Proposed Hardware and Software Architecture

Proposed Architecture (PDF) is a high-level system diagram representing the proposed system architecture for the SEER Data Management System (DMS).

Method

The architecture was designed to ensure that the new system would address all of the project intentions through their corresponding effort contributions (from the SEER DMS Project Definition). The following is a list of the effort contributions.

• Provide hardware and software that allows the data to be collected and processed efficiently, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Provide a flexible system that takes advantage of common functionality while allowing individual differences to be accommodated.
• Remove duplication in developing and maintaining different systems in each registry under different software.
• Utilize a component design to allow updates/changes to be implemented easily and economically - centrally or locally.
• Utilize new or existing systems.
• Normalize processing by encouraging operations to be similar across registries.
• Employ near-cutting-edge technologies that:
  • Can continue to be supported
  • Are portable
  • Can be upgraded, expanded, or enhanced (scalability)
• Maintain central expertise and support.
• A flexible design that anticipates and accommodates change

A difficult aspect in designing the architecture is balancing the benefit of leveraging existing hardware, software, and expertise at the registries versus the benefit of having all registries being configured with the same hardware and software. Other considerations include hardware and software viability, costs, integration with existing infrastructure, training, and availability of in-house support.

Architecture

Under the proposed architecture, the NCI would provide the SEER registry with the necessary hardware, software, and software licenses to support the new SEER DMS. This would include the following:

Server(s)

• The exact make/model has not yet been determined.
• The operating system will be a common variant of Unix, such as Solaris or Linux. There is a possibility that more than one variant may be supported.
• This server will be dedicated to the SEER DMS and should not be used for supporting other efforts.
• The server(s) will host four major server-based software components of the SEER DMS:
  • RDBMS
  • Web server
  • DMS workflow/application server
  • DMS server components.
• Although unlikely it may be necessary or beneficial to add an additional server depending on the volume of processing being performed.

Relational Database Management System - RDBMS

• The SEER DMS will utilize a relational database model (i.e., not an object oriented database).
• A final decision has not yet been made on which DBMS will be utilized. Consideration is being given to Oracle, Sybase and PostgreSQL (open source RDBMS).
• The new system will require the chosen RDBMS (i.e., it will not run under multiple RDBMSs).

Apache Web Server

The web server will be used as part of the SEER DMS for rendering content for browser-based client applications.

DMS Workflow/Application Server

The DMS workflow/transaction server will be designed and implemented by NCI/IMS. Workflow software provides for the automation of internal business operations, tasks, and transactions that simplify and streamline current business processes whether they are a person-to-person, person-to-application, or application-to-application interactions.

DMS Server Components

The DMS server components will be designed and implemented by NCI/IMS.

DMS Client Components

• The DMS client components will be designed and implemented by NCI/IMS.
• These components will run on PCs running MS Windows either as standard executables or as browser-based applications.
• The non-browser-based components will not run on Macintosh or other non-PC hardware.

Disk Storage Subsystem - RAID

This hardware will provide the capacity for storing the DMS data. On a registry by registry basis, this may either be existing hardware that can be integrated with the new system or it may be required that this hardware be supplied as part of the new system. The utilization of existing hardware will depend upon whether or not it can be integrated with the new system.

Tape Library and Backup Software

This hardware and software would provide a mechanism for backup up registry data to tapes. On a registry by registry basis, this may either be existing hardware and software that can be integrated with the new system or it may be required that this be supplied as part of the new system. The utilization of existing hardware and software will depend upon whether or not it can be integrated with the new system.

Firewall Software

On a registry by registry basis, this may either be existing software that can be integrated with the new system or it may be required that this software be supplied as part of the new system, depending upon whether the existing firewall software can be integrated with the new system.