Xerox PeopleNet - Creating IT/HR Synergies
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DEVELOPING Xerox PeopleNet contd...To build the
software, developers initially considered various vendors offering
proprietary APIs[10] available, which enabled the use of PeopleNet's own
proprietary interface. However, these APIs locked the software to specific
databases and middleware.
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Xerox then decided to go for Open Database
Connectivity (ODBC)[11] , because it was supported by almost every client
application and database. Several ODBC drivers were evaluated including InterSolv's DataDirect ODBC Pack, Oracle'ODBC Driver, Microsoft's ODBC
Desktop Database Driver and Intersolv's DataDirect SequeLink.
Xerox finally selected OpenLink Software's Object Broker as it was
reportedly very easy to install and it supported both TCP/IP and
Novell's IPX/SPX protocols[12] equally well. |
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Many other ODBC drivers tested (or the middleware on which
they ran) worked better with TCP/IP, but not IPX/SPX. Those that supported
the latter were quite slow. Most importantly, OpenLink worked out to be much
more cost-effective than the other drivers available.
The server software, based on Oracle 7 Database, ran under Sun Solaris 2.4
on SPARCServer 1000s, with 512 MB of RAM and 10-GB disk arrays. Server
software also included OpenLink ODBC Request Broker, which communicated with
the ODBC driver on the client.
The clients and servers communicated over local and wide-area networks,
using TCP/IP and Novell IPX/SPX. The client part of the software was under
the Microsoft Windows operating system (version 3.1 on a 386 processor or
higher, with 8 MB RAM and 15 MB of available space on the hard drive),
written in Visual Basic 3.0 with a local Microsoft Access database (Refer
Figure I).
The project followed a phased development approach of prototyping, testing,
re-testing and then rolling out on a continual basis. Visual Basic was
selected as the client development tool because of its ability to facilitate
prototyping.
FIGURE I - THE Xerox PeopleNet SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
TABLE I - Xerox PeopleNet MODULES
[10] API
refers to Application Program Interface, which is a set of routines,
protocols and tools for building software applications. A good API makes it
easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. Most
operating environments, such as MS-Windows, provide an API so that
programmers can write applications consistent with the operating
environment. Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are ultimately
good for users because they guarantee that all programs using a common API
will have similar interfaces. This makes it easier for users to learn new
programs.
[11] ODBC
is a standard database access method, which makes it possible to access any
data from any software application, regardless of the database management
system handling the data. ODBC manages this by inserting a middle layer,
called a database driver, between an application and the DBMS. The purpose
of this layer is to translate the application's data queries into commands
that the DBMS understands.
[12]
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stands for a suite
of communication protocols, acting as the de facto standard for transmitting
data over networks. The two main protocols under TCP/IP are TCP and IP. The
IPX/SPX is a protocol used in Novell Netware networks. Together, IPX/SPX
provide connection services similar to TCP/IP.
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