Technical Summary


Component Tiers

ABT Results Management Suite 5 is a system of software components that are networked together in a multitiered configuration.

RMStiers.jpg (109619 bytes)

Note: The different tiers and elements do not need to be located on separate computers, but ABT recommends dedicated systems for best performance. The following pages describe each tier in greater detail.

Database Tier

wpe3C.jpg (2225 bytes)ABT Repository accesses and stores data on the Database Server. The database system contains the System database and all Project repository databases. A company’s business data resides here.

The database server communicates with the Business Server using Open Data Base Connectivity (ODBC).

Repository Tier

The Repository Tier contains two logical entities (the Business Server and ABT Agent), which may be located on two different computers:

wpe3B.jpg (2198 bytes)The Business Server communicates with client workstations running applications such as ABT Team and ABT Workbench using Remote Procedure Calls (RPC).

Note: The executables for applications such as ABT Team and ABT Planner physically reside on this server, but are downloaded to the client workstations, where they actually run.

Running on this server is the ABT Repository service, a 32-bit program that uses business rules to evaluate the data sent between user systems and the database server. These business rules maintain data integrity.

wpe3A.jpg (2187 bytes)ABT Agent stands between the Business Server and the Web Server. ABT Corporation recommends (but does not require) that the Agent and its configuration tool AGENTADMIN.EXE reside on the Business Server.

The Agent process uses HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the Web Server’s servlets and tasks, and RPC to communicate with the Business Server.

Web Tier

wpe39.jpg (2297 bytes)The Web Server communicates with both the Client Tier’s browser using HTTP and directly with servlets that manage temporary data and communicate with the Repository Tier’s Agent on a predetermined schedule, also using HTTP.

The Web server contains Web applications such as ABT Connect and ABT Publisher. The Web server can also contain the ABT Agent, its servlets and their associated tasks, each created and configured by the ABT Agent Administration tool to perform a specific, time-sensitive task. The Agent, servlets, and tasks usually reside on the Web Server itself. See “Configuring ABT Agent and Servlets” on page 120.

Client Tier

wpe38.jpg (2053 bytes)The Client Tier contains workstations running either Windows applications such as ABT Team and ABT Workbench, or Web browsers that connect to Web applications such as ABT Connect and ABT Publisher.

Workstations running Windows applications communicate directly with the Business Server using RPC. Workstations running browsers communicate with the Web Server using HTTP.

Communication Protocols

HTTP, ODBC, and RPC are the software protocols used to transfer data between tiers and logical components within tiers.

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the language of the World Wide Web portion of the Internet. HTTP is a set of conventions and protocols that permit Internet HTTP service. HTTP service is a document transfer process provided by a Web server (HTTP daemon or HTTPd) and functions somewhat like File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Unlike FTP, HTTP is a connectionless and stateless communications method, which means that no open connection or status information is maintained in most HTTP file request-reply-transfer communications.

ODBC

The Open Data Base Connectivity (ODBC) protocol links the Database Server and the Business Server. You can obtain the latest supported ODBC driver by contacting your database system vendor.

ODBC resides on the Business Server and must be installed there before you configure the ABT Repository databases. Users do not make direct connections to the database server. Software on the Business Server manages all communications with the database server through two multithreaded connections.

Note: ABT certifies specific versions of ODBC drivers for use with specific database applications and versions. For an up-to-date listing of ODBC drivers certified to work with ABT Repository 5.0, contact ABT Technical Support or visit our Web site at:

http://www.abtcorp.com

Remote Procedure Calls

Microsoft Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs) provide the communication link between the user systems and the Business Server. Microsoft TCP/IP is the default RPC protocol installed on Microsoft Windows NT machines.

Important: TCP/IP manufactured by vendors other than Microsoft might be incompatible with ABT Results Management Suite 5.