KR20190130184A - Msa-based open api hub system for bidirectional communication between cloud based erp system and external system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bidirectional interlocking method between an ERP system and external backbone systems. According to the present invention, a micro service architecture (MSA)-based open API hub system can cope with different request of a cloud-based ERP system by converting different requests of a cloud ERP system into an open API format provided by external backbone systems by means of combination of MSA-based functions and transmitting the same. In addition, the system can provide open API by means of combination of MSA-based functions even through a new function is added, thereby reducing works caused by new function development. Moreover, the system provides an open API by means of combination of MSA-based functions such that a combination of various functions is possible. When a failure occurs, only MSA function module which is failed can be separated to address the failure such that the present invention can fix the failure without stopping the entire cloud ERP system.

Description

MSA-BASED OPEN API HUB SYSTEM FOR BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CLOUD BASED ERP SYSTEM AND EXTERNAL SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a software interworking method, and more particularly, to a bidirectional interworking method between an enterprise resource management system and an external infrastructure system.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a system that companies introduce to make production management, inventory management, etc. more efficient by integrating all of the company's information.

Recent cloud-based ERP systems have a multi-tenancy structure, so it is possible to provide services to multiple users with one software and one server. Cloud-based ERP systems are efficient because they can apply common business processes even if they are different.

However, the problem arises because the ERP system does not operate alone, but sometimes the service needs to be provided to the user in conjunction with an external period system. Whenever interworking with a new infrastructure system was needed, it was necessary to respond by modifying the ERP system or external system or by creating a new custom program.

However, in the cloud-based ERP system, the multi-tenancy structure makes it impossible to create separate programs for each customer. Therefore, the cloud-based ERP system had to install and use an agent program on the client's server for data interworking, and had to manage the different agent programs for each customer.

In addition, DB to DB method has been used for interworking with customers and external systems, which requires separate DB resources negotiated between the customer and external systems, and it was also difficult to clarify responsibility for the integrity of shared DB data. . In addition, in the multi-tenant cloud-based ERP system, in order to interlock data with DB to DB method, the firewall of the customer's system must be opened, which causes security problems.

Therefore, in order to interwork between the ERP system and the external backbone system in the cloud-based ERP system, a new interworking method was required to solve the above-described problems, and the inventors of the present invention studied to develop an interworking method that can solve the problems of the prior art. I have tried. In the cloud-based ERP system, by providing a common interface that can be used without change for each user, the present invention was completed after much effort to complete a cloud-based ERP system that can interoperate with different external systems.

An object of the present invention is to provide an environment that can facilitate the development of the ERP system by providing a standard interface for interworking the ERP system and external systems.

In addition, by providing an API (Application Program Interface) hub that connects ERP system and external system, even if the specification of the already linked system is changed or an external system to be interlocked is added, only the interface related to the changed system is changed in the API hub system. The objective is to add the specification for the newly added system so that the existing ERP system can be used as it is.

On the other hand, other objects not specified in the present invention will be further considered within the scope that can be easily inferred from the following detailed description and effects.

The present invention provides an interface method for interworking with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and an external system:

Upon receiving a request for processing a function from the ERP system to the external system, the request is converted into an open application programming interface (API) form that can be executed in the external system, thereby requesting the external system. When receiving a response to the request from the external system, and converts according to the data specifications of the ERP system,

Converting to the Open API form may implement API functions provided by the external system companies as a combination of functions based on a micro service architecture (MSA), thereby combining the request of the ERP system with the MSA based functions. It is characterized by converting to Open API form.

In particular, when a problem occurs during the conversion process of the Open API, only the MSA-based functional unit which is the cause of the problem is stopped.

An open API hub system based on a microservice architecture for interworking an ERP system and an external system according to another embodiment of the present invention,

Communication unit for communication with the ERP system and the external system; An authentication unit for storing information for authenticating the ERP system in the external system; A monitoring unit for monitoring an interworking state between the ERP system and the external system; And a controller configured to include one or more processors,

The controller receives a function processing request from the ERP system through the communication unit and converts the function processing into an Open API format that can be processed by the external system. By implementing a combination of functions, the request of the ERP system is characterized in that the combination of the MSA-based functions in the Open API form.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, even if a new function is added in the cloud-based ERP system, by providing a standard API by the combination of MSA-based functions, it is possible to reduce the need for additional package development of the ERP system.

Since the standard API is provided by a combination of MSA-based functions, it is possible to monitor issues related to API functions in real time, and it is advantageous to immediately identify a problem module.

In addition, the combination of MSA-based functions can provide a much wider range of functions than a single API. In the event of a failure, isolation can stop only the failed module without affecting other system functions. A structure can be provided. This structure also has the advantage that new features can be deployed without disrupting the ERP system.

On the other hand, even if the effects are not explicitly mentioned herein, the effects described in the following specification expected by the technical features of the present invention and its provisional effects are treated as described in the specification of the present invention.

