All the resources described here are logical components. You can install them on the same computer or distributed across several machines according to the number of users to be connected, the size of the database, and the number of transactions to be processed. This model of distributed architecture offers a high level of scalability.
The database server stores the application data, the description data for this application (dictionary), and the parameters data.
SAFE X3 products are developed according to the database editor recommendations, which guarantees the integrity and the coherence of the data stored in the database.
There is no limit to the size of the database. Most customers are below 100 GB for data size, however some large Sage X3 installations use several terabytes. To reduce the size of the live database, you can purge large tables or archive them in a special archive folder that may use another database server.
This/these server(s) provides access to all the elements that make up Sage X3 including processes, screens, reports, etc. These elements are organized in directories by folder and are not repeated from parent folder to child folder except when they truly belong to the child folder. Otherwise, it is the element from the parent folder that is used. Three folder levels are managed in this way.
The application is organized as a hierarchy of folders where the root folder is the image of the standard delivery and the other folders are the customer folders, generated from the root folder and each representing an application.
Beginning with Version 11, it is possible to have several application servers (but only through a manual set-up at current time). In this type of implementation, multiple application servers will use common files in a single location, typically on a shared file system provided by redundant servers or NAS. Setting up multiple application servers eliminates a single point of failure.
The application server is licensed by the Apache Software Foundation (www.apache.org).
The Web presentation server is a front-end server that end users access to open a Sage X3 session through their internet browsers.
During installation, especially in documents and screens, Web presentation server can also be referred to as Syracuse.
It works in asynchronous mode based on the Node.js software platform, which contains a built-in HTTP server library which is used to provide a web publication server.
Each X3 function has its own URL and sends normalized (SData) Java Script feeds in JSON format to the client (web browser on user’s workstation or web services client).
Operating data, such as Windows customization, dashboard, endpoints, management roles, user information, and electronic documents that users can register via their storage area, are stored in a document-oriented MongoDB database.
The Web presentation server is the result of the Syracuse project to make it possible to reuse services provided by legacy applications to make their features accessible through the Web or mobile devices. The Syracuse Web Server was introduced into Sage ERP X3 following V6.
The Syracuse Web Server can be clustered to ensure scalability when a high number of concurrent interactive connections and/or web services are needed.
This Syracuse Web Server also manages:
MongoDB is a free open source NOSQL database. It is used to store all configuration and customization parameters for the Syracuse Web Presentation server and can also be used to store documents attached to business processes (for instance, scanned orders or invoices).
MongoDB can be clustered on multiple servers to ensure scalability and redundancy.
ElasticSearch®, is a free, open source search engine based on the 100% Java Lucene engine under Apache License 2.0. There are no additional database engines to be installed.
ElasticSearch® provides real-time text-based search on the application data and metadata that have been setup to be indexed.
ElasticSearch® can be clustered on multiple servers to ensure scalability.
This server is hosted on a machine running a Windows Server operating system. There can be multiple print servers per solution depending on volume requirements for printing.
The Print server supports all print requests from interactive sessions as well as batch submissions and sends the files to the appropriate print destination (printer, file, PDF, FAX, etc.).
A Windows service is started on the computer that hosts the Print server. This service is on port number 1890 by default, but it can be customized during installation. The print service manages an output queue of the requests submitted, and the execution of these reports can be dispatched on several editing processes or threads. The number of editing processes can be customized in the Configuration Console and must be adapted to the size of the server.
The Print server communicates with two other servers in your environment: the Application server that hosts the printing model and the Database server that hosts the tables via an ODBC connection.
The report files are transferred using the SADFSQ internal communication protocol. The print server embeds a SADFSQ client able to address and communicate with a SADFSQ server running on the Application and Main Process server.
Reports are designed using Crystal Reports 2008, (version 12.x) or Crystal Reports 2013 (version 14.1).
