Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)

For many companies, the ERP system is often the main operational system, but this software cannot operate in a vacuum.  It must be easily integrated to other point solutions that create a more effective overall solution for the distributor.  Examples of software that needs to integrate to an ERP are shipping software provided by a shipping company such as UPS or FedEx, or manufacturing solutions, especially ones that are integrated with manufacturing hardware.

Integration challenges are broken into two different classes of problems

1. Access to data
2. Access to Business Logic.  

The strategy will be based on the technology options available and is often controlled by the application that is being integrated. Listed below are the different types of access:

ODBC - Data Only Access
Since Trax Distributions:Solutions are based on a Relational Database, data can be accessed in several ways.  ODBC access is available that would directly read the database.  In addition to traditional ODBC access, Sentai can create SQL Views that simplify the data structures specific to the integration targeted.  This capability permits the underlying data structures in the Trax Distribution:Solutions application to be hidden and simplified for the integrated application.  This strategy is often desirable since Trax Distribution:Solutions have complex data structures due to the myriad of supported functionality.  By way of example, just the data structure required to support multiple currency transactions can complicate the data structures.  If the interfaced application does not support multiple currencies or does not affect currency in any way, the SQL Views created can be simplified to hide the inherent complexities of multiple currency support.

XML RPC - Data and Business Logic Access
Another option for accessing the data in the Trax Distributions:Solutions applications is the use of an XML RPC mechanism.  This allows data to be requested using specifically formatted XML documents that will be processed and will return data in another XML document.  This approach has some advantages over using ODBC data access.  It can seamlessly encapsulate data and business logic into a single document. It also has the advantage of using a more loosely coupled design, permitting quick adaptation to the changes in the documents.

Socket Communications - Data and Business Logic Access
An option that permits real time connection to Trax Distribution:Solutions is the concept of a Socket Communicator.  Sockets are opened with dedicated listeners, small specialty services that have access to both data and business logic.  They can be written to service specific requests and greatly simplify the process of interfacing since they are customized to suit the specific requirements.  The use of Socket Communicators does require that the target application has some level of ability to open and read/write to a port.  Since the socket service is developed specifically to suit the target application, the level of application integration offered by Socket Services is unparalleled.

Legacy Style Integration - Data and Business Logic Access
In a worst case scenario, integration can be accomplished using ASCII files being exchanged.  Even in this scenario, some level of sophistication is possible.  Sentai has done integrations using ASCII files with automated directory monitoring.  Then when a new interface file appears in a monitored directory, it will be noticed and processed without delay.  This creates a near real-time interface using older style integration techniques.

Use of any of the above techniques permits applications outside of the ERP to interact with Trax Distribution:Solutions as if it was one seamless system.  This allows Trax Distribution:Solutions to maintain its role of ERP system for an installation and to provide data to consumer applications or to accept data from producer applications in a tightly coupled, seamless manner.  This ability permits the system to become a more complete application that becomes a key part of an overall operational system for our customers.