BusinessObjects EPO Suite - Archive · BusinessObjects EPO Suite EPO Suite Architecture Overview Overview This document describes an overview of the various components of the EPM

BusinessObjects EPO Suite

EPO Suite Architecture Overview

Overview This document describes an overview of the various components of the EPM Performance Optimization (EPM PO) Suite, explains the role of each component and how the components fit together.

Contents INTRODUCTION............................................................................................2 ARCHITECTURE...........................................................................................2

Architecture Overview ................................................................................2 The Database Server ....................................................................................3 The EPM Server ..........................................................................................5 The Model Server(s).....................................................................................5 The Web Server............................................................................................7 The Report Server ........................................................................................7 The Work Manager Server...........................................................................8 The Win32 client .........................................................................................9 The Web Client ..........................................................................................10

COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS...................................................................11 MACHINE SPECIFICATIONS.........................................................................12 FINDING MORE INFORMATION .....................................................................13

3/31/2007 10:03:00 PM Copyright © 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 1

BusinessObjects EPO Suite EPO Suite Architecture Overview

Introduction This document describes an overview of the various components of the EPM Performance Optimization (EPM PO) Suite, explains the role of each component and how the components fit together.

Architecture

Architecture Overview The overall architecture of the PO platform shows multiple clients communicating with a database server, through a number of middle-tier servers. The use of middle tier servers allows large populations of users to use the system simultaneously with little degradation in performance.

The middle tier servers can run on the same physical machine, or can be distributed across a number of separate machines.

The following sections explain the function of each element in this diagram.


bo_epo_architecture_overview.pdf


The Database Server The database acts as a repository for all the data in the application. This includes the data (numbers that represent financial and non-financial information like costs, revenues and driver volumes), metadata (information about the structure of the models, such as responsibility centers, products and so on), and PO-level authentication data such as user names, passwords and permission levels.

The database also stores the system’s “books”. Books are defined by the builders of the system, and provide the end users with an interface to enter, analyze and report data held in the central database.

NOTE The data for multiple PO models can sit in the same database (not just on the same database server, but in the same database), although it does not have to.




The PO Server and the Model Server both access the database.

At the time of writing, the PO Suite supports the following databases:

• Oracle 9i Release 2 Standard Edition with Patch Set 6 (9.2.0.7)

• Oracle 9i Release 2 Edition with Patch Set 6 (9.2.0.7)

• Oracle 10g Release 2 Standard Edition (10.2.0.2)

• Oracle 10g Release 2 Edition (10.2.0.2)

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Developer, Standard and Editions, with Service Pack 3a or 4

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer, Standard and Editions, Service Pack 1




The EPM Server The EPM Server manages access to models. It handles security and access permissions, and also knows where each model’s model server is, so it can route a user’s requests and data appropriately.

The PO Server communicates with the database to validate a login request. It compares the login details entered by the user against the valid users that it knows about from the database and, assuming that the user is allowed, tells the Model Server(s) to allow the user access.

The Model Server(s) A Model Server deals with consolidation, calculation, and data input/output. The Model Server holds a model in memory (using a sophisticated bespoke memory management system, which maps files to




disk as required), and performs the calculations and consolidations on demand.

The Model Server is constantly checking to see whether any part of it needs to recalculate. When a specific result is requested – perhaps because a user has opened a certain book – the Model Server provides it if it is available. If the result is not available, the model server immediately calculates the requested result before returning it to the requesting process. Meanwhile, the Model Server is constantly using the resources available to it to build up its results, gradually calculating any missing results whenever the resources are available to do so (background calculation).

The Model Server also communicates with the clients, receiving information from and sending information to the Win32 client or the Web Server, which serves the Web clients.




The Web Server The PO platform’s Web books deliver functionality to users through Web pages. These pages are aimed at those responsible for analyzing and entering PO data. The Web Server runs Microsoft IIS and, in effect, renders as Web pages the books that have been built and stored in the database.

For more on the Web-based client, refer to the Web client section.

The Report Server The PO Report Manager provides a mechanism for generating high quality output for printing. The Report Manager is typically used for producing board packs, analysis reports, financial statements and so on, and can produce hardcopy or electronic output as required.




The actual generation of the reports is handled by a Report Server, running in the middle tier of the PO architecture.

A Windows client application, called Report Manager, allows an administrator to build reports and also define a schedule for running reports automatically.

The Work Manager Server The Work Manager Server allows management, control and reporting of the work processes followed by users and administrators of PO applications.

It can be used, for example, to:

• Automatically notify users and administrators via email when data entry is complete, or has not been completed by a deadline;




• Make certain options available only at particular times;

• Send out reminders when a particular task is due;

• Automatically ensure that a sequence of tasks, for a single user or across a number of users, happens in the right order.

A server application runs in the middle tier and monitors the status of each instance of a defined process. A separate client application is available for building these processes.

The Win32 client There are two different types of client on the PO platform. One runs in a Web browser, and the other is a stand-alone Windows application.

The Win32 client has all the functionality of the Web client. In addition, applications are available on the Win32 client that allow a user to:

• design and build books;




• design and build models;

• manage the PO Work Manager;

• edit tasks on the Report Server;

• schedule regular tasks such as data import using the PO Console.

This means that typically the administrators, model designers and book designers use the Win32 client. End-users of the system use the Web client, or a cut-down version of the Win32 client, called the PO Book Viewer.

The Web Client The Web client is typically used by the data contributors, responsibility center managers, budget-holders and other users of the system. The web client does not allow model building or book building, but does allow the user to use books and models that have already been built, using the




familiar interface of a web browser (currently Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2 or above).

The PO Suite interface is implemented as an ActiveX control. Obviously this means that Internet Explorer security options should be set up to allow the running of ActiveX controls.

Communication Protocols The PO Suite uses industry standard protocols for communication between the various components of the architecture. The following table sets out the technology used for each communication path.




Communication Path Technology

Database – Model Server OLE DB provider for the database

Database – Main Server OLE DB provider for the database

Between servers in the middle tier, e.g. Report Server/Model Server or Model Server/Report Server

DCOM or Windows Sockets

Main Server – Win32 GUI Client DCOM or Windows Sockets

Web Server – Web Client HTTP or HTTPS

Machine Specifications Business Objects prefers to specify hardware that suits the customers’ needs specifically. Whilst minimum specifications are documented (see the document “EPM PO Suite System Requirements” available from the Business Objects support site) we would always ask that customers consult with us for advice on hardware that specifically meets the current and future needs of your EPM projects.



http://support.businessobjects.com/


Finding more information For more information and resources, refer to the product documentation and visit the support area of the web site at

http://www.businessobjects.com/



http://www.businessobjects.com

http://www.businessobjects.com/

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BusinessObjects EPO Suite - Archive · BusinessObjects EPO Suite EPO Suite Architecture Overview Overview This document describes an overview of the various components of the EPM