M0254 - ERP
(Enterprise Resources Planning)
Session 7 - ERP Technology
Ir. Ekananta Manalif, MM, MKom (D2664)
Jurusan Sistem Informasi Universitas Bina Nusantara
Technology Review

In the analysis of ERP systems there are a number of
“technologies” that we will see … including
A. Client Server Systems
B. Networks
C. Relational Databases and Data Warehouses
D. Software
E. Software Choice
F. Reengineering and Best Practices
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
A. Client Server
1. What is Client Server?
2. What is the basic notion behind C-S?
3. What is “Three tiered Architecture”?
4. Why concern with C-S?

ERP generally are built for CS
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
1. What is Client Server?



Client Server is a computing model in which the
application processing load is distributed between a
client computer and a server computer, which share
information over a network.
Typically the client is a PC running front end software
that knows how to communicate with the server (often
a db server)
Typically the server is a PC or workstation, but it can
be a mainframe
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
2. What is the basic notion behind
Client Server?

Processing can be improved because client and server
share processing loads.


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Client - server computing says that the client has computing
power that is not being used
Fundamental idea is to break apart an application into
components that can run on different platforms.
Thin vs. Fat Clients


A thin client has most of the functionality with server
A fat client has most of the functionality with the client.
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
3. What is a “Three Tiered
Architecture”?


Three Tiered Architecture is an information
model with distinct pieces -- client, applications
services and data sources -- that can be
distributed across a network
Client Tier -- The user component displays
information, processes, graphics,
communications, keyboard input and local
applications
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
4. What is “Three Tiered
Architecture”?


Applications Service Tier -- A set of sharable
multitasking components that interact with
clients and the data tier. It provides the
controlled view of the underlying data sources.
Data Source Tier -- One or more sources of
data such as mainframes, servers, databases,
data warehouses, legacy applications etc.
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
Client/Server Configurations
Distributed
Presentation
Remote
Presentation
Distributed
Function
Remote Data
Management
Distributed
Database
Data
Management
Data
Management
Data
Management
Data
Management
Data
Management
Application
Function
Application
Function
Application
Function
Data
Management
rk
o
tw
Ne
Presentation
Presentation
Presentation
Application
Function
Application
Function
Application
Function
Presentation
Presentation
Presentation
Source: Gartner Group
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
B. Networks


LANs, WANs, Intranets, Extranets
Bandwidth


Standards


Network Transmission Capability
TCP/IP
Security

E.g., Encryption
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
C. Databases and Data
Warehouses




Databases -- Numerous approaches including
relational databases
Relational DB is a set of related files that
reference each other
ERP are built on relational DBs and data
source in three tier is typically relational
Data warehouse is a DB for decision making,
not transaction processing
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
Salesperson #
Name
Address
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...
Customer # Customer
Lastname
0001
Salesperson #
...
O’Leary
0001
Sales Order #
0001
Customer # Salesperson #
0001
0001
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Lastname
Jones
...
...
Sales Order #
Inventory #
0001
0001
0002
0003
0001
0002
0002
...
Amount ...
20
30
50
Inventory #
0001
0002
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
Name
Description ...
Roter
Top
....
....
D. Software

ERP have been developed for different
operating systems


UNIX, Windows NT …
Legacy Software


Informally … software that has been in the company
for a while.
Generally, developed in house
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Package Software


In the same sense that personal computing
software has moved toward a standard set of
package options, corporate enterprise
computing has also moved toward packages
Package software is changing the nature of
accounting, finance and IT departments

No longer a matter of programming from scratch,
instead need to understand processes
M0254 Enterprise Resources Planning ©2004
E. Software Choice

Typically, use some form of cost benefit
analysis



Benefits – fuzzy
Costs – easily seen
“As Is” vs. “To Be”
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