EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management

Transcription

1 EMC Public Sector Solutions EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management Reference Architecture EMC Global Solutions Centers EMC Corporation Corporate Headquarters Hopkinton MA

2 Copyright and Trademark Information Copyright 2008 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Published August 2008 EMC believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED AS IS. EMC CORPORATION MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Use, copying, and distribution of any EMC software described in this publication requires an applicable software license. For the most up-to-date listing of EMC product names, see EMC Corporation Trademarks on EMC.com. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. P/N H5687 2

3 Contents About this Document Purpose... 5 Audience... 5 Scope... 5 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Solution Overview The business challenge... 7 The technology solution... 8 Solution components... 8 Solution Details Applying for a grant Tracking and reporting on a grant award Component overview Hardware Software Physical Architecture Logical architecture EMC Captiva InputAccel EMC DCS EMC Documentum CSS ILOG JRules Storage platforms EMC Documentum BAM

4 Contents Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Hardware and Software Resources Hardware resources Host hardware resources SAN storage resources Software resources Conclusion 4

5 About this Document Purpose Audience Scope This document provides an overview of the architecture of an EMC Public Sector Solution developed by EMC Global Solutions Centers (GSC). The specific solution described in this document is the EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management. This document is intended for technical staff interested in evaluating or implementing a collaborative grants management solution by leveraging EMC hardware and software. Executives evaluating such a solution will also find this document useful. This document describes the architecture of the EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management. An architectural overview and descriptions of the hardware and software components used in the solution are also included. Detailed implementation instructions and best practices are beyond the scope of this document. Note: This document describes only the features and methodologies specific to this solution. For more detailed information on specific components of this solution, or other EMC solutions, consult the appropriate EMC and third-party documentation. 5

6 About this Document 6

7 1 Solution Overview The business challenge Government agencies distribute billions of dollars in grants every year to other federal/national, state/regional, and local agencies and other beneficiaries. Grants enable many organizations to expand their operations and launch initiatives they would otherwise be unable to achieve. Anyone who has applied for a grant, received an award, utilized or redistributed the funds, and reported on the use of the funds can attest to the complexity of the process. In many organizations, this already complex endeavor is a labyrinth of manual, paper-based processes. Moreover, these inefficient processes are supported by paper case files that obscure visibility into what s going on and increase the risk of errors, omissions, and lost documents. Managing a grant from preparing the grant request through accounting for the use of the award is a highly collaborative process that requires gathering a lot information in many different forms and discussing that information with stakeholders. When the process is primarily manual and paper-based, hardcopy files can become procedural bottlenecks before the process has even gotten off the ground. Meeting via phone and and routing information through attachments and paper distribution simply adds more work to an already labor-intensive process. Legacy systems, which are reliant upon monolithic architectures and can t accommodate new technologies, are costly to upgrade and don t scale easily to meet the increased demands facing all grant-seeking organizations. With only limited or non-existent workflow, they can t automate and streamline processes. Consequently, these systems make an already difficult task even harder. 7

8 Solution Overview The technology solution Solution components The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management enables organizations to manage grant applications and subsequent awards throughout their lifecycles. The solution framework supports repeatable yet customized business applications, processes, and best practices for addressing the many challenges encountered in effectively managing the grant application process, the utilization and redistribution of funds, and all required reporting. The solution framework provides both front-end and back-end components. The front end facilitates data capture through electronic forms and digital imaging, which is ideal for compiling all the supporting documentation necessary to prepare compelling grant applications. The back end manages all of the processes associated with the acceptance and award of a grant, such as setting report dates, tracking the use of the award, managing the redistribution of funds, communicating with grantors, and closing the grant. The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management includes components from EMC and ILOG. This section briefly describes these components. For details on all of the components that make up the solution framework, see Chapter 3. Note: The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management can use EMC storage technology or storage systems from other vendors. EMC DCE EMC Documentum Collaboration Edition (DCE) allows customers and partners to easily integrate their custom Documentum content management applications with collaboration capabilities. Collaboration Edition objects can be accessed from all Documentum content, process, and library services. These services include lifecycles, renditions, virtual documents, workflows, records policy management, retention, and more. DCE adds intuitive collaboration tools and a secure, virtual workplace (or Room, for companies already familiar with EMC Documentum clients). Collaboration Edition enables users to take advantage of the enterprise repository as a place to do work, not just a place to put work. 8

