2 Architecture

This chapter discusses the architecture of AutoVue for Agile PLM.

AutoVue for Agile PLM is designed to provide server scalability to support increasing demand for file viewing and markup on intranets and the Internet. Doubling the capacity is as simple as adding one more computer. The servers automatically divide up the load in a "peer-to-peer" fashion to avoid any bottlenecks. In Agile PLM, there is a 1-to-1 relationship between the File Manager and AutoVue for Agile PLM components. As a result, you can add another server (under a load-balancers with the File Manager and AutoVue client libraries installed) to double the capacity. However, with sufficient CPU and memory resources on the server, you can also increase the number of processes in the AutoVue server to improve scalability.

AutoVue for Agile PLM embeds several different rendering schemes to accommodate multiple environments. These schemes allow the server to take into account issues such as network bandwidth, load balancing between server and client, server configuration and performance, intranet/extranet/Internet use, and file size and format to be viewed. However, in all rendering options, AutoVue for Agile PLM keeps all necessary information for querying purposes; the "intelligence" of drawings is preserved. For example, users can perform text searches on text and CAD files, or perform queries based on drawing attributes in a CAD file.

Note: Agile PLM is a Web application server with a browser-based client and configures access through the VueServlet, exclusively.

Components of Agile PLM

The components of AutoVue for Agile PLM include the:

• Agile Application Server

• File Manager

• AutoVue server

• AutoVue client libraries

Agile PLM Application Server

The Agile PLM Application Server is the center of the Agile PLM system, and manages data stored in the Agile PLM database. The Agile PLM Application Server runs on industry-leading J2EE application servers. The application server connects to the components in a persistence layer where product content is stored. All Agile PLM data is contained or organized in business objects that are set up by the administrator, and specified and used by the enterprise's Agile PLM users. Business objects is a general term that implies objects created from the classes available to the enterprise, but other entities in Agile are also objects, such as workflows, searches, reports, and so forth.

File Manager

The File Manager stores all documents, drawings, and other files within the Agile PLM system. A File Manager provides a place to store and retrieve files locally or remotely. Due to the geographically dispersed nature of the global enterprise, multiple Agile PLM File Managers can be deployed in a distributed configuration for efficient distribution of product content. Agile PLM File Manager is made up of two main components: the File Manager Web application and the file vault. The file vault is the file system where the actual files reside. The file vault can be located on the same server as the Web application or on a dedicated storage system.The File Manager can be installed on the same machine as the Agile PLM Application Server but is, typically, installed on a separate machine. The File Manager can also be installed in a cluster and distributed across geographic regions.

AutoVue Components (Server and Client Components)

The installation involves AutoVue for Agile PLM installed on a server, to which client machines are connected to access and view documents. An AutoVue for Agile PLM solution has several components: the AutoVue server, an application server hosting the VueServlet, a Web server or an application server hosting AutoVue client libraries, and the AutoVue client. In the case of AutoVue for Agile PLM installation, the AutoVue for Agile PLM Servlet (VueServlet) is packaged and deployed as part of the File Manager installation. The VueLink Servlet is also deployed on the File Manager and tunnels the requests to the Agile PLM Application Server using HTTP protocol.

The AutoVue client is a Java-based applet that is the main entry point to AutoVue's capabilities. The AutoVue client libraries are delivered by Agile PLM (typically, the File Manager).