The document discusses the need for a research platform architecture similar to SAP or Oracle platforms that are commonly used in other industries. It notes that research does not fit well with existing platforms like SAP or Oracle due to a lack of relevant business applications and high costs. The document proposes an open source-based research platform architecture with common foundational components like messaging brokers, application servers, rules engines, and reporting tools to simplify integration and application development. Specific examples are given around how such a platform could enable integrated inventory management, loose coupling between applications like electronic lab notebooks and ordering systems, centralized workflow and process management, and enterprise reporting.

1. Thoughts on a Research Platform
Architecture

2. Does Research need an SAP?

3. Many enterprises run on SAP

4. SAP Platform
Architecture
Business Applications
(delivers business value)
built on top of
Foundational Components
(simplifies business applications &
simplifies integration)

5. R&D does not run on SAP!

6. SAP doesn’t have R&D
business applications!

7. SAP is too bloody expensive!

8. Development’s SAP is Oracle

9. Oracle Platform
Architecture
Business Applications
(delivers business value)
built on top of
Foundational Components
(simplifies business applications &
simplifies integration)

10. Research does not run on
Oracle (business apps + AIA)!

11. Oracle doesn’t have Research
business applications!

12. Oracle is too bloody
expensive!

13. Research doesn’t have an SAP

14. What would an SAP for
Research look like?

15. Notice the foundational
components of SAP and Oracle
are similar

16. WebLogic Application Server
Oracle Database

17. These components are
available through open source

18. The open source versions in
some cases are better than
COTS!

19. Apache Tomcat is
more than sufficient
for Research needs
(or even Microsoft IIS)
* The referenced open source products are not an endorsement, but just to demonstrate options are available.

20. Apache ActiveMQ is one of the best JMS
providers.
RabbitMQ is a more technology agnostic
messaging broker and scales better than
COTS options.
Full ESBs also available through open
source.
* The referenced open source products are not an endorsement, but just to demonstrate options are available.

21. JBoss Drools provides a
unified and integrated
platform for Rules,
Workflow, Event Processing,
and Scheduling
* The referenced open source products are not an endorsement, but just to demonstrate options are available.

22. Eclipse BIRT reports can
be delivered stand-
alone or embedded in
business applications
* The referenced open source products are not an endorsement, but just to demonstrate options are available.

23. Let’s put it together…

24. Research Platform
Architecture
Scientific Applications
Business Applications Vendor A Vendor B Vendor C
(delivers business value)
Information Integration
built on top of
Business Intelligence
(Eclipse BIRT)
Master Data Management
(Lightweight implementation as defined by Pistoia)
Process Integration
Foundational Components
(simplifies business applications & Integration Process Management
simplifies integration) (RabbitMQ, Apache Mule) (Drools)
Application Server
(Tomcat, JBoss, IIS)

25. What does this give you?

26. “An integrated platform allows me to focus on
innovation instead of interoperability issues.”
BioPharma
“Horizontal capabilities are available to me. I
can focus my energies on building scientific
applications and not IT componentry.”
Vendors
“I’m familiar with open source and love the price.”
Academia

27. But wait, there’s more…

28. There are business components
that can be abstracted out as
well.

29. Such as generic inventory
management

30. This…
This is what you have in your portfolio
<application> <application> <application>
Biologics Inventory Small Molecule Small Molecule
at Site X Central Inventory Reagent Inventory
<application> <application> <application>
Biologics Inventory Small Molecule Other Animal
at Site Y Local Inventory Inventory
<application> <application>
<application>
Biologics Inventory Cell Lines
Mouse Inventory
at Site Z Inventory
and so on and so on!

31. … becomes this!
<application>
Global Material
Inventory

32. Here’s the stack then.

33. Research Platform
Architecture Scientific Applications
Business Applications Vendor A Vendor B Vendor C
(delivers business value)
Business Components
Inventory
others…
Management
built on top of
Information Integration
Business Intelligence
(Eclipse BIRT)
Master Data Management
(Lightweight implementation as defined by Pistoia)
Process Integration
Foundational Components
(simplifies business applications & Integration Process Management
simplifies integration) (RabbitMQ, Apache Mule) (Drools)
Application Server
(Tomcat, IIS)

34. Let’s use Electronic Lab
Notebooks (ELN) as an example
of what it might mean in practice

35. Suppose you want to integrate
your reagent ordering system
<application>
<application> ? Reagent Ordering
ELN
System

36. By default, we perform tight
brittle integrations. Boo!
<application>
<application> RPC interface Reagent Ordering
ELN
System

37. Better is to leverage messaging
for loose coupled integration.
<application>
<application>
Reagent Ordering
ELN
System
XML/JSON message
(possibility for data interchange standard)
Integration
(RabbitMQ, Apache Mule)

38. Suppose you want to initiate a
workflow from the ELN.

39. By default, we have uncoordinated
workflow with little insight into
process metrics and optimization.
<application> <application>
ELN Screening Assays
<application> <application>
Compound Compound
Registration Distribution
Alternatively, ELN inappropriately takes on process management responsibility.

40. Better is to leverage tooling to
support process management.
<application>
<application> Compound
ELN Distribution
<application>
<application>
Compound
Screening Assays
Registration
Process Management
(Drools)
• centralized workflow definition and management
• centralization of business rules
• process metrics

41. Suppose you want to generate
compliance reports

42. By default, ELNs try to bundle
generic reporting capabilities into
their product.
<application>
ELN
Business Intelligence

43. ELNs shouldn’t have generic
reporting responsibilities. Vendors
shouldn’t attempt to build this
themselves.

44. Better is to leverage a
reporting platform.
<application> embedded <report>
ELN report in ELN Compliance Report
query generate
Business Intelligence
(Eclipse BIRT)

45. Suppose you want to query
experiment data in a federated
ELN environment

46. Today there is no solution.
<application> disconnected <application>
ELN ELN

47. But we can enable this in a
consistent way.
<application> <application>
ELN ELN
query query
Master Data Management
(Lightweight implementation as defined by Pistoia)
query

48. Imagine the possibilities if
Research had an integrated
platform!