Reviewing Data Access Conceptual Architectures

This section provides a conceptual overview of OpenLink's UDA products.

Key Architectural Components & Relationships

OpenLink's Universal Data Access products all share the same, basic architecture.

OpenLink Conceptual Architecture
User Users are humans or non-human agents that leverage applications to obtain or manipulate SQL data held in data repositories. Users are identified by the hostname or IP address of the machine which hosts their target application(s).
Application Layer The application layer refers to the sum total of applications, individual instances of applications, and any supporting frameworks that users exploit in the target architecture. Each instance of the application(s) is tasked with returning SQL data to users in a manner that is meaningful to them.
Data Access Layer The data access layer comprises the middleware that communicates and fulfills SQL data requests between calling applications and data repositories. The data access layer may contain some combination of OpenLink UDA products, driver managers, database native clients, 3rd-party data sources or connection URLs, JREs, and SDKs. Necessary combinations and configuration of elements in the data access layer varies depending on other key factors in the overall architecture.
Data Data refers to SQL data that is contained in the target data repository or repositories.
DataArrows depict TCP/IP and local IPC communications between architectural components. TCP/IP-based communications are indicated by arrows with broken lines. Local IPC-based communications are indicated by arrows with solid lines.

Basic OpenLink UDA Architectural Requirements

Applications must be ...

OpenLink client products must be ...

Important: OpenLink's Single-Tier Lite drivers for DB2, Informix, Ingres, Oracle, and Progress must be installed on the same machine as the DBMS native client. OpenLink's Bridge drivers must be installed on the same machine as a functional JDBC or ODBC data source.

OpenLink server products must be ...

Important: OpenLink's Multi-Tier Agents for DB2, Informix, Ingres, Oracle, and Progress must be installed on the same machine as the DBMS or DBMS native client. OpenLink's Multi-Tier Bridge Agents must be installed on the same machine as a functional JDBC or ODBC data source.

Data repositories must be ...

TCP/IP Networking must be ...

OpenLink UDA Architectural Assumptions

OpenLink assumes that potential users:

Decisions Affecting OpenLink Architectural Planning

Architects need to determine ...

Issues Associated With Use of OpenLink Architectures