When designing an integration or interface between multiple enterprise systems, for example, but not limited to, a Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations or Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP and an E-Commerce channel for a web-shop, the following architectural pillars must be considered to ensure the design covers the various aspects of a robust and secure intgeration.
- Synchronization flow: Specify if uni-directional or bi-directional
- For Uni-directional flows: Specify synchronization direction
- For Bi-directional flows: Specify master datasource
- Synchronization Type: Specify if batch processing, direct action or tirggered by an event
- Time type: real-time, delayed updates
- Synchronization trigger type (applicable for non-batch): synchronous (blocking), asynchronous (non-blocking)
- Synchronization frequency (applicable for batches): hourly, daily per minute and time of day or day of month etc
- Synchronisation parallelism: Specify if single thread or multiple threads per synchronisation event
- Synchronisation data processing time and time-outs: Typical processing times and time-outs
- Any middleware used: This can be SQL Server agent, BizTalk, LogicApps, Retail CDX, Flow, CDS Data Integrator, etc and any associated licensing costs
- Data mapping / transformation strategy: How will data model elements such as dates, currencies, enums etc from one system be maped to that of another system
- Synchronization authentication: How will the synchronisation data and tools be protected from unathorised access
- Synchronization authorisation: How will users and integrating tools be segregated to only the data they should able to view, edit, update and delete
- Synchronization config storage: Where are the parametersfor the synchronisation stored? In one of the integrated applications such as the ERP, in a text file, in the middleware
- Synchronization config format: How is configuration data stored? As database data, as XML, as JSON?
- Synchronization config maintenance: How is setup exported and inmorted between different instances of the application such as a test and a production environment.
- Logging strategy: How can Power users monitor the synchronisation and view any errors or warning which are raised?
- Error handling and “re-try” strategy: How are errors handled? Is there a full or parital roll-back? Are failed records marked to be re-tried? How many times does a re-try happen?
- Performance considerations: Such as: e.g. Synchronous flows over low bandwidth or high latency networks -or- endpoint is experiencing high work-load
At Bluefort we have the necessary expertise to design the best integrations for your line of business applications based on the above pillars and industry-accepted best practices.
If you would like to learn more on how we can help you with system integrations do not hesitate to contact us on: info@bluefort.com.mt