analysis and information exchange;
– availability of available tools.
5. File exchange (this includes also the streaming exchange of structured data, for example XML)
Data exchange between applications is performed in batch mode. Data export and import operations are performed by special modules (services) for exporting or importing relevant applications. In a number of cases, the task of developing such models is being solved within the framework of the integration project for specific user business processes.
6. In each specific case, the most acceptable method is selected, depending on the tasks and technical, as well as hardware (platform) requirements