Aerospace Integrated Data Exchange Architecture (IDEA)

Transcription

1 Aerospace Integrated Data Exchange Architecture (IDEA) Jeff Lang (310) The Aerospace Corporation 2008

2 IDEA Features IDEA has been used by The Aerospace Corporation s Concept Design Center (CDC) (classified and unclassified) for >5 years to exchange data between subsystem tools Provided to the following institutions Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Utah State University (USU) Girvan Institute (NASA Ames) Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Designed to be independent of the underlying SQL database IDEA is currently being used with a PostgreSQL database, minor changes will have to be made to switch to another SQL database (already setup for MySQL as well) The IDEA methodology can easily be extended to work with design tools that are not Excel based Python modules provide text file interface to IDEA database (tested but not yet used) Designed to have minimal impact on users, Excel template only consists of input sheet, output sheet and Excel Add-In 2

3 IDEA Features Cont. Because of the use of TCP/IP, team members and database do not need to be colocated Used for CDC Distributed Collaborative Engineering (DCE) between Chantilly and El Segundo Demonstrated to work between NASA centers for the NASA Exploration Design Team (NEDT) Data transfer port is easily configurable (useful for navigating through VPN and firewalls) Data being transferred can be encrypted using SSL (when outside VPN or firewall) IDEA is licensed under the GNU General Public License Since IDEA uses a standard SQL database, third party database tools can be used as well (database interface, mining, web based tools using PHP, etc.) A web based interface to the PostgreSQL database has been developed using PHP to collect metrics about CDC studies (not part of IDEA but easy to duplicate) Developed an interface to export SQL database data to XML format Aerospace is developing XML tools to assist in report generation and data analysis 3

4 About PostgreSQL IDEA is currently used with PostgreSQL because of the ability to organize data into table, schema, database (others have followed this structure and will work equally well) Each team (Space Segment, Space Architecture, Ground Segment, etc.) has a database Each project (GPS, GOES, etc.) has a schema Each configuration has a data table (data tables are kept to a minimum number of records for speed) PostgreSQL is a FREE open source relational database Installs on Linux, UNIX (AIX, BSD, HP-UX, SGI IRIX, Mac OS X, Solaris, Tru64), and Windows For more information visit: 4

5 IDEA Architecture The Aerospace Corporation 2008

6 Architecture Client tools (workbooks) communicate to a central server via TCP/IP connection and therefore do not need to be colocated Server Database Server Design Data TCP/IP Client ODBC Driver Client ODBC Driver Client ODBC Driver Design/Analysis Tool Design/Analysis Tool Design/Analysis Tool 6

7 Implementation: Client Workbook Workbook Inputs New design data from the database Worksheet IDEA Add-In VBA Modules ODBC/SQL Query ODBC Driver Server Outputs Design/analysis results to the database Client Rev 7

8 Excel Workbook Format and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Modules The Aerospace Corporation 2008

9 Outputs Sheet The Outputs sheet contains all of the data that the workbook is going to send to the database. Notice that each parameter has a different parameter ID. Each parameter is uniquely identified by the combination of parameter ID and the subsystem name that provided it. 9

10 Inputs Sheet The Inputs sheet contains all of the data that the workbook retrieves from the database. There will be a set of columns for each of the subsystems that the users wants data from. The user will fill in the ID for the parameter that they want under the subsystem that they want it from. 10

11 IDEA Module Not to be confused with the IDEA Add-in, the IDEA module is responsible for finding and launching the IDEA Add-in The tools will work without this module, however the Add-in will have to be launched manually Currently the IDEA module is designed to look in any directory directly above or below the current directory for the IDEA Add-in 11

12 IDEA Add-In The Aerospace Corporation 2008

13 IDEA Add-In The IDEA Add-In is a Microsoft Excel Add-In (.xla) that contains all of the code necessary to interface with the database as well as tools and utilities for administration and maintenance of the database and Excel based subsystem tools When the IDEA Add-In is launched, the IDEA toolbar will appear in the current instance of Excel Multiple workbooks can be open in the same instance of Excel and the IDEA Add-In will interface with the one that is active 13

