ARCH101 - Overview of Qlik Sense Product Architecture
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Words & Concepts ....................................................................................................................... 5
3. Deployment Options ................................................................................................................. 17
4. Use Cases ................................................................................................................................... 28
5. Summary.................................................................................................................................... 34
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1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction
Script:
Click the next arrow when you’re ready to begin.
1.2 Qlik's Product Architecture
Script:
Product architecture includes concepts like sites,
nodes, storage, clients, cloud, microservices, MultiCloud, and more. Being aware of and
understanding these different technology pieces
means you are able to describe all of these
components at a high level and explain them to
others. With knowledge of Qlik’s product
architecture, you can have better conversations with customers. Rather than going through an
exhaustive display of features and functions, you want to be able to introduce the right solution
to the right customer and use all the terminology related to our products correctly. The goal of
this course is that by the time you complete it, you can begin having reasonable and
knowledgeable conversations about our product architecture, which can help you to:
 accurately answer customer questions
 introduce appropriate solutions to customers
 effectively leverage the skills of people in pre-sales and consulting
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1.3 Qlik's Product Architecture
Script:
If you have a foundational knowledge of Qlik’s
product architecture, you are able to keep a
conversation going with a customer or prospect.
Say, for example, you are working on a large deal,
and you need to communicate how exactly Qlik
can deliver value to the organization. The
champion you’ve identified within the organization
says that they struggle with scaling up their current solution. Do you know enough about Qlik’s
architecture to keep the conversation going? This course will give you some brief scenarios to
get you started.
1.4 Architecture and Multi-Cloud
Script:
You may have already seen a course on the
messaging and value of multi-cloud. That course
looked at some concepts, terminology, and the 3
message pillars Qlik has for Multi-cloud:
 Value of ongoing choice
 Optimized computing
 Seamless experience across infrastructure
This module is intended to complement that messaging course, so you have the basic
understanding of architecture you need to build a value proposition, and have the right
conversation at the right time. For more information about the message and applying it, please
visit that course.
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1.5 Recognizing the right deployment option
Script:
When selling Qlik products and services, you
depend on pre-sales to make specific, technical
recommendations, so depending on your role, you
may never recommend a specific deployment
option. However, it is helpful to recognize which
deployment options might address a customer’s
challenges. Get to know the terminology, the
components, and how they work together, and with pre-sales and consulting services, you can
craft more successful sales deals that address customer needs
This course is divided into a few sections:
Words & Concepts introduces you to terms related to Qlik architecture and the product
components you need to know about for different deployment options.
Deployment Options will walk you through the basic concepts of how different components fit
together to address different solutions.
Use Cases will present you with a couple of business examples so you can see which deployment
option might be the best one based on the scenario.
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2. Words & Concepts
2.1 Words and Concepts
Script:
In order to understand how the Qlik Sense
architecture works, it is helpful to be familiar with
the related terminology, so you can use it correctly
while positioning Qlik as a solution. When it comes
to architectural concepts, our products and
services interact with different components as part
of deployment options.
2.2 What do you need to know about architecture?
Script:
When we talk about Qlik’s architecture, we are
referring to the various components, their
structure, their relationships, and how they
interact with each other. Components can include
things like Qlik products, such as Qlik Sense
Enterprise for Windows, NPrinting, and
DataMarket. Services, provided by Qlik or other
organizations can also make up the components of Qlik’s architecture. Qlik’s product
architecture includes things such as engines, proxies and clients. The deployment architecture
can include things such as Qlik Cloud Services, Amazon Web Services, or Microsoft Azure.
Choosing components and their environment are all decisions that become an important part of
an analytics solution. As with designing a building, you want to think about the current and
future needs like size, location or environment, number of people, how it will be used, and other
considerations. You wouldn’t want to build a house with 7 bedrooms and no kitchen, for
example. Knowing the basic concepts of Qlik’s product and deployment architectures helps you
have a conversation about what kind of “building” a customer needs for their analytics.