These servers manage processes when scalability is required. They can run processes linked to interactive sessions as well as web services sessions and batch processes (batch process support on additional process servers was not possible in Sage X3 previous versions).
Differences between the Main Process server and Additional Process servers are as follows:
It’s a technical server that manages communication with:
This component embeds Apache HTTP and Apache Tomcat (web servlet container).
This component will be deprecated in future versions of Sage X3 and replaced by Syracuse Web Server new modules.
It should normally be installed only to provide the following functionalities:
The Java Bridge Server is a deprecated component. However, it can still be installed to support legacy outgoing web services (SOAP) and some other specific extensions.
The Business Objects (BO) server hosts Business Objects Enterprise XI. The data warehouse database can be hosted on this server and updated daily from the production database.
The Configuration Console is a tool used to install and manage SAFE X3 components. The Console configures the components and links them to define a “solution” or work environment.
The Console uses different XML configuration files that are generated on each server when installing the various components.
SAFE X3 Configuration console can be installed on any workstation running Windows 7 or higher, and/or on any Windows servers involved in the Sage X3 infrastructure.
A Sage X3 environment (or “solution”) can be managed by several users from different workstations or servers where the Safe X3 configuration console is installed.
A Mail server is a computer program or software that forwards electronic messages from one computer to another. Mail servers move and store mail over corporate networks via LANs and WANs and across the internet.
A Mail server or SMTP Gateway is mandatory for using workflow functionalities. This server/gateway is not supplied by Sage.
Mandatory components
Database server
The database server stores the application data, the description data for this application (dictionary), and the parameters data.
SAFE X3 products are developed according to the database editor recommendations, which guarantees the integrity and the coherence of the data stored in the database.
There is no limit to the size of the database. Most customers are below 100 GB for data size, however some large Sage X3 installations use several terabytes. To reduce the size of the live database, you can purge large tables or archive them in a special archive folder that may use another database server.
Application and Main process server(s)
This/these server(s) provides access to all the elements that make up Sage X3 including processes, screens, reports, etc. These elements are organized in directories by folder and are not repeated from parent folder to child folder except when they truly belong to the child folder. Otherwise, it is the element from the parent folder that is used. Three folder levels are managed in this way.
The application is organized as a hierarchy of folders where the root folder is the image of the standard delivery and the other folders are the customer folders, generated from the root folder and each representing an application.
Beginning with Version 11, it is possible to have several application servers (but only through a manual set-up at current time). In this type of implementation, multiple application servers will use common files in a single location, typically on a shared file system provided by redundant servers or NAS. Setting up multiple application servers eliminates a single point of failure.
The application server is licensed by the Apache Software Foundation (www.apache.org).
Web presentation server
The Web presentation server is a front-end server that end users access to open a Sage X3 session through their internet browsers.
During installation, especially in documents and screens, Web presentation server can also be referred to as Syracuse.
It works in asynchronous mode based on the Node.js software platform, which contains a built-in HTTP server library which is used to provide a web publication server.
Each X3 function has its own URL and sends normalized (SData) Java Script feeds in JSON format to the client (web browser on user’s workstation or web services client).
Operating data, such as Windows customization, dashboard, endpoints, management roles, user information, and electronic documents that users can register via their storage area, are stored in a document-oriented MongoDB database.
The Web presentation server is the result of the Syracuse project to make it possible to reuse services provided by legacy applications to make their features accessible through the Web or mobile devices. The Syracuse Web Server was introduced into Sage ERP X3 following V6.
The Syracuse Web Server can be clustered to ensure scalability when a high number of concurrent interactive connections and/or web services are needed.
This Syracuse Web Server also manages:
- Workflow links
- Incoming and outgoing SOAP and REST Web Service
MongoDB server
MongoDB is a free open source NOSQL database. It is used to store all configuration and customization parameters for the Syracuse Web Presentation server and can also be used to store documents attached to business processes (for instance, scanned orders or invoices).
MongoDB can be clustered on multiple servers to ensure scalability and redundancy.
