I prefer to connect OFBiz to ESB via REST.
Manufacturing works okay. I found a bug in the BOM that causes an out
of memory error with large assemblies, but I haven't had time to fix
it yet.
-Adrian
Quoting Pierre Smits <[email protected]>:
Hi Jacques, all,
First of all: you are right. If there weren't a need for solution you
wouldn't go that way.
But as it happens, within the consortium of the project there are partners
who have implemented ESB's (and for the sake of the argument let's pretend
that in the European market space every variant ESB is implemented) and
allow only to be connected through their ESB.
And also the IMAGINE platform is expected to have an ESB as part of the
architecture, but that hasn't been formalized yet. So that may change.
So what needs to be done so that OFBiz can connect to an ESB and that info
and data is delivered through that ESB to either the portal in the IMAGINE
platform or the partner with his system at the other end of the ESB?
Secondly:
OFBiz is also a solution for manufacturing. We have the code in place. But
how good is it? Are there endusers who use that component and how?
I have seen and read the book you referred to, and have worked to the code
to understand its principles. But like I said I don't have the experience
in implementing a manufacturing solution, so I don't know what it all
entails. That's why I invite everybody to share their insights.
Regarding,
Pierre
Op 10 april 2012 23:39 schreef Jacques Le Roux <[email protected]
het volgende:
Just a word: it does not make sense to use an ESB like ServiceMix as long
as it's not mandatory. In other words you may consider 1st using OFBiz as
much as possible, and use only an ESB if you need to integrate with other
systems. Even then sometimes using SOAP or XML-RPC would be easier
depending of the openness of third systems. RMI is faster but beware of
troubleshooting it on a net with a lot of firewalls...
The beauty of OFBiz is that it comes already integrated. We know the ERP
way (all integrated) has some drawbacks, but don't forget about drawbacks
of other ways... OFBiz is not perfect but it works OOTB and can be "easily"
enhanced... Some ESB projects have already proved to fail in the mid/long
term...
You might be interested by
https://cwiki.apache.org/**confluence/display/OFBIZ/**
Manufacturing+Process+Stories+**and+Diagrams<https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/Manufacturing+Process+Stories+and+Diagrams>
https://cwiki.apache.org/**confluence/display/OFBADMIN/**
OFBiz+Related+Books#**OFBizRelatedBooks-<https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBADMIN/OFBiz+Related+Books#OFBizRelatedBooks->
"**GettingStartedwithApacheOFBizM**anufacturing&MRPin5EasySteps"(**
Release09.04andabove)
https://cwiki.apache.org/**confluence/display/OFBREQDES/**
UBPL+Introduction<https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBREQDES/UBPL+Introduction>
https://cwiki.apache.org/**confluence/display/OFBREQDES/**
Universal+Business+Process+**Library+Index<https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBREQDES/Universal+Business+Process+Library+Index>
But this topic is more for the user list...
Jacques
From: "Integrin" <[email protected]>
Pierre -
While I do not claim to be an expert in Manufacturing, I'm helping
customize Ofbiz for a Food Sevices Industry in a Franchise Model where
Ofbiz Manufacturing be the food kitchen; Additionally the following
modules, being used
- MyPortal : Dashboard
- Order Manager: Purchase , Sales Orders, Transfer Orders
- Party Manager : Suppliers, Users & Customers
- SFA : Sales Forecast
- Facility : Inventory & Shipping
-Manufacturing: MRP in Manufacturing, very handy for automating
Requirements management
As far as ESB integration goes, Ofbiz being based on Service based
Architecture, should come very handy; I'm guessing you will have some
work to do to be able to make individual modules, loosely coupled
using ESB
Goodluck with your efforts!
- Regards
Sakthi
On 4/10/12, Pierre Smits <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear all,
Currently I am participating in the collaboration project "IMAGINE -
Innovative End-to-End Management of Dynamic Manufacturing Networks", that
resides under the theme "Virtual Factories and Enterprises" as part of
the
FP7 Programme of the EU.
The goal of this project is to enable SME Manufacturing Enterprises in
the
EU market space to shorten the time-to-market of their product by
assisting
manufacturing customers in forming partnerships with suppliers and a
better
exchange of information and data throughout the lifecycle of the
partnership.
During methodology studies it is envisioned that exchange of information
and data entails 4 interlocking areas, namely:
1. Partner blueprints - All static information (and data) re
organization and human entities, including connection mechanisms
(addresses
and such) of the participating organization
2. Manufacture blueprints - All static information (and data) re
products (e.g. pricing, QoS re delivery, mBOM's, eBOM's and such)
3. End-2-End blueprints - All dynamic information (and data) re inputs
and output of the process segments, in customer to supplier end-2-end
processes while manufacturing the goods (but also including process
definitions in BPEL, BPMN and xPDL)
4. QA blueprints - All information (and data) relating to maintaining
the QoS requirements of the organization and establishing/enhancing
trust
between (potential) partners (encompassing org. certification, e.g. ISO
9000, but also product certification, and more)
All to be facilitated through established Open Standards and Technolgies.
In the methodology studies it was also envisioned that, while initial
profiling should start by registering company and lead contact persons
and
their mechanisms in a portal solution (currently intended OS product:
Liferay, part of the envisioned IMAGINE platform), as soon as the
connection mechanisms regarding service adapters are setup and verified
systems like CRM, Manufacturing, ProjectMgt and Warehousing connect
through
the IMAGINE platform (mainly OS ESB like Servicemix - while providing
dashboard functionalities in the portal for participants that are not
(yet)
at the highest level of maturity regarding partnering - e.g. uploading
data
through spreadsheets and info via PDF and such).
As this project still has a lifespan of approx 2 years left and system
integration has no started yet, it is my belief that OFBiz could be in
the
front runner position and create a name in the EU market space regarding
Open Source ERP in general and Manufacturing in particular combined with
info and data exchange through ESBs. Which is a huge opportunity for us.
Thinking of the possibilites I foresee following use-cases (amongst
others)
to be applicable:
- When the initial registration of the company has been realized and
the
connection mechanism regarding the ESB connectivity has been setup and
verified the information relating the Partner blueprint is provided by
means of the data available/maintained in the Party component
- When potential suppliers are identified through the search
capabilities in the portal the data contained there (Party data et all)
is
pulled/delivered into the SCM (through the ESB)
- When potential customers are identified through the seach
capabilities
in the portal the data contained thee is pulled/delivered into the CRM
(through the ESB)
- When potential suppliers are initially contacted and a connection is
being negotiated more data is pullled from and/or delivered to Product
Catalog and Manufacturing (through the ESB)
- When an agreement is concluded this is also pulled/delivered in the
system of the participant(s)
- When proces segments are started, executed and concluded information
(date) thereabout are pulled/delivered into the ERP system of the
customer
(also through the ESB) and send to the portal for dashboarding
purpopes.
Unfortunately I am not that well experienced in Manufacturing,
establishing
ESB integration for OFBiz and delivering data from one system (like
OFBiz)
through a third party ESB to another system (like OFBiz) and thus I am
wondering about possible difficulties regarding this.
What do you think possible technical issues are given current state of
OFBiz?
I appreciate and value your thoughts/input on this.
Regards,
Pierre
--
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