Glossary of Terminologies in the EdgeReady Cloud

The EdgeReady Cloud is a modern, cloud-native platform that enables rapid digital transformation by modernizing legacy applications as well as accelerating digital transformation with its low-code platform.

The EdgeReady Cloud has three basic modules:

1. Modernize: It helps organizations to identify & convert their ‘legacy’ systems to the new systems using ‘modern’ technology and pre-build ‘Modernizers’.

2. Build: It helps to rapidly develop & deploy enterprise applications on any devices enabling a work-anywhere model. Pre-built app templates are also provided.

3. Run: It helps to execute and manage enterprise applications in a cloud-native platform with no Ops overhead.

A Tenant is an independent and secured workspace allocated for each customer in the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC).

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) is a multi-tenant platform that leverages all the capabilities of a modern cloud. It is architected with multi-tenancy to manage multiple but secure and independent tenants supporting different versions.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) is a multi-tenant platform that leverages all the capabilities of a modern cloud. It is architected with multi-tenancy to manage multiple but secure and independent tenants supporting different versions.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) is hosted on AWS (Amazon Web Services). The Platform comes with three (3) separate and distinct clouds – Development Cloud, QA Cloud, and Production Cloud to mirror customer’s source system landscape.

An Environment is the complete structure/version of the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) intended to satisfy certain purposes within which a different set of users operate.

The EdgeReady Cloud comes with three Environments.

1. Development - Key Purpose of this environment is to ‘Design & Develop applications.’ Developers are the main users of this environment.

2. Quality - Key Purpose of this environment is to ‘Test the applications’ developed and transported from the Development Environment. Developers, Testing teams, QA teams are the main users of this environment.

3. Production - Key Purpose of this environment is to ‘Hold and Execute Live Applications using Real Data’. Business users or ‘End-Users’ are the main users of this environment to whom organizations deploy the applications.

User needs to select appropriate Environment at the time of Sign-in in to the EdgeReady Cloud.

Password Policy is a set of rules created to increase security in the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC). Its purpose is to encourage users to build strong passwords and use them properly. ERC allows its customers to build and implement their own password policy.

The password policy is only applicable when ERC authentication is used and not when customer-specific user authentication e.g. SSO is used.

Users can manage their User Profiles in the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC). User profile inherits information about users entered into ERC at the time of ‘User Registration’ by an appropriate authority like a System Administrator. ERC User Profile has the following sections:

• Personal Information
• Business Information
• Account Information
• Account Settings

In EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), a Project is a package that holds all the required information for the development and deployment of one or more applications under it. 

In ERC:

• One Business Process can be assigned to one Project. 
• More than one Business Function can be consolidated under one project.
• One ERC-Mobile (container) App can be assigned to one project whereas multiple EdgeReady Apps (ERAs) can be created under one project.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), various Menus and Tabs are provided to users to choose appropriate options to achieve the desired goal. Users can choose functionality provided under a Menu or a Tab by clicking on it.

Availability of Menus and Tabs in ERC is based on the ‘Role’ of a user and the Environment in which he/she is signed in.

In ERC, Tabs are provided under Menus. Tabs opens one or more ‘Pages’ which are provided to complete certain tasks.

EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) Administration module ensures secured and reliable use of the ERC. The functionality provided under the administration can be used to make ERC available to many users on their devices dynamically.

An Administrator’s role is defined in the ERC to perform the ‘administration’ tasks effectively. The key task of an ERC administrator is application management, user management, system upgrade management, etc. The administration Tab in the ERC is only visible if a user is assigned to an administrator role.

Source System is any electronic information system that captures or holds ‘Live’ data essential to run a business for EdgeReady Cloud’s (ERC) customer. It is a ‘System of Record’ for the customer. These systems are also referred to as ‘Legacy Systems’, ‘Backend Systems’ or ‘On-Premise systems.’ Examples of source systems are ERPs like SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, etc.

An EdgeReady Application (ERA) in the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can interact with the customer’s ‘source systems’ to carry out data transactions. This ability of an ERA to read and/or write data to a customer’s source systems is called Integrations. An ERA can integrate with the customer’s source systems using various methods like EdgeReady Plug-In, web services, direct source system adapters, etc.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), User Logs refers to the repository of recordings of all the user activities. The platform captures all activities into User logs that can be used for monitoring and reporting purposes.

User Logs are available under the Administration menu in the ERC.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) permissions to access functionalities or perform certain tasks are grouped under ‘Roles’. These roles can be assigned to various authenticated ‘Users’ of ERC. The ERC provides certain pre-defined roles such as End-User or Analyzer. Customers are allowed to define their own ‘User Roles’ as per their requirements.

EdgeReady Plugin is a piece of software that is installed inside a customer’s network. EdgeReady Plugin ‘integrates’ the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) with the customer’s ‘Source System’. The plugin brokers and manages all the communication between the EdgeReady Cloud and the customer’s source system in an inside-out-based integration approach, without having to write any OData endpoints. 

Key functions of the EdgeReady Plug-in are:

• Establish a connection between EdgeReady Applications and a customer’s Source System.
• Executes business logic required to read/write data.
• Apply appropriate filters such as user authorization for the source system before sending data back to devices and users.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), the apps that are designed and developed by users to satisfy various business purposes are called as EdgeReady Apps or ERAs.

