This section provides an overview of the individual Galaxy components.
APS Server Manager
The Server Manager is a .Net Windows service that manages all APS components installed on a single Windows Server. The primary functions of the Server Manager are to:
- Manage Instances. An Instance is an independent set of APS data. One Instance can contain any number of independent or inter-dependent Plants. Instances do not have inter-dependent schedules. One server can have any number of Instances (subject to hardware limitations). A typical installation will have the following Instances: (1) a production Instance, (2) a training instance, (3) a new version test instance. Each Instance can run a different version of PlanetTogether.
- Install new software versions. The Server Manager allows Instances to be upgraded and tested independently, while preserving existing Instances. This allows for testing and training on new versions of PlanetTogether using the same server without impacting existing production use of the system. Once new versions are tested and any necessary training is complete then test Instances can be converted to Production Instances.
- Send diagnostic alerts. To facilitate quick resolution of any problems, the Server Manager monitors the server for APS log files and can instantly alert internal and external technical support via e-mail of any problems.
APS Services
Each APS Instance has a set of .Net Windows services, listed below, which perform the core server-side functions for the system.
- APS System service: This is the main service that contains the scheduling engine. This service must be running for users to login.
- APS Interface service: Imports data from other applications into the APS System service. Imports can be from local or remote databases.
- APS Client Updater service: Provides automatic update of any client-side files such as customizations and reports so that all APS Clients are in sync and files do not have to be installed on APS Clients.
- APS Scheduling Agent service: Controls automatic actions such as imports and optimizations that run at specific frequencies or times.
- APS Extra Services service: Publishes data from the APS System service to a (local or remote) SQL Server and provides Shop Views data to Shop View Clients.
APS Enterprise Client
The Enterprise Client is a .Net ClickOnce application that provides universal remote login to and optional control of all system Instances. Each Enterprise Client can connect to any number of Server Managers and provide the following functions:
- Launch the APS Client to login to any Instance on any connected Server Manager
- Add, edit, and delete Instances on any connected Server Manager
- Install new PlanetTogether software versions on any connected Server Manager
- View and send diagnostic data for Instances on any connected Server Manager
APS Client
The APS Client is a .Net ClickOnce application that is the primary application run by end users to view and modify APS plans. The APS Client can be launched from the Enterprise Client or launched directly from a Web Browser.
APS Shop Views Client
The APS Shop Views Client is a .Net ClickOnce application that provides a simplified user interface to the production schedule typically used by shop floor personnel to view schedule dispatch lists and update production status. The APS Shop Views Client can be launched from the Enterprise Client or launched directly from a Web Browser.
Component Networking
The Client applications shown above connect across networks using Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services and Microsoft .Net Remoting. The components can communicate across local area networks (LANs) and/or wide area networks (WANs). Network bandwidth usage tends to be very low after clients are logged in and startup data has been transferred from the server to the client.
