Enterprise Application Development- Part 1

       As an undergraduate at University of Moratuwa I'm following a course module called Enterprise Application Development. In this course module we will be learning What Enterprise applications are?, what processes do we use to build ERPs? and how to create and deploy an ERP. So I though to share what I learn form Uni with you guys. So lets go in to more detail About today's topic

What is an Enterprise Application

      In the present world human actions are thoroughly based on business transactions. There are lot of companies, businesses an d start ups which try to prevail in this modern corporate world. When the company grows larger and larger, the functionality and the processes conducted in the company grows. This means that the human resource of that company will grow too.

   Now a simple problem arises. Well when the company grows large day by day, controlling processes and handling functionality and human resource become harder and harder. In order to make  this proper and make this easy Enterprise Applications come in to play.  

      So what is an Enterprise Application? There are lot of answers but we can simply say that Enterprise Applications are applications used by large companies or businesses to solve there corporate or business problems. These applications are called as Business Applications as well.These applications are mainly used by large companies and businesses due to some reasons. These applications can't be used by an Individual or a small business.reasons for this are ERP's being,

1. Complex
2. Scalable
3. Destributed
4. Component Based
5. Mission Critical

• Evolution of ERP's 

                     1960s - Inventory Management Control
                     1970s - Material Requirement Planning(MRP)
                     1980s - Manufacturing Resources Planning II (MRP II)
                     1990s - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
                     2000s - Extended ERP(ERP II)

• Business Environments/Markets using ERPs

                 Defense
                 Automotive
                 Oil and Gass
                 Banking
                 Higher Education and Research
                 Health Care
                 High Tech
                 Industrial Machinary
                 Aerospace
                 Transport and Logistics
                 Shipping
                 Telecommunication
                 Engineering and Construction
                 Chemical
  These are some few examples of business areas or markets where usage of ERPs are really common

• Integrating and Development

               When we are integrating or developing an ERP we have to focus on lot of key factors and features. When it comes to ERPs we need to focus on satisfying hundred and thousend of separate requirements. ERPs will address all the key functions in the business like

1. Financial
2. HR
3. Engineering
4. Projects
5. Manufacturing
6. Destribution
7. Maintanence
8. Sales and Services
9. Transport

         Also there are some more key functions when it comes to ERPs they are,

• ERPs should support cross platform networks like internet, intranet and corporate networks
•  They shouls be Data-centric(Which means that ERPs are mainly data driven or simply based on usage and handling of lot of data )
• User friendly
• Must meet all the aspects when it comes to security, administration and maintenance
• Should work with other ERPs deployed in the organization's system

     These ERPs are really complex. Developing these ERPs means satisfying Hugh number of requirements, but every time we take decisions to develop a requirement other requirements will be affected with that so we need to be really careful when it comes to ERP development Decision making.
     Due to the complexity of ERPs and the large number of requirements being asked to satisfy mostly ERPs are being developed by a group of IT professionals within the company but some times half or the full project is being out sourced.