An ERA is a combination of screens/pages designed based on a business function for a particular role by following a certain logic and sequence.

ERAs cannot be installed independently on a mobile device. They can be installed only along with their Mobile (Container) app.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) a Default Login App provides users access to their respective Mobile Apps through a URL and user credentials.

It requests several authentication steps in order to verify users (especially first-time users) before providing access to Mobile Apps.

The App Designer is a module of EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), which lets the user customize, enhance the UI through different components. App Designer holds a collection of ‘Components’, whose actions can be customized by adjusting their ‘Properties’ to build the desired enterprise app.

Additionally, each component in the screen is given a particular Behavior in which it is programmed to function.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) provides a Web-Service Adapter that supports all read and write functions provided by a third-party SaaS application. The adapter can read any legacy application exposed as a web service. The Web-Service Adapter supports SOAP protocols.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) provides a REST-Service Adapter that supports integration to any SaaS applications that are exposed via REST Services. It supports all read and write functions provided by a third-party SaaS application that are exposed via REST Services. The REST-Service adapter supports REST protocols.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), the Integration Builder module provides the ability to interact with customers' source systems and interface with the app UI. It enables quick development of integrations and business logic. The Integration Builder is a central module for all business and integration logic.

The Integration Builder provides several out-of-the-box tools called ‘Blocks’. Example: The Integration Builder provides several out-of-the-box graphical business logic components which are combined to build and execute any business logic in a low-code/no-code environment.

The Integration Builder provides out-of-box, built-in adapters for third-party SaaS application integration.

The Integration Builder enables integrations to on-plugin and on-source-system applications like ERP systems, databases, and many others via EdgeReady Plugin. These adapters are enabled as actions in the Integration Builder.

Enterprise applications are always tied to business processes. Complex processes can be linked to multiple applications. In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), Business Process Modeler enables close collaboration between ‘Business Analysts’ and ‘Application Developers’ to engineer efficient workflows. The business analyst can use this tool to draw the steps of a business process using a graphical user interface, providing a visual representation of necessary connections between processes and apps.

Application Developers can use the steps established in the Business Process Modeler to define the app process. App Process Modeler links all objects needed, such as interface, business logic, integration logic, validation, etc., and enables low-code development via a graphical interface.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can generate Online or real-time applications for all smartphones, tablets, phablets, and web browsers. These apps do not store or cache any business data in the device or platform. They efficiently and intelligently interact with the customer’s source systems configured in the ERC providing real-time connectivity, visibility between the app and the source systems.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can generate apps that support extended Offline mode, enabling end-users to be offline for days, with all data ‘self-contained’ within the devices for the users to continue working in an offline mode. All business data is securely kept and packaged in the devices.

The stored data interact and synchronizes with the customer’s source system, efficiently and intelligently, when internet connectivity becomes available.

Offline apps come with out-of-the-box modules for iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can generate Transactional Apps, in both offline and/or online mode, that support bi-directional integration with a customer’s source system. This means that the app has the ability to read as well as write data back to the customer’s source system.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can generate Web apps that get executed on a user’s browser. Progressive Web App.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can generate Composite apps, which allow users to navigate across multiple ‘source systems’ without having to switch apps. The composite apps work on multiple source systems.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC)’s ABAP Modernizer, can move customer’s ABAP custom objects to the ERC easily. It can transform a full application, including user interface, logic, database, to a mobile-friendly cloud native user-friendly graphical application automatically.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) provides the flexibility to have a consistent user interface across all devices such as desktops, tablets, mobile phones or rugged embedded devices running Windows, iOS, or Android.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) comes with a pre-built, secure, segregated, relational database isolated by tenants called the EdgeReady Database.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) comes with a built-in module called the EdgeReady Drive. It is designed to store and manage all the documents and files for enterprise mobile access. It comes with all file management capabilities such as version management, access management, user and role management, and upload/download of files via EdgeReady Apps.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) has built-in functionality to Publish an enterprise app. During the publishing process, the ERC builds a release version of an application that users can download and install on their devices. 

The EdgeReady Cloud provides the following options to publish an enterprise app:

• Progressive web application (PWA)
• Mobile-native app
• A hybrid app that works on web and mobile
• Offline or online app

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can send mobile Notifications to end-users which can be leveraged appropriately as per the required business logic.

The notification capabilities provided in the ERC are:

Mobile Operating Systems - ERC supports native mobile notifications for the following operating systems:

• iOS
• Android
• Windows 10

Email Notifications - ERC supports email notifications that can be triggered by specific, customized events in an app. The app can send email notifications to a relevant user with or without attached documents.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) is a single platform with the following three distinct components of its Distributed Architecture:

• An On-Demand component called the EdgeReady Manager.
• A component closer to the customer’s source system called the EdgeReady Plugin.
• An On-Device component called the EdgeReady Apps.

