1. Slide 1 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization PLCS staging area Support for data exchange Jochen Haenisch 2004-02-03

2. Slide 2 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Contents  What is a staging area  The role of DEXes  The translation process  Functionality of the Product Data Test Facility (PDTF)  Use of the PDTF in the frigate programme

3. Slide 3 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization What is a staging area? ... an application (and possibly a repository)  to prepare data for import into and export out of a target system;  to enable system interoperability.  The one for the NDLO frigate programme is called:  Product  Data  Test  Facility

4. Slide 4 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Staging area and DEXes Norwegian Defence Information System legacy A legacy B legacy C legacy D legacy x DEX specification defines semantics and format of the exchange data may be based on proprietary specifications PDTF Staging area data flow

5. Slide 5 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Role of a DEX specification  To apply business context to a generic data model.  To specify a unified data interface among software applications.  To describe formally a valid data population. By:  subsetting a given data model (AP239);  adding population constraints;  defining reference data (to reduce the valid population even more);  specifying exchange formats.

6. Slide 6 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Suggested formal elements of a DEX  EXPRESS SCHEMA  to describe the subset of another schema  LOCAL and GLOBAL RULES added to the original SCHEMA  to constrain the valid population  ISO 15926 compatible reference data library  to constrain the valid population even further  ISO 10303-21 and 10303-28  to specify file exchange formats. These elements are the baseline of the NDLO staging area implementation.

7. Slide 7 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization DEX and data translators  A data translator converts data  from the DEX format and terminology into a proprietary format and terminology (import);  or vice versa (export).  A DEX provides the requirements for what may be input to or output from a translator.  Other requirements are dictated by the legacy system and its use:  strategy for reading an input file;  what to store and where in the legacy system. Translators

8. Slide 8 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Legacy to legacy exchange - generic view Exchange specification - with business context - with instantiation examples - with exchange guidelines Data modelRulesRef. data RDL results in are used by Legacy source Legacy target populated exchange file Translator dataflow

9. Slide 9 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Translators in the NDLO pilots  A pragmatic, but visionary solution to cover today’s needs.  The more standardized components, the better. Translators Norwegian Defence Information System SAP ++ dataflow based on PLCS DEXes out of scope PDTF Staging area dataflow based on vendor specification Translators in scope Translators PDB/IZAR out of scope

10. Slide 10 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Example of an import translator architecture STEP P21 File populated native DB Rules Convert from PLCS Validate PLCS/DEX Mapping 43 PLCS/DEX DB Merge model Validate result RulesMapping 6 7 ISO15926 RDL DB Rules Import Validate import 1 5 2 native DB (EXPRESS based) native applicationPLCS highway DEX specification format schema reference data rules

11. Slide 11 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Mapping architecture Source Model (Instances ) Source Schema (EXPRESS) describes Target Schema (EXPRESS) describes Target Source Target Model (Instances ) Mapping Schema (EXPRESS-X) describes Is mapped to Data Converter processes Is mapped to

12. Slide 12 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization PDTF functionality  If DEX based data exchange:Tailoring by user  validation (against rules and reference data)- rules and ref.data  merge (with existing populations)- merge algorithms  select (for export)-  store (for a long time)-  If vendor specific data exchange:  as above- s.a.  map from/to vendor specific exchange specification- map algorithms

13. Slide 13 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization Product Data Test Facility - applied to NDLO frigate programme Data Exchange Definition Manager (DXManager) Product Data Test Facility Report layer feedback DXDexecuter User access control, system administration data export STEP P21 File Translator Data Browser Queries Populated mirror PLCS DB move verified data to mirror PDTF 8 Rules Convert to PLCS Validate PLCS/DEX Mapping 45 PLCS/DEX DB Populated PLCS DB Merge/extract model Validate result RulesMapping 6 7 PDB IZAR/Ferrol Rules Import Validate import 1 3 2 PDB DB EXPRESS basert DXDeditor (Schema Manager, Process Editor)... DB Translator SAP DB Translator STEP P21 File Reference Data System (RDS) ISO15926 RDL DB

14. Slide 14 Copyright, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization The End