9 Solution components EMC Documentum Process Builder EMC Documentum BAM ILOG JRules EMC Documentum Process Builder products help customers define, model, and manage business processes consistently and reliably across multiple organizations, systems, and applications. Equally well suited to managing loosely structured collaborative processes and highly structured, high volume transactional processes, the BPB suite includes the following EMC Documentum products: Business Process Manager Provides a simple and flexible graphical modeling environment for designing and configuring business processes. Process Engine Executes, monitors, and manages business processes; automatically evaluates business rules and assigns process tasks to the correct system, group, or individual at the appropriate time. Business Process Services Integrates Documentum process, content, and repository services with external systems through a service-orientated architecture. Process Connectors Integrates Documentum BPB products with best-of-breed third-party applications such as rules engines, simulation environments, and auditing, analytical, and reporting tools. EMC Documentum Business Activity Monitor (BAM) tools give users an insight into processes executing in the Documentum Process Engine. The tools provide the ability to generate alerts in real time and create a dashboard view that shows process status and performance statistics. ILOG JRules is a highly scalable rule management server and repository that operates within a collaborative web environment for authoring, managing, validating, and deploying business rules using the following elements: Rule Team Server Enables business professionals to manage and edit business rules using a preferred web browser. Rule Studio Allows developers to move effortlessly between rules and code; transition seamlessly between source and rule engine during debugging. Rule Scenario Manager Permits everyone across the enterprise to verify rules and simulate business policy changes; create and manage tests, define, run, and compare scenarios. Rule Execution Server Enables business administrators to integrate rule management with a preferred platform and data storage. JRules supports every major runtime platform. 9

10 Solution Overview EMC Captiva EMC NMD EMC Centera EMC CLARiiON EMC Captiva provides a comprehensive suite of document capture software and input management solutions that meet the needs of organizations large and small, and can readily scale from one department to an entire, global distributed enterprise. These solutions range from toolkits that enable organizations to develop their own custom input management solutions to off-the-shelf solutions that can be immediately deployed to customizable enterprise solutions that readily integrate with ECM, ERP, and legacy systems, among others. EMC NetWorker Module for Documentum (NMD) enables the Documentum repository administrator to perform streamlined backups and restores of one or more physical components of an online Documentum Content Server Document Base (docbase or repository). A consistent repository backup image is produced during the backups. EMC Centera systems are the EMC family of high-end storage solutions. EMC Centera systems offer: RAID management Data management Single instancing Security Retention policies The EMC CLARiiON series capabilities include powerful secure management tools, safeguards to ensure continuous data availability and integrity, advanced array-based information replication functionality, virtual LUN technology, and data mobility within, and between, systems. 10

11 2 Solution Details Applying for a grant The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management applies records management, business process management, and content management including intelligent capture, collaboration, and comprehensive reporting across the various stages of grant application and fulfillment. The grant application process is initiated when a grant requestor fills out and imports a standard grant application form into EMC Documentum Content Server (DCS). This creates a virtual case file (VCF). Unlike a hard copy case file, a VCF can include any type of electronic content such as still images, audio, and video. A virtual case file can be managed with automated workflows and business processes to: Enforce the use of standard terminology Drive consistent processes across locations and departments Enable multiple parties to have simultaneous access to case files Reduce lost or missing documents and ensure accuracy Decrease printing, distribution, and storage costs The speed and quality of the grant application process improve dramatically when stakeholders can collaborate, instead of circulating multiple copies of grant applications. With DCS, the grant manager can create a secure, digital team room to contribute supporting content, review the application, and reach consensus. The VCF can be attached to the team room and protected with tiered access controls. VCFs and automated workflows enable intelligent case routing, which can deliver grant applications to the right people in advance of collaborative sessions. Intelligent case routing leverages business rules embedded in workflows and 11

12 Solution Details repeatable processes to tap the proficiency of domain experts and apply accumulated knowledge from prior grant research and planning work. It also ensures that deadlines are met and necessary information is obtained while maintaining comprehensive audit trails to meet compliance requirements. The electronic forms capabilities of the solution framework support standards-compliant grant application forms. These forms can be submitted through a variety of channels including Grants.gov, where all U.S. federal grants are published and agency websites are referenced. Tracking and reporting on a grant award The audit and reporting capabilities of the solution framework enable organizations that receive grants to track the receipt and use of funds. The framework enables grant managers to: Create business rules that enforce fulfillment guidelines at the task level Monitor work assigned to individuals or teams in the fulfillment process Set alerts that notify managers of pending report dates and trigger outbound communications Track funds receipts Some grants are renewable annually. The business process management features of the solution framework ensure that key milestones are met for resubmission. The repository enables prior application information to be accessed quickly, revised, and reused streamlining and accelerating resubmission. Even renewable grants must be closed each fiscal year. Once a grant is closed, the grants solution framework controls end-of-life for case documents and other content. It employs predefined business rules to automatically enforce content retention and disposal policies. Virtual case files are electronically locked down and archived upon resolution. This ensures ready access to information for regulatory requests, such as FOIA, internal and external audits, legal disputes, and best practice reviews. The solution framework enables compliance standards and procedures to be embedded in repeatable processes that enforce appropriate review and, when required, timely submissions. The repository audits all process activities and stores the audits as business records enabling grantees to prove compliance. 12

