ELAB ARCHITECTURE LESSON

LCE GENERAL

SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION

2. DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture

2. The valence system

INTRODUCTION

• The LabLynx ELab application was the first 100% true browser-based LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) to be introduced, in 1997.

• Workstations require Internet Explorer browser. No other software is required on the user’s computer.

• Can be deployed on customer site or cloud-hosted at LabLynx Data Center

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture •ELab

The LabLynx ELab Suite (the “E” stands for Enterprise) is a LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System).

There are two delivery methods of ELab: traditional onsite LIMS installation or SaaS ( Software as a Service) cloud-hosted LIMS.

ELab was developed using Visual Basic informatics language, and consists of Active Server Pages (ASPs). It can be modified using standard languages like C#, JavaScript etc.

DESIGN OF ELAB

The ELab architecture is composed of four parts:

Database: Oracle or SQL Server API connection layer, including iStudio/iServer ELab LIMS application Custom configurations

DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture

ELab’s bottom layer is the environment foundation:

•MS IIS, .NET Framework, Windows Server

•MS Office software on Workstations (to open and edit customer files in those formats, and use Excel import/export functions in ELab).

•Database connection is via native API

DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture•iServer/iStudio

iServer is the communication engine for ELab, using API to link databases to the LIMS.

iStudio is its user interface, providing a LIMS developer tool for customizing the ELab LIMS to your exact needs. Although 99% of tailoring ELab to the lab is configuration (done within ELab itself), iStudio provides the interface to the customization engine, iServer. iStudio allows you to further customize every aspect of ELab, including:

• Screens • Reports • Business Logic • Database Objects such as Tables,

Fields, Stored Procs, etc.

DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture•ELab (COTS)

The COTS (Commercial, Off-The-Shelf) ELab LIMS application itself sits atop the API connection layer.

The GUI (Graphical User Interface) is the user workstation’s Internet Explorer browser.

All of ELab’s modules and functionality are included. The functionality required for each lab is configured at setup during implementation.

DESIGN OF ELAB

1. Pyramid architecture• Custom configurations

The top layer of the ELab structural pyramid is any lab-specific configurations and customizations.

Each ELab LIMS application is uniquely configured based on customer processes/workflows.

These include tests/parameters, locations/departments, users, fields to display or hide, etc.

DESIGN OF ELAB

2. The valence system

ELab’s COTS default components have a negative ID in the database, whereas any customer modifications in the LIMS are positive (NOTE: COTS items also display RED in the LIMS).

This allows for an upgrade path that preserves customer configurations.