TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 DEFINITIONS Error! Bookmark not defined. - 2 2. REASON FOR ISSUE 2 3. RELATED DOCUMENTS 2 4. OVERVIEW 2-3 5. HARDWARE ARCHITECTURE 3 6. SUPPORTED CONFIGURATIONS 3-4 7. SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE 5-6 7.1 Server Module 7 7.1.1 Web Server 7 7.1.1.1 Apache Web Server 7 7.1.1.2 Microsoft s Internet Information Services (IIS) 7 7.1.1.3 Sun Java System Web Server 7-8 7.1.2 Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Server 8 7.1.3 Google WMS Map Server 8 7.1.4 Messaging Server 8 7.1.5 Document Repository 8 7.1.6 InstallAnywhere 8 7.2 Client Module 9 1
7.3 Database Module 9 7.3.1 EPS Database 9 7.3.1.1 The insurance information database 10 7.3.1.2 The pharmacy inventory database 10 7.3.13 The drug interactions database 10 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 - POSSIBLE CONNECTIVITY CONFIGURATIONS 4 FIGURE 2 - CLIENT/SERVER SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE 6 2
1. INTRODUCTION This document defines the software architecture for the Electronic Prescription System. 1.1 DEFINITIONS API DB DMZ EPS GPS GIS GUI Application Programming Interface Database Demilitarized Zone Electronic Prescription System Global Positioning System Geographic Information System Graphical User Interface HTML HyperText Markup Language HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol HTTPS HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure IIS IP JSP LAN Internet Information Services Internet Protocol JavaServer Pages Local Area Network LDAP Lightweight Directory Access Protocol 1
MAPI Messaging Application Programming Interface OCR OS PC PHP SQL VM Optical Character Recognition Operating System Personal Computer Hypertext Preprocessor Structure Query Language Virtual Machine WMS Web Map Service 2. REASON FOR ISSUE Smart phones, tablets and even classic desktop devices have increased user demands from service providers, pharmacies included. With increased mobility and Internet access, users are constantly seeking services that support mobile and/or other web-based platforms. Unfortunately, pharmacies have not fully adapted to the mobile era nor has there been much advancement towards providing customers with quick, hassle-free trips to the pharmacy. EPS will address this long-standing, paper-based problem with a modern, technological solution. 3. Related Documents 1. Software Specification and Requirements document. 2. Data Flow Diagrams. 4. OVERVIEW 2
This document describes the architecture of the Electronic Prescription System (EPS). The system is web-based and follows the classical client-server system model. 5. HARDWARE ARCHITECTURE The hardware portion of the EPS system architecture is displayed in Figure 1 within Section 6, Supported Configurations. The EPS software is portable with many 32-bit and 64-bit environments through the web. The specified PC, phone and tablet OS s are specified in the Project Plan from the requirements package. The system must have a web server, domain controller or LDAP server, an SQL or Oracle database server, and an application server on a LAN. All processing and communication between the client and pharmacy will be through a secure HTTPS connection through a firewall. These components will have private IP address on the network with the web server s portal and application addresses as well as the firewall being placed in the DMZ. The particular system setup by the pharmacy itself will be mapped to EPS system architecture appropriately. Mainly all that is needed is a terminal with web browsing capability and likewise for the customer. The software architecture will be able to support multiple system configurations of the pharmacy as well as the addition of backup servers and even more DB server capabilities. The implementation of storage solutions such as NetApp and IBM blades can also be used to set up VMs for larger and more complicated database and application solutions for the EPS system should the data be too large and hinder performance or cause issues with bandwidth. The software model will utilize a client server application model. 6. SUPPORTED CONFIGURATIONS The EPS system application provides the user and pharmacy solutions over a secure network through the web. The overall solution can be constructed in multiple ways as long as it includes the specifications listed above. This solution has multiple access scenarios 3
due to the system s portability. Figure 1 shows a configuration with a common setup of the EPS system. Figure 1 - Possible Connectivity Configuration w/ 3 Access Points The customer uses the EPS application on the web (whether from their phone or a PC, etc.) and they access the web via their wireless carrier or home / office modem. Once they have gotten to the web, their data/request/information will have to be sent through a secure HTTPS connection to access the public IP of the EPS system s backend LAN. Before doing so it will have to get access through the system s firewall. From there a bunch of different processing can occur. The web and application servers will mainly handle this and may 4
require calls to the DB servers to handle data. There can also be authentication involved with user / group data and credentials. When accessing the system s interface, the user is directed to the web server initially. Apache will then call the application server to act as an intermediary between the web server and the DB server as well as LDAP where necessary when transferring data. All of this information goes back through the firewall and out to the pharmacy s terminal through their network and integrates with their system (mainly their DB). The system will be different from pharmacy to pharmacy. They can also choose to use their own DB server and storage or can have EPS host it. 7. SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE 5