The three components work in a cycle and support distributed processing. For example, when a source system provides data, business rules may be applied in the EdgeReady Plugin to filter relevant data that is sent out. The EdgeReady Manager receives data from the EdgeReady Plugin, processes it by applying business rules, and passes it on to the EdgeReady Apps. The EdgeReady Apps in the device, with its own rules engine, can apply business rules and display the right and relevant data at the right time to the end-user. Any input in the device from a user, the data is sent back to the source system using the same distributed architecture in a reverse way.

Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication scheme that allows a user to ‘log in’ with a single ID and password to any of several related, yet independent, software systems.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) supports SSO authentication mechanisms using logon tickets, SAML 2.0, or OAuth mechanisms.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the process of enhancing corporate data security by monitoring, managing, and securing mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets that are used in enterprises. MDM solutions enable IT, administrators, to build enterprise-level security policies on mobile devices, making them corporate ready.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) can be integrated with major Mobile Device Management (MDM) software for app rollout and deployments.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) includes Transport management. It’s common for a project to have multiple versions, for example, when multiple developers are working on an application or a version is in Quality Cloud for testing. ERC provides one-click transport management capabilities to move all relevant application components from one cloud environment to another.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) Preview of an app is available for developers. Preview demonstrates a ‘Live’ version of an app based on the ‘Deployment Settings’ (e.g. display in Browser or Device) in the ERC. It helps developers to check the app before it can be published.

The preview icon can be found on the top right of the App Process Modeler and App Designer canvas.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), Variables work as containers to hold values like numbers, phrases, the results of a calculation, a database call, etc., which are important in the processing logic of an enterprise app, in a mobile device itself or in the cloud.

In the ERC, users can create required variables using a ‘Variable’ section in the App Modeler,  Designer, Integration Builder, or using the ‘variable block’ in the App Behavior section. Variables can also be created in the Settings tab of a Project (Global Variables). 

In the ERC, users can create variables as ‘Values’ or as ‘Tables’.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) supports variable-based conditions, which control the flow of logic in a business function or an app.

In ERC, users can define conditions in business processes in the App Process Modeler using the condition component or using the ‘Logic & Loops blocks’ in the App Behavior section.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) each business process defines the flow of operations and several business functions to perform specific tasks. ERC enables role and user management, allowing to assign tasks within a process to specific users, using the graphical interfaces in the App Process Modeler.

A session variable is a special type of variable whose value can be inherited and used in the subsequent pages. The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) allows to definition of session variables in the Integration Builder.

The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) provides runtime capabilities with a codeless, model-driven

approach to app development. The ERC provides three EdgeReady Runtime lanes:

• On-Device: This lane is used exclusively for Offline Apps. Data is synced from the local DB of devices.
• On-Plugin: Data is fetched or pushed from the customer’s source systems.
• On-Cloud: Data is processed and fetched from the Cloud.

Whether the business rules are executed on-device, on-plugin, or on-cloud are decided by the EdgeReady Runtime. No ‘Block’ can function without defining a particular lane from the EdgeReady runtime in which it will be included to work.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), App Behavior is primarily designed in such a way that neither a developer nor an analyst needs to write extensive pages of code. Code is integrated with the sequence and logic in the form of ‘Scratch’ blocks. Developers can drag and drop these Scratch Blocks onto a visual canvas to automatically generate the logical steps required for the app's user experience. Developers can visually build logic rather than write code.

Components are the essential building blocks used in The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC) to build enterprise applications. The ERC Components are available in two places.

App Process Modeler - The components like Task, Page, Condition are available in the ‘Left Panel’. These components can be drag & dropped on the Canvas between Start and End to build a business process. Each component has a pre-defined meaning and set of conditions associated with it.

App designer - There are various types of components e.g., Layout components, Field components, Analytics components, etc. available in the App Designer’s ‘Left Panel’ to drag & drop on pages to build customer’s user interface.

In many modules of the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), the central area of the screen, where the components or blocks are dropped is called Canvas Area.

It is used differently in different modules. For example, in the App Process Modeler, components are dragged and dropped on the canvas area to build a business process while in the Integration Builder the blocks are dragged and dropped on the canvas area to build processing logic.

Each component in The EdgeReady Cloud (ERC)’s App Designer Module comes with pre-defined Properties. Users can view/modify the component by changing its properties, which are available on the right side of the App Designer Screen.

A Navigator is provided in the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC)’s App Designer module. The Navigator enables users to see the hierarchy of the components on the selected page. It has the feature to show/hide different components added to the canvas.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), the Page component is available in the App Process Modeler. A page refers to the UI screen that is displayed to users. Various components can be drag and dropped onto a page to build an app's UI.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), Business Object Service or BOS from the Integration Builder can be used to upload or download data from the EdgeReady Database or files/documents from the EdgeReady Drive. A BOS can also be used to build business logic, integration with the customer’s source systems like SAP. The BOS can be scheduled to execute independently or can be executed via the application.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), a Business Function is defined as structured activities executed in a predetermined sequence either by users or systems in their given roles to achieve the predefined objectives.

In the EdgeReady Cloud (ERC), Events are functions that occur based on a predefined trigger. e.g., Changing UI on click of a button. Events can trigger a chain of actions.

App Behavior in the ERC provides a separate ‘Events Block’ with different triggers.