Service-Oriented Procurement Architecture Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software architectures for self-service procurement systems are complex and lack a scalable design that allows for efficient interaction between multiple components across different hardware platforms, leading to difficulties in reliable and cost-effective implementation.
Innovation Solution
A software architecture design that utilizes multiple process components interacting through service operations, allowing for scalable deployment across separate hardware platforms and enabling effective reuse of software units, with service interfaces defining interactions between pairs of process components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large enterprise software system is implemented with multiple components across different hardware platforms, then the system's functionality and coverage are improved, but the architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The software system is divided into multiple independent process components (Accounting, Internal Request Processing, Purchase Request Processing, etc.), each handling specific procurement functions. These components can be deployed separately across different hardware platforms, reducing overall architecture complexity while maintaining comprehensive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal service-oriented architecture where process components can interact through standardized service operations. This allows the same component design patterns to be reused across different hardware platforms and procurement scenarios, managing complexity through standardization.
2Productivity
If process components are deployed on separate hardware platforms, then system scalability is improved, but deployment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into independently deployable process components that can be distributed across multiple hardware platforms. Each component (e.g., Purchase Order Processing, Supplier Invoice Processing) can be deployed, scaled, and maintained separately, enabling scalability without proportionally increasing deployment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Service operations act as intermediaries between process components deployed on different hardware platforms. These standardized service interfaces simplify the deployment complexity by providing a uniform communication mechanism across distributed systems.
3Reliability
If service interfaces define pair-wise interactions between process components, then system reliability is improved, but the number of interaction points increases
Solution Approach 1:
All process components communicate through homogeneous service interfaces with consistent interaction patterns. This standardization reduces interaction complexity by applying the same communication protocol and interface design principles across all pair-wise interactions, while maintaining reliability through consistent error handling and transaction management.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing service procurement. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include an Accounting process component, an Internal Request Processing process component, a Purchase Request Processing process component, a Purchase Order Processing process component, a Goods and Service Acknowledgement process component, a Supplier Invoice Processing process component, a Payment Processing process component, an RFQ Processing process component, a Project Processing process component, a Source of Supply Determination process component, a Due Item Processing process component, a Balance Of Foreign Payment Management process component, a Pricing Engine process component, and an Accounting Coding Block Distribution Processing process component.