ANSWERS COME FROM THE NEW BREED OF IT ARCHITECTURE:

CSC e4SM is a proven world-class, award-winning example of the new-style IT
architecture used for ASCM � a breakthrough capable of integrating individual
applications, whether new or within legacy systems � that enables the open
flow of processes and all the attendant data between systems, across organizations,
between enterprises, and among trading partners. CSC e4SM can rapidly
integrate Web-based applications, front- and back-office systems, enterprise
resource planning systems, and package software applications. It verifies what
can be accomplished using BPM as the link between extended enterprise business
partners.
The architecture uses application adapters to allow true plug-and-play capability,
banishing repetitive and costly point-to-point solutions. CSC e4SM has
been designed to be flexible, scalable, and rapidly deployed, so as to deliver
a future-proof solution to extended enterprises for a low cost of ownership. Its
flexibility allows business processes to be tuned or amended without any coding
changes.
CSC e4SM uses a component approach that integrates Web technology and legacy
and commercial applications with a process management engine connected by
adapters to middleware services, to deliver a business-process-oriented solution.
The business logic of the adapters allows drag-and-drop capability when
reengineering processes, which, along with CSC e4SM�s true plug-and-play and
vendor-independent flexibility, delivers a future-proof solution to any IT architecture.
The key aspects of CSC e4SM are shown in Figure 2.5.
These aspects come in layers and begin with the distribution layer, designed
to provide multichannel access within the network. Users can interact through
various channels, including browsers, PDAs, and mobile phones, enabling
employees to use the channel best suited to their work and consumers to select
the device of greatest convenience. CSC e4SM allows the process designer to take
advantage of the features of various channels. This layer also manages the
physical connections, ensuring authentication, security, and eligibility of the
source. The architecture creates an enterprise format, so important for crossbusiness
communication, allowing users to interact across the full network and
manage tasks associated with their process steps.
Moving through the enterprise portal to the business process engine, the
process manager allows the business architects to describe the end-to-end processing
using available services. It permits process design logic to be based on
data captured from enterprise applications, while allowing rapid deployment of
new and changed business processes. Design patterns can be reused as subprocesses
within larger processes. The process manager can also establish the
definition of synchronous, asynchronous, and parallel steps within a process.
The coordination layer manages the Web services and applications integration
requirements. It marshals requests for services to the correct component
interface, ensuring that responses occur in context with the overall process
design. This layer provides services for current industry data and application
format conversion between process constituents. Middleware technology is used
to deliver all service requests and to connect applications.