An initial conception

Centred on the notion of token

The token is indeed the collaborative folder.
This container of meta data runs through the network and is presented to each of actors under the defined form by its role and its rights (look & feel, contents, possible actions, business lexicon, languages…)

A 100% Java platform

OpenCS is a 100% Java software platform that respects the standards and that can be executed in the Open Source environment. It is based on the market standards: J2EE, XML, SMTP and SSL3.0. OpenCS relies itself on a applicative server that respect the J2EE standard (IBM’s websphere, BEA Web Logic, JBoss-OpenSource) coupled to a SGBD compatible JDBC (Microsoft’s SQL Server, IBM’s DB2, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Postgress-OpenSource, etc…)

The WEngine workflow engine

OpenCS is a WebService that relies on a workflow engine called Wengine®. It’s a group of Java components that provide the functionality of workflow. This group of components is completely autonomous and can be used by other platforms than OpenCS. Its documented API (Application Programming Interface) is available under the form of a Java/ EJB library or by WebServices calls that can be used as well as in Microsoft environment as in a Unix/Linux one. It can be of interest to any software editor willing to integrate in their market offer workflow functionalities.

This J2EE architecture allows use to mutualise on the same material platform completely different collaborative folders in terms of working interfaces and functionalities.

The OpenCS’ “RIDe” framework

A quick and customized implementation

The implementation of a collaborative folder relies on the OpenCS’ “RIDe” framework.
OpenCS respects the standards by using the most advanced technologies in order to propose an intuitive and ergonomic interface to users (XSL, CSS, HTML 4.0, Java applets). The RIDe framework proposes a library of graphic components in order to build quickly customized interfaces and to allow instant changes.

OpenCS Built-in Services

The available services by default for WEngine® are the Email Notifier, the Reminder, the SGBD/R accesses and the external Directories. These services are accessible through the Service Caller interface and can be called as Web Services, Java Services and/or EJBs:

• The Email Notifier sends notifications to participants when an action is over, as it is described in the process definition.
• The Reminder sends a notification to remind a user that there is still an action to be executed at the level of one process
• The SGBD/R (or RDBMS) access is a generic component that allows WEngine ® to connect itself to every relational database respecting the JDBC standard (manipulation of the XML representation)
• The access to Directories allows importing, updating and potentially publishing information within an external directory. This external directory can be a LDAP directory or a database.