Client/Server Business Issues – Q & A
Business-Focused Client/Server Architecture
When analyzing a business there are three views of the organization:
A functional model, which reflects organizational responsibilities and the way in which the people who use the system view their work.
A process model, which details the business functions of the organization (e.g. accept orders, make goods, deliver goods, bill customers, and receive money). The functional structure and process model rarely, if ever, agree.
An information model, which details the information that the organization needs to function.
Client/Server Business Application Architectures
Traditional applications architectures have been based on function. Today, to meet the needs of the business application architecture should reflect the complete range of business requirements.
Therefore, client/server computing demands a three layer view of the organization.
- The user interface layer, which implements the functional model
- The business function layer, which implements the process model
- The data layer, which implements the information model
It should be noted that this application architecture does not demand multiple hardware platforms, although such technology can be utilized, if the environment is robust and reliable enough and the business is prepared to pay the additional costs associated with workstation and LAN technology.
Business Drivers
Client/server computing has arisen because of a change in business needs. Businesses today need integrated, flexible, responsive and comprehensive applications to support the complete range of business processes.
Problems with existing systems include:
- applications were developed to model vertical applications
- applications were built in isolation
- applications were implemented as monolithic systems
- applications were complex
- the supporting technology was based on a centralized control model
Information technology, which is an enabling factor in systems building, has almost reached the stage where these systems can be designed and created. Unfortunately, most businesses have existing systems based on older technology, which must be incorporated into the new, integrated environment.
The development and implementation of client/server computing is more complex, more difficult and more expensive than traditional, single process applications. The only answer to the question “why build client/server applications?” is “because the business demands the increased benefits.
Business Benefits
There is a perceived need for vendor independence. This includes application development methodologies, programming paradigms, products and architectures.
- Organization have changed from steep hierarchies to flattened hierarchies
- Network management is replacing vertical management
- There is a change to team based management
- The customer should have a single point of contact for all business with the organization
- The customer should deal with the same person over multiple contacts.
- The user will perform as much processing as possible during customer contact time
- The time required to complete the work will be minimized
- There is a need for empowerment of staff and audit trail of actions
- Multi-skilled and multi-function teams need access to multiple applications
What does business expect from IT?
New applications should be aligned with both the user’s view and the business process view. Existing functionally aligned systems are not appropriate
- Applications need to provide a consistent user interface
- Application complexity needs to be hidden
- The user interaction must be flexible
- Consistent information across all applications
- A variety of user interface styles to reflect the needs of the work
- Users should be able to modify business rules without reference to IT staff
- IT systems will support all activity performed by the user, not just a part
- An ability to evolve IT systems to reflect changing business requirements
- It is essential that there be integrity of transactional processes
What is Business Process Reengineering?
Reengineering is the organizational process required to align people, processes and technology with strategies to achieve business integration. It can also be thought of as taking a business in its current state and forming an organizational and operational blueprint to redirect skills, policies, information (data), cultural values, organizational structures, processing and incentives towards targeted improvements.
What sites carry client-server related material?
Object Management Group:
http://www.omg.org/
DCE Questions and Answers:
http://www.osf.org/dce/qna
OSF/DCE FAQ
http://www.osf.org/dce/faq-mauney.html
ftp://ftp.dstc.edu.au/pub/DCE/
Object-Oriented Links at Cetus (Germany)
http://www.rhein-neckar.de/~cetus/software.html
Client/Server Computing Page
http://www.wenet.net/~jtmalone/
