Objects and Components

“The IFS component-based architecture is ideal for all size companies that need a specific solution, such as Supply Chain Execution, today, but want the flexibility to add other strategic components as needed.” ARC Director of Consulting, Houghton Leroy, in “IFS and PipeChain Partner on Supply Chain Execution Solution,” April 6, 2001.

IFS has been doing it ‘‘the component way’’ since 1994. We have continued to move forward—using what we have learned from our previous generations to develop and improve the next—with a strong focus on enhancing performance, mobility and security. We offer integration with best-of-breed solutions. What’s more, only a handful of suppliers offer systems based entirely on object oriented programming and components. We are one of them.

Component-based business applications

IFS Applications consists of more than 5,000 objects defined and documented in Unified Modeling Language (UML). True object oriented programming allows complete freedom to select the best implementation technology for every task.

Each object corresponds to an element of the business process, such as a business entity or a business activity. Objects have a given task and a robust, well-defined interface that clearly defines how they communicate (what information they take in and what they send out). The objects are then put together in business components such as a component that prints out invoices.

For the most part, a business component works like the objects it is made of. It has a well-defined function and interface so that it is clear how it communicates (the type of data it receives, handles and produces).

Components are then brought together to create business solutions that suit the specific requirements of customers, markets or industries. We can connect the components and solutions to other IFS components and to other systems or data sources that use XML, SOAP, Java, COM+, .Net and OPC (OLE for Process Control).