14 IDEA Toolbar Select Project and Config Allows the user to choose what project and configuration to connect to Update Inputs Updates the inputs table (gets data from database) Send Outputs Sends outputs to the database (sends data to the database) Utilities Brings up the options menu Help Shows the help file Info Shows the IDEA Add-in and configuration file version being used 14

15 Connect to Database Establishes a connection to the database Opens when the user clicks any button on the toolbar, if no connection exists User may select a preset connection or create a new one using the Options button New connections can be saved using the Add Connection button Connections are saved in the IDEA configuration file 15

16 Database Search Utility Database Search Allows users to query the database using a number of parameters to narrow the results 16

17 User Utilities Add Input Allows users to search for a parameter and add it to their input list Reload Conf File Reloads the IDEA Add-in configuration file Log Out of DB Logs the user out of the database 17

18 Administrator Tools Log Off Config (Admin) Logs the Administrator off of the current configuration table which locks it for editing by users Audit (Systems) Audits the database to see what subsystems have sent outputs since the Administrator has updated their inputs Console Message (Admin) Sends console message Rename Proj/Config (Admin) Used to rename a project or configuration that is already in the database Batch Workbook Tool (Admin) Used to perform batch operations on the workbooks (ie. Send Outputs, Update Inputs) Module Copy Tool (Admin) Used to copy modules from one workbook to another Note: The Administrator must be logged onto a Project and Configuration in order for Users to send data to it Users can always get data from the database, they only need an Administrator logged on in order to send data. This is done to protect the data on the database from accidental contamination 18

19 Web Services The Aerospace Corporation 2008

20 Web Services Web Services can be used instead of ODBC for connecting to the database Tool created for JPL that utilizes web services and not ODBC JPL Code can not be distributed (will have to be re-written) Web Services can be used to complement the existing IDEA ODBC data exchange Web services can exist alongside IDEA and complement its functionality by making it easy for users to interface other tools to the database 20

21 How Do Web Services Work Functions are written in a server side language (ie. PHP) that perform all of the necessary actions on the database Send Outputs, Update Inputs, List Projects, List Configurations, etc. Functions are exposed to users through a web server (ie. Apache) Users can not see the code behind the functions Users can provide inputs and receive outputs from the functions 21

22 Web Services Architecture Client tools communicate with the database through a web server running a server side language (ie. PHP, ColdFusion, etc.). Database and web server may be on separate machines. http Server Database Server Design Data Web Server Server Side Language Client Client Client Design/Analysis Tool Design/Analysis Tool Design/Analysis Tool 22

23 Backup The Aerospace Corporation 2008

24 Comparison IDEA IDEA & Web Services Web Services Excel Based Tools Yes Yes Yes Non Excel Tools No (not as is) Yes Yes Server Complexity DB DB, Web, Server Side Language DB Compatibility SQL SQL Any (Not written yet) Development Req. No 1 Yes (Medium) 2 Yes (High) 3 Cost to Implement Low 1 Med 2 High 3 1. Already written 2. Simple web services need to be written 3. Complex web services and Visual Basic for Applications need to be written 24

25 Comparison IDEA Pro Already written, small amount of development required to make a user friendly interface for adding inputs and outputs Server implementation is simple (only database) Con Only Excel based tools can interface (assuming no development) IDEA & Web Services Pro IDEA already written, small amount of development required to make a user friendly interface for adding inputs and outputs Allows non-excel tools to interface with the database Con Some basic web services need to be written More complicated server implementation (DB, Web, Server Side Language) Web Services Pro Same interface for all tools Con Web services need to be written Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) needs to be written to use with the Excel tools More complicated server implementation (DB, Web, Server Side Language) 25