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2.3 Terms you should know
Script:
Let’s look at some helpful terminology. These are terms you need to know and use accurately
when looking at different Qlik Sense deployment options.
SaaS
Software as a Service, or SaaS, is a method for delivering
software. A software vendor hosts and maintains the software,
and the users access it via the internet. The customer and its
users do not have to manage the hardware to host the software,
or the software’s databases or code.
Examples include Salesforce.com, Netflix, and Qlik Sense Cloud Business.
public cloud
A public cloud is a cloud environment that is a cloud solution that
is owned and operated by a third-party provider. A public cloud
can include resources like servers, storage, hardware, software,
and network devices. In a public cloud, you share these resources
with other organizations, or “tenants.”
Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services both offer public cloud solutions.
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private cloud
A private cloud may also be referred to as an enterprise cloud. All
of the resources of a private cloud — hardware, software, storage,
etc. — are used exclusively by an organization, not shared. A
private cloud can reside on an intranet, or hosted data center. It
can be on-site, or hosted by a third-party provider. A private
cloud offers more security than a public cloud, but it can also be
more expensive and require more technical resources. Rackspace is an example of a vendor that
offers private cloud solutions.
Multi-Cloud
Multi-Cloud is Qlik’s answer to hybrid cloud solutions. A hybrid
cloud solution can blend public and private clouds. Hybrid cloud
solutions are often more complex than a public- or private-only
cloud solution. An example of a hybrid cloud solution is storing
confidential information in an on-premises data center, but
making other content available to customers via a public cloud.
For example, a Qlik customer might use Qlik Sense for Kubernetes on a public cloud for some of
its apps, and a private cloud for an HR-based app.
Linux Containers
Linux containers are a package of technologies, similar to a virtual
machine, that include all the necessary configuration files and other
components needed to run an application or service. A container is
self-contained and isolated from the rest of a system. On one physical
machine, you might have many containers. This allows you to scale
software components as needed.
For example, in Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes, the Qlik Sense client runs in its own
container, as does the engine, infrastructure components and tenant management. You might
need to increase the amount of containers, including engine containers, based on demand, but
not the amount of authentication containers.
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containers vs. Linux
Containers vs. Linux:
In sales conversations, it’s important to know that Qlik Sense can
be deployed via Linux containers, but you need to specify that it
runs in containers that run on Linux. While Qlik Sense can run on
Linux containers, we don’t sell “Qlik Sense Linux” nor do we
deploy Qlik Sense on-premises using Linux. We use Kubernetes
for our container orchestration, a cloud-native technology.
embedded
When we place analytics, dashboards, or visualizations for a
specific audience in an application, we refer to them as
embedded. Embedded analytics can be found on websites,
intranets, extranets, and enterprise applications.
An example of embedded analytics is the Qlik Sales 360 app
within our Salesforce.com site.
scalable multi-node architecture
A Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows site can be distributed
across two or more nodes (servers) that all share the same set of
data. A site with multiple nodes always has one central node,
with connecting rim nodes.
Different apps, roles, or services can be moved to different nodes as needed. Multi-node
architecture can also be sized according to a customer’s needs.
IoT
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a network of physical objects —
devices, vehicles, buildings and other items - that can collect and
exchange data without requiring human interaction. You can
learn more about how to position Qlik for IoT on QED, with the
course IOT101.
advanced analytics
According to Gartner, advanced analytics is “the autonomous or
semi-autonomous examination of data or content using
sophisticated techniques and tools, typically beyond those of
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traditional business intelligence (BI), to discover deeper insights, make predictions, or generate
recommendations.”
Examples of advanced analytic techniques include network and cluster analysis, multivariate
statistics, and graph analysis.
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2.4 The basic Qlik Sense architecture
Script:
The most basic Qlik Sense architecture installed on
Windows consists of a Qlik Sense site that is made
up of one or more nodes.
