S-Plan APS: Integration Manager
Product Overview
The Integration Manager maintains the published interface messages and manages the flow of data between Greycon applications to and from other applications such as ERP, MES and SCM systems. Standard interfaces with orders, reservations, routes, product ion schedules, trim, product tracking, etc. can be user-configured. The module uses IBM MQ Series and Microsoft MSMQ messaging technology. The Integration Manager is extensible by the user who can define private messages for exchanging information between non-Greycon systems.
The Integration Manager provides data communications between a customer's host system and the central S-Plan database and active S-Plan sessions. The system:
- Facilitates architecture independent communications with third party system(s)
- Allows for significantly simplified interface customization according to individual specification
- Provides a mechanism for scrutinizing the data received by the Greycon systems before this is stored in the Greycon database to maintain database integrity
- Provides a quick and efficient update mechanism of live S-Plan sessions via messaging communications
The Integration Manager operates with internal and external communication.
Internal messaging provides intra-Greycon product communication.
External message exchange within the Integration Manager can take place either via MSMQ or MQ Series messages or through a shared Message Table (any database with ODBC connectivity could be used to provide the platform for sharing information). This methodology provides:
- Reliability and robustness: in the event that the PC running the Integration Manager goes down or network communication problems are encountered, messages transmitted by the Host system will not be lost
- Implementation under the majority of hardware/operating system configurations
- Simplicity and maintainability
- High degree of customization: if absolutely necessary, it is possible to customize messages for special customer requirements
- The messages are independent of the uptime for an external network where the Integration Manager will reside.
