Dr. Eva Swenson,
University of Toronto
Terry Riopelle,
Software AG
Nov. 2001

The Business
Higher Education
 5 th largest university in North America


Multiple IS groups reporting to multiple VPs
Multiple heterogeneous platforms (OS/390, Windows, UNIX)
BUSINESS NEED – 1
 Automate cross-functional processes through information sharing across functional systems
BUSINESS NEED – 2
 Deliver services directly to 54,000 students on multiple channels while allowing 1,000 administrative staff to perform registrarial functions
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Background - The Applications
AMS
 SAP- Financial System


SAP- Human Resources
Research System
 Development System
 SAP- Sales & Distribution
 Work Order
 other legacy systems ..
ROSI









Student biographic info
Admissions
Registration
Fees assessment
Student accounts receivable
Awards
Academic audit
Transcripts
Convocation
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Background - The Technology
AMS
AIX on IBM SP2
ORACLE
ABAP
SAP applications
WEB
SAP
(client server)
ROSI
MVS on mainframe
DB2
Natural
Software AG application
3270 terminal
(non client server)
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Business Need - 1 (Cross-Functional Processes)
Initial Cross-Functional Process
 Institution needs to know all about an individual
Functional Systems involved


SAP/HR: all about employees
ROSI: all about students
Challenges
 Maintain data consistency between functional systems
 Enable SAP/HR to ask ROSI to validate student status and enable
ROSI to ask SAP/HR to validate employee status
Technical Environment
 Natural / DB2 on OS/390 with SAP R/3 on Unix
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Linking the Data
AMS
Common Data
• Personnel number
• Student number
ROSI
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Business Need - 2 (Multiple Delivery Channels)
Channels involved
 Administrative staff access ROSI through 3270 terminal emulation
Students access their personal record on ROSI through the Web and the telephone (IVR)
Functional Systems involved
 ROSI: Student data
Challenge
 Achieve efficiency by using only one set of ROSI interfaces to feed all three access channels
Technical Environment
 Natural / DB2 on OS/390 with Apache on AIX Unix
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Multiple Channels
3270 Screens
Staff
Web Telephone
Student
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The Futures
 Provide even more information that is focused on individuals regardless of the data sources.
 Continue to adapt the ROSI application to meet new vehicles/channels of delivery of information.
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Three Forms of Integration
Data
Consistency
Multi-step
Process
Composite
Application
E.g. SAP HR/ROSI Integration
Integration
Broker
Orchestrator
Cross-Functional Processes
E.g. ROSI Student Self Service
Message Oriented
Middleware (MOM)
Communication Broker
Multiple Delivery Channels

Integration Brokers vs. Message Oriented Middleware
 Integration Broker
 Data Management
 Programming
 Total integration solution


Synch & Asynch
Information integration
 Platform independent
 Application independant
 Message Oriented Middleware
 Programming
 Non-programming
 Application integration Solution
 Synch & Asynch
 Desktop integration
 Platform integration
 Application integ.
 Platform dependencies
Business Need - 1
Cross-Functional Processes
Business Need - 2
Multiple Delivery Channels
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ROSI & SAP R/3 HR
Enterprise Application Integration
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ROSI - SAP HR Integration
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What is involved?
 The Process
 Business objects are defined as messages
 Messages are associated with an application
 Integration is described as integration flows
 Integration flows are associated with application integration
 by defining processing, routing and delivery rules for messages
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Scenario 1
Integration Problem:
 Currently when an end user of the ROSI student information adds or modifies employee number information in the ROSI financial information screen, no validation of the employee number occurs. ROSI end users would like the ability to validate the employee number given.
Solution:
 Allow end users from within ROSI the means to validate that the employee number provided exists and that the student is a current employee. This will be achieved by propagating the SAP HR desired data asynchronously to a
ROSI DB2 table whenever new employee information is added, or whenever an existing employee’s information is updated in the SAP HR system, which affects the applicable course fee discounts.
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Scenario 1 Integration Flow
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Scenario 2
Integration Issue:
 The scope of this business process is to automate this validation process such that when a student number is added or modified in the SAP HR system. Currently when a student number added no validation of the student number occurs. HR IS end users would like the ability to validate the student number given.
Solution:
 To automate this validation process such that when a student number is added or modified in the SAP HR system, EntireX Orchestrator will asynchronously validate the student number in ROSI. Validation results will be stored for auditing by HR personnel.
For this validation process to occur, some transformation and filtering of data will be necessary.
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Scenario 2 Integration Flow
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Multiple Channels Solution
3270
Screens
Staff
Web Telephone
Student
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What is involved?
 The Process
 Type of communication model chosen (RPC, ACI, event, polling, etc…)
 Interfaces requirements defined (inputs, outputs)
 Logical Services created
 Servers created which perform the various work requested by clients for the defined Services
 Clients are created in the desired languages and ask the various Services to do work.
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Multiple Channels Solution - Web
Presentation/Business Services Tier
Logical
Data Services Tier
EntireX
Broker
Logical Services
Natural
Natural
Natural
Program
Web
Browser
Apache Web
Server usingCGI
I
TCPIP
Physical
DB/2
AIX Apache
Web Server
OS/390
Mainframe
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Multiple Channels Solution - IVR
Presentation/Business Services Tier
Logical
Data Services Tier
EntireX
Broker
Logical Services
Natural
Natural
Natural
Program
IVR
Periphonics
DB/2
I
TCPIP
Physical
AIX
OS/390
Mainframe
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