Enterprise Application Interface for SCM

tigerceo

Then the query should be pre-defined. Can we say that the relationship between customer and supplier are also B2B model? I think B2B can not only exchange orders, it should have the ability to exchange some basic issues between them( such as the example above,  we want to know whether the supplier has the inventory ).

Right now I'm doing research about RosettaNet.

pepperdog

I think one way can solve the case.
  we define the supplier side the server,on the contrast is client.using socket communicated between both sides.
  we define much interface such as login,SQLQuery,DocRequest and so on.the sample question upon can use SQLQuery interface to send a common query and then get a resultset with hold the data.
  the most important is the mapping,mapping the supplier's data structure to our server's inside structure.we can translate the problem into the fllowing query language(think as the server have a table named inventory)
  select count(*) from inventory where product name='product A';
  if the supplier's data structure use TAB3 to represent the inventory table,we only need mapping the supplier's specific table to our server's common table.
  the how process can be described like the following:
install server on supplier side -> mapping the data structure -> client send the query based on server's data structure -> server send the real query and get the resultset ->  server send back the resultset to the client.

   notice:the most difficult thing is construct a model which can include all model of the application usage.

anthony_wang

I agree with  ama2263. EAI will be a good solution, you only need to define some rules in the EAI server. And most of the EAI solution is XML based.

ama2263

to tigerceo:
   yes, it is called B2B, and yes , B2B is far beyond order, it also incldue
wha exactly what you are talking about. and yes again, rosettnet is
the stardard right for you, the only problem here for you is that
you need to write the adapter for rosettanet by youself, and also
rosettanet may not be enough for you or in general is too large for you. you may only
need a subset or you may need to modify it to fit your case
rosettanet is DTD based(another legacy) and you definitly will go with
schema, the thing I want to point out to you is that PLEASE make clear that
you are building a infrastructure level "server" for sale or build
a solution for you domain application.

to pepperdog: yes, I am sorry your solution is too highly cohesive, and
maybe good for


to woher: remotely access supplier'db is highly cohesive, always not
a good thing.

to anthony_wang: :) you get the point

anthony_wang

TO Ama2263: Do you know is there any cheap EAI soluion in the market? The only solution i know is provided by GE and it's too expentive!!

ama2263

)))) , hahaha, they are born to be expensive and it always been a
nightmare to do integration. BTW, GE's is not the expensive one (
well, even the microsoft's biztalk is not cheap(but maybe the cheapest
one).

well, you need to wait sometime like one or two year, the price will down
drasmaticlally,

and I think you may roll your own simple one conbined with teigerceo's
workflow server , ...  , it maybe enough for your case

or if you have the money to spent, we can build one(it is not that
hard )) ).

tigerceo

I just read a paper  pointed out that the integration platform like webMethods isn't a good solution too. If you use them, you have to develop lots of adaptors. Through webMethods have developed several adaptors for mainly ERP,SCM software, there still hundreds of softwares to be integrated. The paper thought maybe a point-to-point is a good solution and recommend Java Connector Architecture. How do you think Java Connector?

ama2263

wll, this is egg and chicken problem again

. the webmethods solution and platform have been there from 1998 and have 40% marketshare
of B2Bi and 60% marketshare of 60% EAI.

and JCA is just out for 1-2 years, how can webemthods implements the JCA?

but the answer for you and anybody now to develop any new stuff SHOULD BE
STICK TO STANDARD LIKE JCA and BALABALA IF POSSIBLE ( my person view, but
)

JCA and adapter is the same story for JMS, EJB, JDBC, Servlet, ...
before Sun define the API, everybody have it's propriety cause market
can not wait for standard out

and actually webmethods is work closely with JCA and everybody icnldue IBM/BEA is moving
to JCA( these company combined with sun defined the JCA standard!!)
like EJB was controled by (SUN, BEA, IBM and Oracle)

ama2263

BTW, webmethods is a pure java/xml platform build 4 years ago

ama2263

and yes, from my experience, webmethods platform is not a perfect solution
from some point tof view , but it really have it's value and solve many nightmare in EAI
space and do provide the customer a very fast solution to integrate each other.

JCA or not is not the issues or problem cause it is easy to make the decision

I think the trouble decision for you to make is that how much you
should decide to "develope" for you product and company.

from technical'spoint of view, I stronly belieive you can build most stuff
but from market's point of view, my advice is that think 3 year after now before
you do anything, think waht other guy is doing, think market from now after 1 year


a simple listener is easy, but it is totally diffrent story to build
a EAI platform think about
( diffrent protocol)
( diffrent standard to support)
( diffrent security layer )
( diffrent version support )
( diffrent language support )
these is why they charge so much money