A node is a computer or server that performs a
specific role. The role could be something like
delivering apps to the people that consume them, or authenticating users. Qlik Sense
architecture also has default storage, which is a database and a file share. Finally, basic Qlik
Sense architecture also includes clients. Qlik Sense clients communicate and interact with Qlik
Sense sites. A client could be an app, or a hub where a user accesses and publishes apps, or the
Qlik Management Console, where an administrator configures a Qlik Sense site.
site and node
The Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows architecture consists of
one or more nodes. A Qlik Sense site is a collection of one or
more nodes (servers) connected to a single repository database.
The architecture of a solution could be a small, single-node site,
or multiple, distributed nodes, depending on what the needs are.
storage
Qlik Sense architecture uses the following default storage: a
database and a file share.
The database can be installed locally or remotely.
web browser
You can connect to Qlik Sense with a web browser to
communicate and interact with Qlik Sense sites.
This includes the Qlik Sense client, the hub, and the Qlik
Management Console (QMC).
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2.5 The basic Qlik Sense architecture
Script:
When we refer to the cloud, we are usually
referring to any computer, software application, or
piece of technology that we can access through a
network connection or the internet. In the context
of Qlik Sense architecture, the cloud can fit into the
architecture in a number of ways, even in this very
basic architecture illustrated here.
A Qlik Sense server can be installed on-premises, but it can also be installed in the cloud. For
example, a Qlik Sense server could be installed on Amazon Web Services. Qlik Sense Enterprise
is “single geo” meaning the Qlik Sense Enterprise servers can only be in one place. However,
multi-cloud allows you to span your Qlik Sense installation across multiple cloud environments.
2.6 Multi-cloud architecture
Script:
For example, let’s look at multi-cloud architecture.
In a multi-cloud architecture, Qlik Sense Enterprise
for Windows is installed on-premise, or in a public
or private cloud. This is where content creation,
data connectivity, and security provisioning is
managed. This installation can connect to Qlik
Cloud Services, Qlik Sense Enterprise for
Kubernetes, or both. The Cloud Hub Client is the browser-based analytics portal and client for
consumers. Once you have a Windows deployment, you can expand that deployment into the
cloud based on a customer’s needs. Multi-cloud does not mandate that a customer have a use
case that combines on-premise and Software as a Service: it is really about choice. The aim is to
allow a customer to run Qlik Sense all in SaaS, all on premise, all in a private cloud, or use any
combination of these.
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Container Deployment
Cluster nodes refer to the underlying hardware
running Kubernetes. Within Kubernetes run
containers. You might see security containers for
authentication, client containers for managing user
information, and engine containers for load
balancing. A database handles security, licensing,
and configuration, and there are data volumes for
Qlik Sense applications, handled with Kubernetes
technology.
This architecture uses managed or private container deployment like AWS or Microsoft Azure.
This is one example of Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes.
Qlik Cloud Services
Qlik Cloud Services is SaaS that fully manages the
cloud deployment in a multi-cloud architecture.
This architecture uses the same technology as Qlik
Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes, but it is managed
by Qlik. Note that there is still a requirement for a
customer-managed Windows environment that
connects to Qlik Cloud Services.
2.7 Cloud-based architecture
Script:
Finally, there is a fully cloud-based architecture.
This deployment is fully managed for the customer.
An example of this is Qlik Sense Cloud Business.
With Qlik Sense Cloud Business, all of the software
and infrastructure is managed by Qlik.
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2.8 Qlik products and the Qlik Sense architecture
QSCB
Script:
Qlik Sense Cloud Business is a Software as a Service,
or SaaS offering of Qlik Sense deployed in the cloud.
Qlik Sense Cloud Business is fully hosted and
managed by Qlik. QSCB is not part of multi-cloud. It
is a standalone offering typically aimed at small
user groups
QAP
Script:
The Qlik Analytics Platform, QAP, describes the
APIs and SDKs on which the Qlik Sense products
are built. These APIs also allow web developers to
build their own custom interfaces to the product.
QAP does not come with the hub, a Qlik Sense
client, which is one of the main differences
between QAP and Qlik Sense Enterprise.
