Help - Admin - Architecture

Background

Aspen Workflow is designed from the ground up as a web-based application. This means that all system-level functionality and programming is performed on one or more servers, and accessed by clients through a web browser. The advantages of this include:

Client machines need only a web browser to be fully functional,

The system can be scaled by upgrading one or a small number of servers, without the need to upgrade client machines,

The Internet can be used as a low cost virtual private network (VPN) to allow user access from anywhere in the world, and

Upgrades and system changes need only be installed on the server, making system administration far simpler than traditional client-server programs.

Key Components

While users are presented with a unifed front end to access the system, server-side industry standard applications are used behind the scenes. They are:

Database: MS SQL Server for data storage and retrieval

Web server: MS Internet Information Server (IIS) for interfacing with the clients

User Interface: Netscape Navigator or MS Internet Explorer provide the user interface and enforce client-side logic.

Visual Basic Scripting: Active server pages with VB script serve as the glue typing pieces together

The Philosophy

Aspen Workflow is designed to take advantage of industry standard database, scheduling, and filing systems. Rather than writing a database, we've chosen to use MSSQL and access it through VB Active Data Objects. Rather than writing a document management system, we've chosen to use MS Index Server and access them through active server pages.

While each programming piece of Aspen Workflow is simple in and of itself, the program's real value lies in two areas:

A comprehensive, thoroughly designed relational database, and

A unified, thoroughly designed user interface (in the form of web pages displayed in a browser)