Management

Information is published to the ISS input processing queue either by the ISS Collector, or through program calls to the ISS API.  To satisfy real-time access requirements, this process is usually initiated immediately upon creation of the information by the originating application, but the ISS Collector also offers the option of publishing on a predetermined schedule.  The published information is transformed into I3 Information Objects and queued for subscription processing.  At the highest level, each publication  creates a single Information Object.  That object is itself a collection of Information Objects, with the nesting continuing as far as required to fully express the publication.  Often, the high level object will represent a “natural transaction,” such as a purchase order, inventory list, or loan application, which is composed of sub-objects like customer name, quantity-on-hand, or annual income.

Subscriptions are established, through the user interface or the API, by specifying an information request filter.  The filters are created and processed using the full semantic capabilities of I3, so the user may express requests strictly in terms of the actual information desired, without regard to how it will be obtained.  ISS manages the information flow, applying active subscription filters to published information and queuing the qualifying information for distribution.  Because information is “pushed” through the system by the act of publication, subscriptions are usually filled when the desired information is published.  Subscriptions can also be filled on-demand through publication of a “triggering” object which ultimately results in distribution of the desired information.

Go to our Solutions section for examples of how to configure the ISS publish/subscribe system to manage information flow in some typical integration scenarios.     


Managing Information Definition

The I3 Semantic Repository (I3SR) provides the basis for transforming information into universal Information Objects and is arguably the most important part of any ISS installation.  Its primary content is a hierarchical collection of precisely defined and cross-linked XML tags which form a semantic blueprint for information throughout the enterprise.  Like the IT environment it supports, the I3SR is a dynamic entity, constantly evolving to accomodate the changing information base it represents.

When initially installed, it is pre-loaded with a comprehensive set of definitions and relationships describing information that is common to nearly all business enterprises.  It also contains the basic set of Intelligent Agents which operate on those classes of information.  When available, industry-specific definitions and agents are also included.  As each new application is integrated into the I3 environment, its information profile is mapped into the I3SR.  Information elements from the new application which have semantic equals in the repository are linked accordingly in the I3 metadata, and new elements are entered into the I3SR along with all discernible relationships to the existing collection.

In addition to elements introduced by newly integrated applications, new entries in the I3SR can be created through user requests for information.  As described above, users establish subscriptions to obtain information from ISS.  In most cases the user will build the subscription definition by selecting information which has already been classified in the I3SR, but if there is a requirement for information not present in the universal dictionary, the interface has the provision of establishing new information elements.  When specifying a new element, the user is prompted for input to define the element as precisely as possible.  This input is used to generate a preliminary I3SR definition which is immediately useable in the localized environment of the user, and, if appropriate, can ultimately be incorporated into the enterprise dictionary.
 

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The transformation of application data into I3 Information Objects provides the semantic basis for integration, but full utilization of the I3 Technology also requires management of those objects.  Information Management, as an I3 concept, actually refers to two separate functions, managing information flow and managing information definition.  Both functions are implemented through ZONAR’s Information Sharing System (ISS).


Managing Information Flow

Information flow management deals with the collection and distribution of enterprise information throughout the integration environment.  ISS accomplishes this through a unique publish/subscribe messaging system designed specifically for handling I3 Information Objects.