Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2024 - 3

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
Technology view
Besides its own SQL database,
the server has
immense capabilities in
integrating and adapting
to existing IT infrastructures,
meaning that almost
any system can be
integrated as a data
source by means of " connectors, "
such as Java
Database Connectivity
(JDBC), Open Data
Protocol (OData) and
Connector API.
The server can integrate
user management
systems - e.g., Active
Directory refers to existing
user credentials but
also document management
systems.
For CRM (customer
Figure 2: Main use cases of a central data platform.
relationship management, e.g.,
Salesforce) or ERP (enterprise resource
planning) systems, there are connectors
that make the platform ready for
immediate use. The JDBC connector
makes it possible to integrate almost
any database. An interface is created
that is independent of the database
manufacturer and allows both reading
of and writing to the database.
Supported database types are MSSQL,
Postgres and Maria-DB, but also
IBM DB2 and all other databases for
which a JDBC driver exists.
With the connector for OData, data
can be integrated and processed quickly
and easily via HTTPS/REST. The connector
allows access to OData V2 and
V4 compliant REST services. OData is
the most widely used standard for this
kind of communication and more comfortable
to use than SOAP web services,
for example, because the protocol is
based on known http requests. For authentication,
OAuth2 is being used.
In addition, customized systems can
be integrated using the connector API.
If a suitable connector is not available, it
can be created quickly. Furthermore,
the server comes with a Web API to
extract and load the data for further
processing and analysis. The Web API
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
Figure 3: Aggregation of data from multiple sources.
provides read and write access to the
connected databases.
The server can be run as a Platform
as a Service (PaaS) solution on platforms
such as Microsoft Azure, AWS,
or be installed on premises. This flexibility
makes the solution highly scalable.
New data sources can be connected
at any time without having to
redesign the platform.
In conclusion, the server not only
serves as a backbone and IT integration
layer; it also provides all necessary functions
and tools to setup and maintain
aftersales environments and processes.
Mainly, it serves as a central connection
node to all diagnostic testers located in
the field, the content development tools
and customer internal databases and
management systems.
Peter Subke, business development
manager, and Markus Steffelbauer, head of
product management, Softing Automotive
Electronics GmbH (https://automotive.
softing.com/), wrote this article for Truck &
Off-Highway Engineering.
August 2024 3
BOTH IMAGES: SOFTING
https://automotive.softing.com/ https://automotive.softing.com/
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2024

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