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Qlik Core
Script:
Qlik Core is a separate product that includes just
the engine distributed as a Linux container. It can
be used to build custom interfaces that can
leverage the engine and its APIs. It can be deployed
anywhere from the cloud to the edge, such as IOT
devices.
Qlik Cloud Services
Script:
Qlik Cloud Services use Linux containers.
Developing and reloading and editing take place
using Windows. This is the standard Qlik Sense
Enterprise deployment, which connects to an
external, cloud-based deployment. A policy defines
content distribution, and the content is consumed
in the cloud. Qlik manages this cloud service for
customers.
This is the same technology as Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes: the only difference is Qlik
manages the cloud portion of the deployment and handles things like uptime and scaling. Qlik
will host apps up to 500MB with Qlik Cloud Services.
QSE for Windows
Script:
Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows is the onpremise, server-based version we have been selling
since Qlik Sense was released. It can be part of a
fully on-premise deployment, or it can be deployed
in AWS or Azure and managed by the customer,
similar to an on-premise installation.
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QSE for Kubernetes
Script:
Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes uses Linux
containers, just like Qlik Cloud Services do.
Developing and reloading and editing takes place
using Windows. This is the standard Qlik Sense
Enterprise deployment, which connects to an
external, cloud-based deployment, that is managed
by the customer.
A policy defines content distribution, and the content is consumed in the cloud. The customer
chooses whether it needs a public cloud or private cloud and has total control over the cloud
deployment.
DataMarket
Script:
DataMarket is a data-as-a-service offering. When
Qlik DataMarket is part of the architecture, the
data service provides external data that lives in the
cloud. DataMarket connects to Qlik Sense with a
Connector.
Qlik Connectors
Script:
Qlik Connectors are technology that link data to
the Qlik Analytics Platform or Qlik Sense Enterprise
for Windows. The data can be located on-premises,
or in the cloud. Data can be in different formats,
including databases, apps, websites, spreadsheets,
and big data stores.
Connectors integrate external data into a Qlik Sense deployment whether it is on-premises, fully
in the cloud, or using a multi-cloud solution.
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NPrinting
Script:
NPrinting architecture includes the NPrinting
Server, Engine, and Designer. The NPrinting server
includes several services such as the scheduler
service and repository. The NPrinting server should
not be installed on the same computer (or node) as
Qlik Sense in a production environment.
Once NPrinting is installed, it uses Qlik Sense and/or QlikView apps as its data sources.
GeoAnalytics
Script:
GeoAnalytics is a set of extensions and connectors
that connect back to a GeoAnalytics server. The
server can be installed on-premise, or connect to a
version that is hosted by Qlik. GeoAnalytics
includes a connector that can gather and combine
data from an external data source. Like NPrinting,
the GeoAnalytics server should not be installed on
the same computer (or node) as Qlik Sense in a production environment.
2.9 Putting the pieces together
Script:
How Qlik Sense is deployed for a customer can
depend on a lot of different factors. Security needs,
on-premise technology, IT and developer expertise,
number of users, the need to scale up and down as
business needs change, or embedding analytics for
customers and partners could all influence the Qlik
Sense architecture.
Deployment options will help you put together and understand the basic architectural
components required by different business needs. The use cases will give you a scenario and ask
you to choose a good deployment option for the use case. Again, in the field, this is the role of
Qlik Consulting and pre-sales. The exercise is designed to help you get a better overall
understanding of the Qlik Sense architecture.
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3. Deployment Options
3.1 Deployment Scenario 1
Feedback:
A cloud deployment is the best option for this business. The small number of users means Qlik
Sense Cloud Business is a good choice.
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business need
3.2 Deployment Scenario 1: data
Feedback:
The Excel and csv files are considered on-premise data that the 4 users will manipulate and add
to their Qlik Sense apps. DataMarket is external, cloud-based, data-as-a-service.
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3.3 Deployment Scenario 1: architecture
Script:
In this scenario, the Qlik Sense deployment is fully cloud-based, though the licensed users do
use some on-premise data files in their apps.
