University of Toronto Turning Data into Information

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University of TorontoTurning Data into
Information
Dr. Eva Swenson, University of Toronto Terry
Riopelle, Software AG Nov. 2001
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The Business

• Higher Education
• 5th 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 sharingacross 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
ROSI
AMS

• Student biographic info
• Admissions
• Registration
• Fees assessment
• Student accounts receivable
• Awards
• Academic audit
• Transcripts
• Convocation

• SAP- Financial System
• SAP- Human Resources
• Research System
• Development System
• SAP- Sales Distribution
• Work Order
• other legacy systems ..

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Background - The Technology
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Business Need - 1 Cross-Functional Processes
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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
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Business Need - 2 Multiple Delivery Channels
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Business Need - 2 (Multiple Delivery Channels)

• Channels involved
• Administrative staff access ROSI through 3270
  terminal emulationStudents 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
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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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The Integration Solutions
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Three Forms of Integration
Business Need - 1 Cross-Functional Processes
Business Need - 2 Multiple Delivery Channels
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Integration Brokers vs. Message Oriented
Middleware

• Message Oriented Middleware
• Programming
• Non-programming
• Application integration Solution
• Synch Asynch
• Desktop integration
• Platform integration
• Application integ.
• Platform dependencies

• Integration Broker
• Data Management
• Programming
• Total integration solution
• Synch Asynch
• Information integration
• Platform independent
• Application independant

Business Need - 1 Cross-Functional Processes
Business Need - 2 Multiple Delivery Channels
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The Business Need - 1 Cross-Functional
ProcessesSolution
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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 employees 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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The Business Need - 2 Multiple Delivery
ChannelsSolution
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Multiple Channels Solution
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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
Logical
I
Physical
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Multiple Channels Solution - IVR
Data Services Tier
EntireX
Logical
Broker
Program
Logical Services
DB/2
I
Physical
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Questions?