13 Component overview Component overview The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management uses the following hardware and software. Refer to Chapter 3 for more details. Hardware Software Hardware components include the following: Microsoft Windows application servers Document/image scanner EMC CLARiiON storage array Fibre Channel switches to connect servers to the SAN Ethernet infrastructure to support the environment Software components include the following: Relational databases (Oracle Database 10g) EMC Documentum Content Server and custom code for content management ILOG JRules component in EMC Documentum Webtop EMC Captiva InputAccel BAM (Business Activity Monitoring) 13

14 Solution Details Physical Architecture The general physical architecture of EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management is illustrated in Figure 1. WAN Content server Application server Database server Business rules server Scanning server Monitoring and reporting database Monitoring and reporting client Monitoring and reporting server Network Switch Documentum Collaboration Services (DCS) Docbase ILOG Jrules Captiva InputAccel SAN Switch CLARiiON Centera Figure 1 General physical architecture 14

15 Logical architecture Logical architecture The logical architecture of the solution framework is illustrated in Figure 2. Captiva ILOG JRules BAM Image Capture WebTop Content Server CSS Database Content Server Repository Collaboration Services SAN CAS File Store Figure 2 Logical architecture EMC Captiva InputAccel Printed forms and documents are scanned using a high-speed scanner. The scanner sends the output to the EMC Captiva InputAccel application, which uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to capture the text on the forms. The images are sent as a PDF file with metadata to EMC Documentum Content Server (DCS). EMC DCS recognizes the PDF and metadata as a predefined document type with a corresponding lifecycle and workflow. 15

16 Solution Details EMC DCS At the heart of the solution framework is EMC Documentum Content Server (DCS), which manages the lifecycle and workflow of the managed content. All document creation applications (such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel) and Information Lifecycle Management applications (such as EMC ControlCenter, EMC NetWorker, and EMC Replication Manager) are integrated with EMC DCS via plug-ins that use the EMC Documentum API. EMC Documentum CSS Content Storage Services (CSS) is a feature that automates business rules governing where content files are stored. Content assignment policies ensure that new content files are stored in the correct file store or content-addressable store. Migration policies move existing content files to the correct file store or content-addressable store. Content Storage Services is enabled during server installation. If you do not enable the feature, you can run the server configuration at a later time and enable CSS then. ILOG JRules Storage platforms ILOG JRules is a business rule management system (BRMS) for Java. The system maintains business rules and provides the ability to change business rules quickly and securely. A combination of storage platforms can be deployed to optimize cost-effectiveness and to satisfy government and regulatory requirements. Applications information can reside on the SAN during the design, capture, process, and manage phases of the information lifecycle. EMC Documentum BAM EMC Documentum Business Activity Monitor (BAM) provides capabilities to monitor business processes executing in EMC Documentum Process Builder. This integration enables users to: Design a process in EMC Documentum Process Analyzer and export it to Process Builder for development. Develop processes in Process Builder, which publishes critical business data back into BAM. Use the BAM report generator to define realtime reports and alerts. Publish reports and alerts to a dashboard environment. 16

17 Logical architecture Connection architecture The connection between Process Builder and BAM is configured in Process Builder (an example is shown in Figure 3). As Process Builder executes a business process, information about the execution is stored in an audit trail database. On a periodic basis, Process Builder pushes execution data to the BAM database. Database access makes use of a JDBC connection. Once this data is extracted, it is formatted and pre-aggregated. The data is now ready for the user to create BAM reports and alerts. Configuration can begin once Process Builder and BAM are connected. Figure 3 Alerting and reporting EMC Documentum Process Builder example workflow BAM enables the user to detect problem conditions that may exist in executing processes, to diagnose these problems to determine their root cause, and to correct them. It also provides valuable historical information about process execution to enable long-term process improvement. The underlying assumptions of BAM are: All processes to be monitored are captured in the BAM application. The processes are executing in Documentum Process Builder. Alerts and reports have been defined in BAM to monitor these executing processes. 17