ElasticSearch® Search Engine
ElasticSearch®, is a free, open source search engine based on the 100% Java Lucene engine under Apache License 2.0. There are no additional database engines to be installed.
ElasticSearch® provides real-time text-based search on the application data and metadata that have been setup to be indexed.
ElasticSearch® can be clustered on multiple servers to ensure scalability.
Print server
This server is hosted on a machine running a Windows Server operating system. There can be multiple print servers per solution depending on volume requirements for printing.
The Print server supports all print requests from interactive sessions as well as batch submissions and sends the files to the appropriate print destination (printer, file, PDF, FAX, etc.).
A Windows service is started on the computer that hosts the Print server. This service is on port number 1890 by default, but it can be customized during installation. The print service manages an output queue of the requests submitted, and the execution of these reports can be dispatched on several editing processes or threads. The number of editing processes can be customized in the Configuration Console and must be adapted to the size of the server.
The Print server communicates with two other servers in your environment: the Application server that hosts the printing model and the Database server that hosts the tables via an ODBC connection.
The report files are transferred using the SADFSQ internal communication protocol. The print server embeds a SADFSQ client able to address and communicate with a SADFSQ server running on the Application and Main Process server.
Reports are designed using Crystal Reports 2008, (version 12.x) or Crystal Reports 2013 (version 14.1).
Additional components
Additional Process servers
These servers manage processes when scalability is required. They can run processes linked to interactive sessions as well as web services sessions and batch processes (batch process support on additional process servers was not possible in Sage X3 previous versions).
Differences between the Main Process server and Additional Process servers are as follows:
- At least one Main Process server is mandatory and runs on the same machine as the Application server.
- Additional Process servers are optional and are used to load-balance among multiple resource processes related to X3 users sessions. Additional Process servers load balancing is automatically managed by the front-end Syracuse Web Presentation server(s), and can be done according to multiple rules (X3 groups tagging, Web Services pools, Batch capability definition)
Legacy Web service and Automated Data Collection (ADC) servers
It’s a technical server that manages communication with:
- Automated Data Collection devices (typically RF hand-held terminals)
- Incoming SOAP Web Service in “legacy” mode
This component embeds Apache HTTP and Apache Tomcat (web servlet container).
This component will be deprecated in future versions of Sage X3 and replaced by Syracuse Web Server new modules.
It should normally be installed only to provide the following functionalities:
- Automated Data Collection devices (typically hand-held RF terminals)
- Sage X3 People Employees portal
Legacy Java Bridge server
Business Objects Server
The Business Objects (BO) server hosts Business Objects Enterprise XI. The data warehouse database can be hosted on this server and updated daily from the production database.
- The Business Objects Server can only be deployed on Windows 2012 R2.
- The data warehouse database can be stored on another server.
Auxiliary components
Configuration console
The Configuration Console is a tool used to install and manage SAFE X3 components. The Console configures the components and links them to define a “solution” or work environment.
The Console uses different XML configuration files that are generated on each server when installing the various components.
SAFE X3 Configuration console can be installed on any workstation running Windows 7 or higher, and/or on any Windows servers involved in the Sage X3 infrastructure.
A Sage X3 environment (or “solution”) can be managed by several users from different workstations or servers where the Safe X3 configuration console is installed.
Mail server or SMTP Gateway
A Mail server is a computer program or software that forwards electronic messages from one computer to another. Mail servers move and store mail over corporate networks via LANs and WANs and across the internet.
A Mail server or SMTP Gateway is mandatory for using workflow functionalities. This server/gateway is not supplied by Sage.
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Sage X3 and Sage Software are trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SQL Enterprise Manager and SQL Server Management Studio are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Oracle is is a registered trademark or Oracle Corporation. All other product names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Sage X3 and Sage Software are trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SQL Enterprise Manager and SQL Server Management Studio are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Oracle is is a registered trademark or Oracle Corporation. All other product names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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