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3.4 Deployment Scenario 2
Feedback:
With Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows, the Qlik Sense server can be on-premises, on the
customer’s own network, or it can be deployed in the cloud, using a service like Azure or AWS.
For this scenario, we will assume an on-premise deployment, as the healthcare provider has
strict rules about managing data on premises.
business need
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3.5 Deployment Scenario 2: architecture
Script:
This customer deployed Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows, on their own internal network. The
apps and QVF files are on the Qlik Sense server. The on-premise data sources have an
automated reload, and the Qlik Sense data architect imports and exports apps, and performs
server administration and maintenance. The business analysts interact with the apps and create
stories, and the clinicians consume the analytics and stories from the healthcare system’s
intranet site.
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3.6 Deployment Scenario 3
Feedback:
For scalability and speed, this customer can connect to an external, cloud-based deployment
using Qlik Sense Cloud Services, or Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes.
business need
3.7 Deployment Scenario 3
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Script:
In this scenario, the customer already has Qlik Sense Enterprise on premises, which they can use
for development. To address their business needs and scalability, Qlik Sense can be consumed in
a cloud infrastructure. The on-premise development defines and updates the policies that
govern how the content is distributed. This customer can choose to use Qlik Cloud Services, or
Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes as their cloud-based deployment. There are some
differences in these deployments.
3.8 Deployment Scenario 3
Script:
If the customer chooses Qlik Cloud Services, Qlik
will manage the deployment, scaling and up time.
This could be a good option if the customer does
not have the IT skills needed in-house for the Linux
containers used in a cloud deployment, and their
apps are less than 500MB.
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3.9 Deployment Scenario 3
Script:
If the customer chooses Qlik Sense Enterprise for
Kubernetes, they will manage the deployment and
scaling. Just like Qlik Cloud Services, the
deployment will be done using Linux containers,
but Qlik will not be responsible for the cloud-based
portion of the customer’s installation. This would
be a good option for the customer if they have the
IT skills to support a cloud deployment, they have large apps, or they have a third-party vendor
to manage the cloud deployment for them, like a Qlik Managed Services Partner.
3.10 Deployment Scenario 3
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diagram feedback
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3.11 Multi-Cloud Deployment
Script:
Hover/select components to learn more about how
they work in this multi-cloud architecture.
public cloud: AWS
With a multi-cloud solution, Qlik Sense Enterprise
for Kubernetes is deployed using Linux containers.
A customer can opt for a public or private cloud,
based on their needs.
A public cloud can be housed on Amazon AWS,
Microsoft Azure, and other similar cloud services.
private cloud: Azure
With a multi-cloud solution, Qlik Sense Enterprise
for Kubernetes is deployed using Linux containers.
A customer can opt for a public or private cloud,
based on their needs.
A private cloud may be chosen for the added
security features a customer can implement.
Qlik Cloud Services
Qlik Cloud Services is the same technology as Qlik
Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes. Qlik manages this
deployment for the customer. Qlik uses Linux
containers in its Qlik Cloud Services deployments.
Linux containers take advantage of Kubernetes and
Docker.
Docker is used to run the containers. Kubernetes is
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a container technology that automates deployment, scaling and operations.
QSE for Windows
Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows is installed onpremises in a multi-cloud solution. It gives you
options that enable you to connect your Windows
deployment to external cloud-based deployments.
Cloud-based deployments can include Qlik Cloud
Services or Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes.
policy based content distribution
The customer defines and updates the policies
that govern how the content is distributed. The
policy can govern where the apps are deployed and
who has access to which apps.
data
This customer has on-premise databases,
DataMarket, and external cloud-based data. Data
loads and refreshes are done on-premises, on the
Windows side.
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4. Use Cases
4.1 Pick the best option for this use case:
Script:
Pick an option for this use case to see feedback.
