EPM System is a multi-tier application environment that mainly utilizes thin-client architecture for end-user access, requiring only a supported browser on the client machine. Network traffic between the client and middle-tier server(s) generally does not exceed more than normal Web traffic. Oracle WebLogic Server is provided for use as the middle-tier application server and because the middle tier is a true application tier, meaning that no data resides in that tier, scalability and availability is greatly enhanced. The data tier is comprised of two components that store data differently. In Essbase environments, the data is stored and calculated in the database on the server file system. In Financial Management environments, the application framework, metadata, and textual data are stored in a relational repository. This section provides an overview of the EPM System product architecture, organized by tier followed by diagrams of product components.