PlanningForge architecture
PlanningForge technology applies open standards, is scalable, and deployable in a multi-tier architecture.
Data Layer
The Data layer includes any external database to which an XML SOaP import-export interface needs to be configured using the PlanningForge Data Integrator. It also includes the PlanningForge database, preferably Microsoft SQL, which is accessed through SOaP by the Planning Logic Layer and directly through SQL by PlanningForge Enterprise Planner.
Planning Logic Layer
The Planning Logic Layer constitutes the heart of PlanningForge and includes the web services for comprehensive planning functionality and the PlanningForge Planning Engine, which is a single web service in itself.
10 web services (developed in .Net) and over 400 web methods give access to more then 200 PlanningForge processes. For a fully documented overview of our web services and their aPIs, please .
Application Layer
The application Layer consists of libraries of classes in .NET and Java that bring the advantages of the Planning Logic layer to the level of the client application. These libraries encapsulate the messaging from and to the web service, not only at the SOaP level through Proxy Classes (Stubs), but also at the security level embedding the SOaP-Header ticketing system. The classes simplify and accelerate the setup of a new project, reducing the applications development time-to-market.
The application Layer also includes the web server (Microsoft IIS 5 or higher recommended), facilitating communication with the web services.
User Interface Layer
The User Interface Layer consists of a number of thin and rich client. among the thin clients we identify PlanningForge Intranet/Extranet, which use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox to connect to the application Layer over the Internet using the http protocol. among the rich client we identify PlanningForge Enterprise Planner, a .Net executable which is deployed on the client side and which directly connects to the database over the LaN using SQL queries. We further identify PlanningForge Data Integrator, a .Net executable which is deployed on the client side and which connects to the Planning Logic Layer through SOaP XML over http. a final rich client is PlanningForge Pocket PC, a Microsoft .NET Compact Framework (Version 2.0) executable which is deployed on a Microsoft Pocket PC compliant PDa, connecting to the Planning Logic Layer through SOaP XML over http.
For hardware requirements, please view the PlanningForge System Requirements