1 shows a schematic structure of an entire system in which an Open API hub system according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
2 is a structural diagram of an Open API hub system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart illustrating an interface method between an ERP system and an external system using an Open API hub system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
4 illustrates an example of performance monitoring for system calls in accordance with any preferred embodiment of the present invention.
5 shows a schematic example of real-time log data according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.
6 illustrates an example of a standardized Open API call specification provided in accordance with any preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The accompanying drawings show that they are illustrated as a reference for understanding the technical idea of the present invention, by which the scope of the present invention is not limited.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings looks at the configuration of the present invention guided by various embodiments of the present invention and the effects resulting from the configuration. In the following description of the present invention, when it is determined that the subject matter of the present invention may be unnecessarily obscured by the person skilled in the art with respect to the related well-known functions, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 1 schematically shows the overall environment in which the Open API system according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.

The entire system is a built-in ERP systems 31, 33, 35, which are conventionally used as installations for each customer, a cloud-based ERP system 20, and external systems 41, 42, 45, which require interworking with the ERP system. 47) and the Open API hub system 10 of the present invention for interfacing between them.

The conventional ERP systems 31, 33, and 35 have to be provided with appropriate APIs to exchange data according to the types of external systems 41, 43, 45, and 47 that require interworking. For example, if the customer's ERP system 31 is required to be linked with the additional external system 43 while the external system 41 is interlocked with each other, the API for interworking with the additional external system 43 is identified and individually. It is necessary to modify the ERP system 31 or install additional APIs.

However, as the environment of the computer system changes to the recent cloud environment, the ERP system is not installed in each customer's computer system but is provided in a software as a service (SaaS) method installed in the cloud system 20 and provided in software form. have. In the cloud ERP system 20, virtual customer ERP systems 21, 23, and 25 are provided in a software form.

Providing the ERP service by the cloud system has the advantage that customers do not need to install and maintain the ERP system one by one, but there is a problem that does not reflect the different requirements in detail for each customer.

Accordingly, the Open API hub system 10 according to the present invention uses the Open API, which is a standard API provided by the external systems 41, 43, 45, and 47, based on functions of a micro service architecture (MSA). By providing a combination of), it is possible to effectively interface between the cloud ERP system 20 and the external system (41, 43, 45, 47). Open API hub system 10 may include one or more databases 12. MSA, unlike the monolithic style, which is the architecture typically used for development, refers to how a single application is implemented through a combination of small services. Each service is configured independently and thus has a high degree of freedom because it can be independently developed and distributed.

By the Open API hub system 10 according to the present invention, the cloud ERP system 20 as well as the conventional traditional built ERP systems 31, 33, 35, 37 are also effectively external systems 41, 43, 45, 47. Can be linked to FIG. 6 is a diagram for one embodiment of providing a specification for calling an Open API provided according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. Users can request functions to be executed by accessing the desired external system through the Open API.

2 illustrates an example of a configuration of an Open API hub system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The Open API hub system 10 of FIG. 2 is built in a user's electronic device, and a process implemented through the system is executed by a recording medium stored in the user's electronic device memory. It is a structure that interfaces between external systems 40. Alternatively, the Open API hub system 10 may be built in the cloud ERP system 20 and implemented using resources of the cloud ERP system 20.

The open API hub system 10 may include a controller 150 including one or more processor units, a memory 140, and a communication unit 110 supporting wired or wireless communication. In addition, the authentication unit 120 for interworking between the cloud ERP system 20 and the external system 40 may include a monitoring unit 130 for monitoring the operation of the API functions.

The memory 140 provides a function of storing a plurality of program modules and data. Many program modules may include an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and the like. In particular, in the present invention, the memory 140 includes a computer readable recording medium which is executed by the controller 150 to store computer executable instructions for generating an interface between the cloud ERP system 20 and the external system 40. do. Such recording media may be hard disks, removable magnetic disks, removable optical disks, and other types of computer readable media capable of storing data. Examples include flash memory cards, RAM, ROM.

The Open API hub system 10 includes a communication unit 110 that performs communication between the cloud ERP system 20 and the external system 40. The communication unit 110 may be understood as a concept including communication in an Internet environment and communication using an enterprise-wide computer network.

The authentication unit 120 stores the information and authentication information of each customer for accessing the external system 40 in the cloud ERP system 20 and performs authentication when accessing the external system. The cloud ERP system 20 includes virtual ERP systems 21, 23, and 25 of various customers, so as to block access to an unauthorized external system 40.

The monitoring unit 130 is used to monitor the current status, usage, and status of APIs used by the cloud ERP systems 21, 23, and 25. When the performance of the entire system is checked and a failure occurs, the failed API may be separated and isolated according to the monitoring result of the monitoring unit 130.

