1 Overview

1.1 Architecture

The Enterprise Integration Platform is an Integration Framework that is based on an architecture known as Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) for integrating Agile EDM with other applications and systems like ERP-Systems. The Integration Platform consists of a kernel (controller, mapping, logging, etc.), and several components like the Agile EDM Connector, ERP Connector, Business Process Engine, Mapping Engine, and Message Queue.

Note: The general term "ERP" is used in all EIP guides.

Due to the fact, that the architecture of the Integration Platform is built on standards like Java, JDBC, XML and XSLT, it is relatively easy to connect to an additional system by adding a specific connector. For more information on developing your own connector, see "Enterprise Integration Platform Development Guide for Agile e6.2.0.0".

Powerful graphical tools help you administrating the Integration Platform locally, or from remote. For example, the Queue Viewer provides an overview of all current messages, which are sent between systems. The Log Viewer can be used to display the log messages of the Integration Platform.

1.2 Sample Transfer Scenario

The picture below should give you an overview of the components involved in transferring data from a source system to a target system. Each one of the components will be explained in more detail in the following chapters.

The scenario describes the transfer of Item Master data from Agile EDM to ERP Systems, where a Material Master is created. It assumes that the Integration Platform is already up and running and has been configured for that scenario.

1. An item master is selected in Agile EDM and the transfer request is created by selecting a menu option. This calls a LogiView procedure, which creates a new entry in the Agile EDM Transfer Queue.

2. The Agile EDM Connector is "polling" the Transfer Queue for new transfer requests. When it finds a new request, the data (e.g. BOM) is extracted from Agile EDM and converted into an XML message (XDO - XML Data Object).

3. The XDO is sent to the EIP Controller for further processing.

4. The XDO is saved in the EIP Queue Database.

5. Then workflow definitions are processed inside the configuration file in order to find the target connector/system.

6. The Target Connector name is found and returned to the Controller.

7. The original XDO is retrieved from the Queue Database.

8. And mapped to the format, which is understood by the target connector using the XSL mapping files.

9. The XDO has the target connector specific XML format.

10. It will be sent to the Target Connector, e.g. ERP Connector.

11. The Target Connector converts the XDO into application specific API calls, e.g. for creating a Material Master in ERP.