18 Solution Details As the processes execute, the Process Builder audit trail database pushes execution data and statistics to the BAM database. This includes, for each process instance, process and activity start and end times and also the key data associated with the executing processes (business object fields). All this information becomes available in the BAM database. The BAM alert engine automatically scans the information looking for alert conditions. An alert condition exists if a threshold set for the process has been exceeded. When an alert condition exists, an message is sent to the responsible parties. Alerts Alerts are defined by business users within BAM. One step in defining an alert is to specify the responsible parties (work groups) that will receive the alert . Multiple work groups can be defined that consist of one or more people. Report types A variety of report formats is available: Grid reports Bar charts Pie charts Line graphs Dial gauge Grid reports organize the data in rows and columns. On a dial gauge, similar to a stop light, the arrow points to either green, yellow, or red, depending on how the processes perform against predefined criteria. Dashboard environment The dashboard is a display environment for monitoring process execution in real time. It contains the basic building blocks a set of predefined portlets that can be displayed in a portal framework. These portlets allow the dashboard user to view and interact with process execution data. The dashboard provides the following prebuilt portlets: Alert portlet Lists outstanding alerts Diagram portlet Displays a view of the process diagram Report portlet Shows either a BAM report or a BPA report Instance Monitor portlet Provides a list of process instances 18

19 3 Hardware and Software Resources Hardware resources Host hardware resources The hardware resources for the EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management include EMC storage subsystems, switches, and Microsoft Windows-based servers. Note: The solution framework can be implemented with non-emc storage systems, switches, and servers, provided all equipment complies with the corresponding vendors' interoperability support matrices. This section describes the hardware components used to validate the solution framework. Hardware resources fall into the following categories: Host hardware resources SAN storage resources The solution framework was validated using servers running Microsoft Windows. Table 1 identifies the servers' minimum system requirements. Table 1 Host hardware resources Machine Operating system CPUs Memory Content server Windows Server Application server Windows Server Database server Windows Server

20 Hardware and Software Resources Table 1 Host hardware resources (continued) Machine Operating system CPUs Memory Business rules server Windows Server Scanning server Windows Server Monitoring and reporting database Windows Server Monitoring and reporting client Windows Server Monitoring and reporting server Windows Server Note: For information on Fibre Channel HBA requirements, consult the EMC Support Matrix at: SAN storage resources Software resources The solution framework can use either EMC Symmetrix or CLARiiON SAN storage systems or storage systems from other vendors. The operating system, application binaries, content stores, and database files can all reside on SAN devices. In a Symmetrix environment, all devices are mirrored. In a CLARiiON environment, RAID 5 is used. The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management was validated using the host software listed in Table 2. Table 2 Host software resources Machine Content server Software Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 EMC Documentum Content Server 6.0 SP1 EMC Documentum Business Process Builder 6.0 SP1 Oracle Database 10g Client Adobe Reader WinZip 20

21 Software resources Table 2 Host software resources (continued) Machine Application server Database server Business rules server Scanning server Monitoring and reporting database Monitoring and reporting client Monitoring and reporting server Software Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 Apache Tomcat EMC Documentum Foundation Classes 6.0 SP1 EMC Documentum Webtop 6.0 SP1 EMC Documentum Administrator 6.0 SP1 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 Oracle Database 10g Release 2 ( ) Oracle Agent Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 ILOG JRules WebLogic Application Server 8.1 SP5 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 EMC Captiva InputAccel 5.3 Dispatcher for InputAccel Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 Oracle Database 10g Release 2 ( ) Oracle Agent Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 SUN JRE 5.0 Update 11 Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 JBoss Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition R2 SP1 EMC Documentum Business Activity Monitor Oracle Database 10g Release 2 ( ) 21

22 Hardware and Software Resources 22

23 4 Conclusion The EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management reduces grant application research and planning time, increases collaboration and efficiency, and facilitates compliance with regulatory mandates. In addition, the solution framework: Enables a single point of information access for all individuals involved in the process of applying for grants and, once awarded, distributing the grant and reporting on fund utilization Seamlessly manages images, audio and video, correspondence, legal documents, faxes, print and digital data streams, and Improves process visibility with a consolidated executive dashboard Provides configurable workflows and business rules Delivers standard and customizable forms and templates From electronic document capture and virtual case file (VCF) technology to secure collaborative workspaces and automated workflow, the solution framework for grants management delivers extraordinary capabilities to grant requestors/recipients. EMC can help accelerate assessment, design, implementation, and management while lowering the implementation risks and cost of creating a solution that uses EMC Solution Framework for Collaborative Grants Management. To learn more about this and other solutions contact an EMC representative or visit 23

24 Conclusion 24