Architecture overview / basics
BusinessObjects XI is a multitier, server-based product that comprises a number of logical
servers. These servers run as Windows services, and they can all be installed on one machine
or distributed across multiple machines, each running multiple processors as your needs
demand.
The BusinessObjects Enterprise technical architecture is composed of a set of tiers optimized for specific tasks and operations. The five tiers are:
- client_tier: web browser and rich clients.
- intelligence_tier: system server processes.
- processing_tier: data analysis and report generation.
- data_tier: source repositories.
- application_tier: Java web application servers and tools.
Developers can access the platform using a set of web services and Java APIs to integrate BusinessObjects Enterprise into other enterprise systems, and to share dynamically updated documents with users on separate networks.
End users can access, create, edit, and interact with reports using specialized tools and applications that include:
IT departments can use data and system management tools that include:
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Server
You can manage the various servers that comprise a BO XI installation by selecting the Servers option from the main menu of the CMC More …
Client tier
Two application categories are available in the client tier:
- operating system independent web applications that run in web browsers, like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. Examples of this type of application include the :
- and rich desktop applications installed on a Microsoft Windows operating system. This approach allows you to offload BI processing from BusinessObjects Enterprise onto individual client computers. Most desktop applications directly access your organization's data through middleware drivers installed on the desktop, and communicate with your BusinessObjects Enterprise deployment through CORBA or encrypted CORBA SSL. Examples of this type of application include :
Intelligence tier
The Intelligence tier manages the BusinessObjects Enterprise system. It maintains all of the security information, sends requests to the appropriate servers, manages audit information, and stores report instances. This tier contains the following components:
- SAP BOBJ - Cache servers instances.
Processing tier
The BusinessObjects Enterprise processing tier accesses the data tier and generates reports for clients. It is the only tier that directly interacts with the reporting database.
The processing tier includes the following server types.
Data tier
The Data tier is made up of the data sources that contain the information used in the reports and documents managed by your BusinessObjects Enterprise XI system, which supports a wide range of corporate databases.
Semantic layers
The Business Objects semantic layer is a platform-unspecific layer of abstraction that lies between BusinessObjects Enterprise and the raw source data contained with a reporting database.
Connection Server
The Connection Server provides database access to the raw source data.
Application tier
The application tier acts as the translation layer between :
- the end user and
- the processing_tier.
A third-party BOBJ - Web application servers hosts Java SDK modules to process requests from the user tier, then communicates those requests to the appropriate service in BusinessObjects Enterprise.
The web and application services tier communicate with the following BusinessObjects Enterprise :
- The BusinessObjects Enterprise SAP BOBJ - Software development kit (SDK).
- BusinessObjects Enterprise BusinessObjects Web Services.