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Qlik Cloud Services
Qlik Cloud Services is not the best option for this
group, since it is a small deployment. Qlik Sense
Cloud Basic or Qlik Sense Cloud Business could
meet their needs, and since they are already using
a number of Microsoft services, deploying Qlik
Sense Enterprise on Microsoft Azure also makes
sense.
Azure
Deploying Qlik Sense Enterprise on Microsoft
Azure makes sense for this customer since they are
already using Microsoft for a number of services
that Azure provides.
on premise
On-premise Qlik Sense Enterprise is not a good
option for this customer, as they want their
analytics to be fully in the cloud.
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4.2 Pick the best option for this use case:
Script:
Pick an option for this use case to see feedback.
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Qlik Cloud Services
Since the customer already has an on-premise
installation, they could use Qlik Cloud Services,
which could manage their need for scaling, and
provide SaaS that their IT can’t currently support.
Azure
Deploying Qlik Sense Enterprise on Microsoft
Azure is not a good solution for this customer, as
they already have Qlik Sense Enterprise installed on
premises.
Multi-Cloud
A multi-cloud deployment is not currently a good
solution for this customer, as they would need
more IT expertise in-house, and budget associated
with the maintenance and scaling of Kubernetes.
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4.3 Pick the best option for this use case:
Script:
Pick an option for this use case to see feedback.
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Qlik Cloud Services
Qlik Cloud Services could be part of a multi-cloud
solution for this customer, but since they are
already managing their own services on Azure and
their intranet, they may not need Qlik to manage
cloud services.
QAP
This company doesn’t do much of its own
development, so Qlik Analytics Platform may not
suit them. It also doesn’t address their need to
push analytics out to a lot of users.
Multi-Cloud
A multi-cloud deployment can handle this
customer’s deployment, since they can use Linux
containers on Azure and their secure, private
intranet. Multi-cloud will handle the hybrid cloud
types, and the user volume.
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5. Summary
5.1 To summarize…
Script:
A basic understanding of Qlik Sense architecture
can help you to have knowledgeable conversations
with your customers, and accurately answer their
questions. Knowing how components of Qlik Sense
architecture work together will help you sell the
right solutions to customers, and more effectively
collaborate with pre-sales and consulting.
5.2 Categorize the components:
Script:
Components of the Qlik Sense architecture include
products and deployment options. Products might
include:
 Qlik Analytics Platform
 Qlik Sense Cloud Business
 Qlik Cloud Services
 Qlik Sense Enterprise
 DataMarket
 Qlik Connectors
 NPrinting
 GeoAnalytics
… or any component you might price and quote for a customer. These products then become
parts of a deployment option. The deployment options include several different architectural
solutions:
 public or private cloud;
 on-premise;
 multi-cloud;
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 Qlik Cloud Services, which is the cloud environment Qlik hosts and runs for customers.
How and when these deployment options are used depend on the solution needed.
5.3 On premise deployments:
Script:
On-premise deployments include Qlik Sense
Desktop, and fully on-premise deployments of Qlik
Sense Enterprise for Windows. The Qlik Sense
nodes (servers), default storage and database are
all on-premises. These deployments may use
cloud-based data in their apps, dashboards, and
mash-ups, but the Qlik Sense software is on
premises.
5.4 Cloud-based deployments:
Script:
Fully cloud-based deployments include
 Qlik Sense Cloud Basic
 Qlik Sense Cloud Business
 and Qlik Sense Enterprise, deployed in the cloud,
which uses Linux containers.

5.5 Hybrid deployments:
Script:
In a hybrid deployment, Qlik Sense Enterprise for
Windows is deployed on premises, and it connects
to a cloud-based deployment of Qlik Sense. This
can be managed by Qlik, as with Qlik Cloud
Services, the customer can opt to manage their
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own public or private cloud using Qlik Sense Enterprise for Kubernetes, or a combination of
cloud deployments can be used. These cloud options all use the same technology: Linux
containers. Linux containers take advantage of Kubernetes and Docker. Docker is used to run
the containers and Kubernetes is a container technology that automates deployment, scaling
and operations.
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