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Business Process MethodologyChapter 2

Evolution of Enterprise Systems

Architectures

Prepared by:

Rao Majid Shamshad

University of Education, Lahore

email:majidrao111@gmail.com

http://www.bpm-ue.blogspot.com

Software Architecture“A structure that organizes the software elements and the resources of a software

system. “

• Software elements and resources arerepresented by subsystems.

• In a given software architecture, thesesubsystems have specific responsibilities andrelationships to other subsystems.

2.1 Traditional Application

Development2.2 Enterprise Applications and their

Integration• In the early stages of enterprise computing,

mainframe solutions were developed that hostedmonolithic applications, typically developed inassembler programming language.

• These monolithic applications managed all taskswith a single huge program, including the textualuser interface, the application logic, and the data.

• Data was mostly stored in files, and the applicationsaccessed data files through the operating system.

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1980’s……….

• With the advent of database systems, an internal structuring of the system was achieved: data was managed by a database management system.

• However, the application code and the user interface code were not separated from each other.

• The user interface provides the desired functionality through textual, forms-based interfaces.

1980’s…………………. continued

• More application systems were developed.

• One software system for human resources management, one for purchase order management and one for production planning.

• One logical data object, such as a customer address, was stored in different data stores managed by different application systems.

2.2.1 Enterprise Resource Planning

Systems• Provide an integrated database that spans large

parts of an organization.

• An ERP system stores its data in one centralized database

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Year 2000 and later………..

• The demand for additional functionality arose, and new types of software systems entered the market.

• Examples of ERPS

▫ supply chain management systems, or SCM systems,

▫ customer relationship management systems, or CRM systems.

Siloed Applications“meaning that data is stored redundantly

in different systems”

2.2.2 Enterprise Application

Integration1. Point-to-Point Integration

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2. Hub-and-Spoke Integration 2.4 Workflow Management

“Workflow is the automation of a business process, in whole or in part, during which

documents, information, or tasks are passed from one participant to another for action,

according to a set of procedural rules.”

Workflow Management System

“A workflow management system is a software system that defines, creates, and manages the

execution of workflows through the use of software, running on one or more workflow

engines, which is able to interpret the process definition, interact with workflow participants, and, where required, invoke the use of IT tools

and applications.”

Single-application workflow v/s

multiple-application workflows

“A single-application workflow consists of activities and their causal and temporal

ordering that are realized by one common application system. Multiple-application

workflows contain activities that are realized by multiple application systems, providing an

integration of these systems.”

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System WorkflowsA system workflow consists of activities that are implemented

by software systems without any user involvement

Human Interaction WorkflowsWorkflows in which humans are actively involved and interact with

information systems are called human interaction workflows.

Challenges for Workflow Management

• Lack of Adequate Support for Knowledge Workers

▫ Users acceptance issues

• Technical Integration Challenges

• Process Support Without Workflow Systems