Overview
Bizagi provides a powerful data-level integration approach known as Data Virtualization and Data Replication.
Using this approach, existing data structures (i.e, tables or views) from an external data source can be seamlessly synchronized with the data model in Bizagi.
This lets you reuse data structures and information from systems which do not have service-oriented architecture (including legacy systems) and avoid having islands of information and incurring in administration overhead when keeping information synchronized accross multiple sources.
You can rely on these benefits while also having Bizagi automatically manage integrity of underlying transactions (so, for example, you can perform rollbacks when needed).
The following image illustrates the concept of Data Virtualization and Data Replication. The main difference is that Data Replication works only in one way (synchronizing data periodically and offline, from your external data source into Bizagi), while Data Virtualization happens on-demand, whenever data needs to be updated from the external data source into Bizagi, or vice versa.
Important
Consider the following, when planning to use Data Virtualization or Data Replication with Automation Service:
1. VPN connectivity.
Since Automation Service is a cloud service, it supports integration with systems that offer a public endpoint.
When planning to have Automation Service target your external data sources, you will need to setup a VPN with Automation Service.
In other words, you will need to make sure that through a set up VPN, Automation Service is capable of accessing your database by locating it via an IP address and its service TCP port.
This is because your external data sources are not bound to offer a public endpoint (typically using HTTPS) but offer a TCP connection instead.
To learn more about a VPN and its requirements, refer to Integration using a VPN.
2. Performance assessment.
When Automation Service accesses an external data source via a VPN over the internet, its communication depends on like higher latency in data transmission; fluctuations, interference and congestion affecting the speed of the channel; and the quality of the networks used during transmission.
All of these factors are beyond the control of Automation Service, and they can affect your end users overall experience.
You will need to take these factors into account and mitigate them, in the design of your business applications, and gauge them in runtime.
We recommend:
•Choose a Automation Service data center located to provide the latency when communicating with your premises.
•Design your user interfaces according to best practices for usability and performance, especially when using this technology, by steps like using filters to display only relevant data and displaying an adequate number of rows and columns in tables).
For details about best practices when designing forms, refer to http://help.bizagi.com/bpm-suite/en/index.html?what_to_avoid_in_forms.htm.
•Evaluate beforehand (by carrying out proof of concept tests) whether the performance impact of using this technology in a cloud architecture is does not exceed for the requirements of your business applications.
Consider variables such as the volume of data being exchanged with your on-premise data source.
In scenarios where you determine that this technology does not fit your needs, you can offer a service layer on top for your external data sources.
It is always a best practice and recommended approach to rely on a service-oriented integration, as described at Application integration.
3. Technical requirements.
Your external data source and the tables or views that you plan to integrate through this technology, need to comply to certain requirements.
For complete details about how to configure this feature, or to learn about the its requirements, refer to http://help.bizagi.com/bpm-suite/en/index.html?integrating_data.htm.