Application Architecture For LEI’s Oracle EBS And SharePoint

Application Architecture for LEI’s Oracle EBS, SharePoint, and Custom Extranet

Scenario Logistics Experts Inc (LEI) is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider managing complex supply chain operations across multiple locations in the United States and Canada. To support its operational and strategic objectives—including real-time shipment tracking, enterprise resource planning, human resource management, and collaboration—LEI has implemented various enterprise applications, notably Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), Microsoft SharePoint, and a custom-developed extranet application on the Microsoft .NET platform. Accurate and efficient architecture design for these applications is critical to ensure high availability, reliability, security, and performance, aligning with LEI’s operational needs and growth ambitions.

Application Architecture for Oracle EBS

Logical Architecture Diagram

The logical architecture of Oracle EBS at LEI comprises several interconnected layers, each dedicated to specific functions. At the core, the foundation is the database layer, which hosts Oracle Database 12c, responsible for storing transactional data, configuration details, and application metadata. This layer ensures data integrity, security, and high availability through Oracle's failover clustering features. Surrounding the database is the application layer, featuring multiple Oracle EBS modules—including financial management, procurement, order management, and warehouse management—deployed on application servers that handle business logic processing.

Above these is the presentation layer, consisting of web servers that serve user interfaces via secure access points—either internally via intranet or externally through secure portals. The entire architectural stack is complemented by web security components, including SSL/TLS protocols for encrypted communication, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems.

The logical diagram illustrates these layers: database, application, and presentation, with clear interfaces and data flow pathways among them, highlighting the modular structure that supports scalability and flexibility.

Physical Architecture Diagram

The physical architecture of LEI’s Oracle EBS deployment involves a three-tier structure: web, application, and database tiers. The web tier consists of load-balanced web servers—likely hosted on clustered Windows Server 2016 systems—serving as gateways for user access, capable of handling high concurrent user loads with minimal latency. Behind the web servers are clustered application servers hosting Oracle EBS modules, possibly running on Dell servers optimized for high availability and performance.

The database tier is hosted on IBM System Z hardware running Linux, featuring Oracle Database 12c configured with failover clustering to ensure 99.999% availability. Network connectivity between tiers is secured and optimized via dedicated gigabit Ethernet links with VPN encryption for remote access, ensuring data security. The architecture incorporates redundancy, load balancing, and disaster recovery mechanisms to support LEI’s operational resilience and compliance requirements.

Application Architecture for Microsoft SharePoint

Logical Architecture Diagram

Microsoft SharePoint at LEI serves as the collaboration platform and document management system. Its logical architecture has distinct layers: at the core, the data layer utilizes Microsoft SQL Server 2016, which stores all SharePoint content, configuration data, and search indexes. The application layer comprises SharePoint web front-end servers that process user requests, render pages, and facilitate collaboration functions such as document sharing, workflows, and content management.

The infrastructure layer supports the application with directory services via Windows Server 2016, providing identity management through Active Directory. The logical architecture emphasizes secure and efficient data access, with web parts, service apps, and APIs enabling integration with other enterprise applications and external data sources. Security and compliance are integrated at each layer, ensuring data protection and regulatory adherence.

Physical Architecture Diagram

The physical deployment of SharePoint involves multiple web front-end servers configured in a load-balanced cluster, possibly behind a hardware or software load balancer, ensuring high availability and responsiveness. Backend, or application, servers run SharePoint services on Windows Server 2016, forming a farm environment for scalability. The data layer is a dedicated SQL Server 2016 farm with mirroring for high availability and disaster recovery.

Networking employs secure VPN tunnels for remote access, and the architecture incorporates redundant networking components. SharePoint’s farm layout also includes optional application proxies, Search servers, and auxiliary services, all designed for fault tolerance and seamless user experience. The infrastructure ensures LEI’s collaboration needs are met with minimal downtime and optimal security.

Application Architecture for the Custom Extranet Application (Microsoft .NET Platform)

Logical Architecture Diagram

The custom extranet application facilitates external customer access to shipment statuses, reports, and account management. Its logical architecture comprises three main layers: presentation, business logic, and data. The presentation layer leverages ASP.NET Web Forms or MVC, hosted on IIS web servers that process user requests and render the user interface. The business logic layer consists of web services and APIs developed on the Microsoft .NET framework, handling core processes such as authentication, authorization, and transaction processing.

The data layer interacts with a SQL Server 2016 database that stores user information, transaction logs, shipment data, and audit trails. Security mechanisms—including SSL/TLS encryption, OAuth/OIDC for authentication, and role-based access control—are embedded within the logic layer to protect sensitive information and ensure data integrity.

This architecture supports scalability, modularity, and secure external access, enabling external customers to operate within a controlled environment, integrated with LEI’s core systems.

Physical Architecture Diagram

The physical architecture consists of multiple IIS web servers acting as front-end gateways, positioned behind a load balancer for failover and scalability. These servers host the ASP.NET application and interface with the SQL Server backend, which is configured in a mirrored setup for high availability. The SQL Server instances are deployed on Dell servers within the LEI data center, featuring disaster recovery backups and monitoring tools. The entire setup is secured through firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems, providing a robust external-facing environment capable of handling high volumes of customer traffic with rigorous security standards.

Conclusion

Designing effective application architectures for LEI’s critical enterprise systems involves balancing performance, availability, security, and scalability. The logical diagrams reveal layered structures that simplify maintenance and evolution, while the physical diagrams emphasize redundancy and failover strategies essential for high availability. This comprehensive approach enables LEI to support its current operations and future growth ambitions, including expansion into new markets and deployment of increasingly sophisticated logistics solutions.

References

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