To support the delivery of services to both individual and pharmacy customers, EPS will employ a client-server architecture, which will consist of three modules: 1. Server module 2. Client Module 3. Database/Query Module User Environment User Interface Browser Java Applets HTML Documents Messaging Client Module Database Module EPS Database Internet SQL commands SQL commands Apache IIS Sun Java Server Module Pharmacy Database Messaging Server Insurance Database OCR Software Server Google Map Server Installation Server Document Repository Drug Interactions Database 6
Figure 2 - Client/Server Software Architecture for Electronic Prescription System 7.1 Server Module The server module provides services to the client and database modules, which initiate requests for such services. The following servers will make up the server module: 7.1.1 Web Server The following web servers employed for EPS will use HTTPS protocols to deliver required services over the internet. 7.1.1.1 Apache Web Server Apache web server software is open-source software that offers virtually unlimited modification possibilities. Easily the most popular web server software, Apache supports a wide range of web technologies and is available for all major operating systems and hardware platforms including MS Windows, Linux, UNIX and Apple OS/X. more details about Apache web server software is available at www.apache.org. 7.1.1.2 Microsoft s Internet Information Services (IIS) This web server is available from the Microsoft Corporation and will be used in the EPS environment to support the deployment of Microsoft s proprietary web technology asp.net. IIS not only supports Microsoft web technologies but also provides support for other web technologies offered by third parties. 7.1.1.3 Sun Java Sytem Web Server In the EPS environments, this web server offered by Sun will be run Java servlets and JSP code as can also be used to run as non-java technologies such as PHP, Perl, Ruby and 7
Python as needed. The Sun Java server will be run along with other servers in the module with the primary purpose of serving content based on Java servlets and/or JSP. 7.1.2 Optical Character Recognition Server The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software server will perform identification, matching, sorting, tracking, and verification of prescription information when received from the individual user. EPS will provide OCR functionality for desktop and mobile devices and support all environments Apple and Microsoft in the PC environment and Android, Blackberry, Apple, Nokia and Microsoft Windows in the mobile device environment. 7.1.3 Google WMS Map Server EPS will interface with Google Maps using the GPS Tracker to determine what EPS-enabled pharmacies are in the user s specified search radius. Information culled from the user s location will be used to present pharmacies, availability of medication and prices. Google WMS is a WMS interface to Google Maps that will provide access to Google map data from GIS applications via a HTTP interface. It can provide Google Map image data to any GIS application that can use a WMS service for raster data. Google s WMS map server is freely available at www.googlewms.jar. 7.1.4 Messaging Server A messaging server is an application that handles messages between two or more applications. These messages are passed to the middleware application using a messaging API (MAPI). EPS will provide messaging functionality and support the transport of messages to multiple client types. 7.1.5 Document Repository 8
EPS will provide a document repository for the centralized control and management of announcements, tasks, calendars, events, user administration, web pages and HTML documents needed for efficient delivery of services. The selected program will run on a Linux server with FrontPage Extensions installed in an Apache environment. 7.1.6 InstallAnywhere The InstallAnywhere application software will be used for the installation and removal of the EPS software. InstallAnywhere is the leading multiplatform application installer that delivers a professional and consistent cross- platform installation experience for desktop and server applications. InstallAnywhere will allow EPS to create reliable installations for a broad range of platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, and IBM iseries. 7.2 Client Module The client module is the interface presented to the user and will be determined by the user s environment. EPS will implement features of the user interface using HTML documents in Java applets to be stored within the server environment. EPS will provide a web-based interface as well as a messaging (chat, email and text) interface to enable communications with the user. 7.3 Database Module The database module will provide access to the various databases that EPS searches or uses in the delivery of services. Queries and requests either from the user or within EPS will be handled in the module using SQL commands. 7.3.1 EPS Database 9
Some installation and configuration files will be provided in the software release. Other software tools will be provided to aid in the maintenance and operation of the system. The EPS database will interface with other databases that make up this module. The other databases are: 7.3.1.1 The insurance information database 7.3.1.2 The pharmacy inventory database 7.3.1.3 The drug interactions database END OF DOCUMENT 10