Thoughts on a research platform architecture: Simplify your application portfolio so you can focus on innnovation
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The document discusses the need for a simplified research platform architecture to support R&D operations, highlighting that traditional systems like SAP are not well-suited for research needs. It emphasizes leveraging open-source solutions to achieve agility and cost-effectiveness while providing authoritative data services and simplifying integration tasks. The conclusion stresses that an integrated platform facilitates innovation by allowing researchers to focus on scientific applications rather than IT complexities.
Thoughts on a research platform architecture: Simplify your application portfolio so you can focus on innnovation
- 1. Thoughts on a Research Platform ArchitectureSimplify your application portfolio so you can focus on innovationwww.pistoiaalliance.orgScientific ApplicationsSummaryOperational systems supporting business processes likely consume more than two thirds of your informatics portfolio. When times get tough, your CIO demands simplification of the portfolio. One approach is application rationalization based on SAP. R&D is different. SAP doesn’t align well to research needs.However, the lessons of SAP, especially its architecture, are very relevant to research. These learnings have been copied by companies like Oracle to simplify global development IT.But no such architecture platform exists for research. Fortunately, open source provides a path to achieve the same simplifications in a manner that meet research’s needs for agility and cost effectiveness. (delivers business value) Vendor AppVendor AppVendor AppReportingEclipse BIRTBusiness ComponentsLab heads want insight into lab operations including real-time dashboards and historical metrics on throughput and cycle time.Inventory ManagementOthers…Platform Architecture for operational systemsbuilt on top of Information IntegrationBusinessApplicationsReportingGeneric InventoryMaster Data ManagementDoes Walmart have an inventory system for books and another inventory system for electronics? Absolutely not!(simplifies business applications & simplifies integration) Authoritative Data ServicesProcess IntegrationThe primary output of research is data. Research needs authoritative data services to simplify data integration tasks. Pistoia could define lightweight and generic approaches for achieving consistency in approach across all data services.Convert this…MessagingProcessManagementReagentInventoryCell linesinventoryCompoundInventoryMouseInventoryCell culturesinventoryBiologicsInventory #1Vendor AppReportembeddedreportApplication ServerProcess ManagementFoundational ComponentsgeneratequeryBiologicsInventory #2Other inventoriesAnimalinventoryBusiness Rules - Research labs have many business rules that often need to be configurable without requiring IT involvement. Systems can then use the centralized rules to control application behavior.Workflow - Many research processes can be modeled and executed with a workflow tool that makes process changes easy enough for lab scientists todo it themselves.Events - Activity monitoring can capture data about process events on the fly and surface it through dashboards in the reporting layer.Scheduling – Generic scheduling components can help with everything from efficiently computing static schedules to dynamically optimizing the allocation of work to lab resources based on priority Reporting Layer… into this!Global Material InventoryMessagingOur IT systems need to support the increasing externalization of research and enable the plug-and-play of entire systemsand processes.Systems and processes need to be loosely integrated, which is exactly what a messaging component gives you. Messaging also creates a foundation for standardization efforts relating to data interchange. The open source options are arguably better than the COTS options. Many ESB options also available in open source. Application ServerNo need for heavy-weight commercial EJB containers. Open-source application servers are more than sufficient for research. Even Microsoft IIS is good enough.RabbitMQApache HTTP ServerApache Tomcat“I’m familiar with open source and love the price.”“An integrated platform allows me to focus on innovation instead of interoperability issues.”“Horizontal capabilities are available to me. I can focus my energy on building scientific applications and not IT components.”BioPharmaVendorsAcademia