4 illustrates an example of a monitoring result of the monitoring unit 130. API usage status, API average processing time, API usage by system can be checked in real time. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the route path, time, system type, and status of APIs can be monitored.

The controller 150 is responsible for a substantial function of the Open API hub system 10 to perform an interface function interworking between the cloud ERP system 20 and the external system 40.

In order to perform a specific function in the cloud ERP system 20, the request is transmitted through the Open API hub system 10 instead of directly transmitting the request to the external system 40. The controller 150 receives a specific function execution request from the cloud ERP system 20 through the communication unit 110.

The request for performing a specific function is not directly transmitted to the external system, but is converted into an Open API provided by each external system 40, that is, an external interworking company. By using common API, it is possible to reduce the trouble of redesigning ERP system according to API provided by interlocking system.

At this time, various Open API functions provided by the external system 40 companies are implemented in the form of a micro service. That is, unlike providing a single function API to perform a single function in the related art, it is possible to provide a more flexible function by providing a function by connecting a function of a microservice type in a flow. In addition, since the API is implemented by the combination of microservices, it is also possible to provide services by combining functions of more various configurations.

When the controller 150 receives the response to the request from the external system 40, the controller 150 converts the data according to the data standard specification of the requested cloud ERP system 20, and provides the converted data to the cloud ERP system 20 through the communication unit 110. do.

The controller 150 is a hub & spoke service concept. When the external system 40 required by the cloud ERP system 20 is called, the controller 150 sets a standard specification of the ERP in the external system. To communicate according to the data specifications of each of the interlocking companies of 40, on the contrary, when the interlocking company calls a specific customer ERP system in the cloud ERP system 20, the customer endpoint managed by the control unit 150 (End- Point data may be provided to the external system 40 according to the spoken information. In the case of providing data by two-way call, authentication of the authentication unit 120 may be prevented to prevent unauthorized use of the data.

The controller 150 encrypts execution logs of a transaction for a rest call and stores them in the memory 140 or the database 12. Aggregate data by analyzing saved performance logs to monitor overall API usage and processing status. The monitoring situation is the API average usage, average processing time, error status, etc. for each system as previously monitored through the monitoring unit 130. 4 and 5 show an example of a monitoring screen showing an API usage and a processing time graph for each system and an example of inquiring in detail of real-time log data.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an interface method performed by an Open API hub system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

When a call of a specific function is requested from the cloud ERP system, it is not directly delivered to the external system but received by the Open API hub system (S310).

The received request is converted according to the Open API provided by each interworking company of the external system. At this time, the API is composed of a combination of microservice architecture (MSA) based functions (S320). Because the API is composed of a combination of MSA-based functions, which are smaller units, rather than a single function API, various function APIs can be implemented according to the request of the customer ERP system.

The request converted to the Open API form is transmitted to the external system together with the authentication information (S330), and receives a response thereto (S340).

The response to the request is not immediately delivered to the cloud ERP system, but is converted to the data format of the ERP system for each customer (S350). The converted data is delivered to the first requested ERP system (S360) to terminate the interworking procedure between the cloud ERP system and the external system.

For reference, an interface method performed by the Open API hub system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer means and recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts.

Examples of computer readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic-optical media such as floppy disks, and ROM, RAM, Hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as flash memory, may be included. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter. The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

The protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the description and expression of the embodiments explicitly described above. In addition, it is again noted that the scope of protection of the present invention may not be limited due to obvious changes or substitutions in the technical field to which the present invention pertains.

Claims (3)

As an interface method for interworking with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and an external system:
Upon receiving a request for processing a function from the ERP system to the external system, the request is converted into an Open Application Programming Interface (API) form that can be executed by the external system, thereby requesting the external system. When receiving a response to the request from the external system, and converts according to the data specifications of the ERP system,
The conversion to the Open API form implements API functions provided by the external system vendors as a combination of Micro Service Architecture (MSA) based functions, thereby requesting the request of the ERP system based on the MSA. An interface method using an MSA-based Open API hub for interworking with an ERP system and an external system, characterized by converting to an Open API form by a combination of functions.
The method of claim 1,
An interface method using an Open API hub for interworking with an ERP system and an external system, characterized in that only the MSA-based functional unit that is the cause of the problem is stopped during the Open API combination when the problem occurs in the Open API conversion process.
Communication unit for communication with the ERP system and the external system; An authentication unit for storing information for authenticating the ERP system in the external system; A monitoring unit for monitoring an interworking state between the ERP system and the external system; And a controller configured to include one or more processors,
The controller receives a function processing request from the ERP system through the communication unit and converts the function processing into an Open API format that can be processed by the external system, and converting the Open API format to MSA-based API functions provided by the external system vendors. A microservice architecture based Open API hub system for interworking with an ERP system and an external system by converting a request of the ERP system into an Open API form by combining the MSA-based functions by implementing a combination of functions.

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