Synchronization Framework


	XC Bridge is not custom software, it is easily tailored to share data between arbitrary applications, and your own proprietary software

	Client connectors require only framework template modifications specific to your application. Usually under 1001 lines of code completed in days, not months or years.

	Synchronization is the key to data collaboration, and any data can be synchronized to and from any application.

	Information is never lost. Transfer and access to data is secure and controlled by a permissions model.

	Other applications: CRM ERP OAM (mobile phones) Accounting Bio Infomatics Data Mining

XC Bridge from Xchange Network is a unique and best of breed collaboration solution that allows data to be easily shared and synchronized between disparate collaboration servers and any combination of desktop and/or Web applications.

XC Bridge is a synchronization solution available today that can fill the gap between data silos, enabling data synchronization between any disparate client and/or server application at a fraction of the traditional development time and cost. XC Bridge is a cross operating system, Java-based synchronization framework and platform designed to support any electronic data.

Key Capabilities:

'Connectors' (Client, Virtual Server, and Web) are writtenusing a re-useable framework vs. custom code providing the environment for fast development and quick time to market (days vs. months or years).
Ability to bridge data silos via dynamic, bi-directional and permission based data synchronization. Applicable for any type of data.
One-to-Many or Many-to-Many client and/or server application synchronization.
XC Bridge is not a website, portal, or custom integration development tool that requires full adoption and/or compiance. Preserve IT investments: the flexible architecture of XC Bridge provides development teams with the ability to use as much or as little of the platform as needed while maximizing existing IT investments.
Quick knowledge ramp (2 - 3 weeks) to learn connector development framework and the ability to begin creating connectors.
No field-level data loss during synchronization between disparate applications and operating systems (i.e. CRM, ERP, ERM, Wireless devices, etc.) as the reusable framework seemlessly retains the unsupported fields.
Off-Line data manipulation; applicable for users with varying periods of network access.

As the drawing below implies, XC Bridge enables data from separate server applications to share and synchronize data. Data synchronization and access to the data is managed by a defined permissions model.

The Building Blocks

The XC Bridge solution consists of two basic components; the XCN Software Server and the XC Connect connectors (virtual, desktop and/or web).


		The XCN Servers purpose is to act as a data repository and to handle the bilateral synchronization logic. The XCN server determines and controls what data needs to be provided to a given "client" each time each individual client synchronizes.

The connectors process the xml data by interacting with the client application and the software server.

The connector's purpose is simply to apply the data in the context of the client application when data is received from the software server, or if data is created, modified, or deleted by the connector application, to wrap the data object into the xml blob and send it to the software server.

As a result, the XCN server has no need to understand the data as it is simply passed along to other client connectors as needed, thereby eliminating any possibility of data loss during synchronization. Data transfer utilizes 128 bit encryption and access to the data is based upon a permissions model.

XC Connect "Connectors"

Virtual connectors - This is the mechanism by which users on different collaboration servers may share data. It is an integrated element of the XCN Server and may be configured to allow connection to any number of collaboration servers.
Desktop connectors - Are installed on each users computer. The XC Connect desktop connectors handle the data transfer between Outlook, iCal/Address Book, Entourage or Evolution and the XCN Server.
Web-Browser Interface connectors - allow users to access and edit data via a web browser.

Since most client applications are closed source, but have external access APIs (COM, CORBA, AppleEvents, JDBC/ODBC, etc.), Xchange Network has designed the connector framework with those implementation details in mind. New connectors for currently unsupported applications can be implemented within a very short period since the connector framework itself does the majority of the work.

No Client Application Data Loss

One of the significant challenges with supporting multiple client applications is that each application has its own list of supported data fields.

For example, Outlook has a very large list of fields that it supports while iCal supports a limited number of fields. In most implementations, this would mean that when an iCal user modifies an item any unsupported fields would be lost.

The XC Bridge connector framework has seamless support for this scenario and as a result, no data is lost. The changes are simply merged to the existing xml and sent to the server ensuring that everything is still present when synchronized to Outlook.

Flexibility

Due to the flexibility and extensibility afforded by this architecture, the specific items within a record can be easily extended since the XCN server does not have to individually manipulate or modify the data record that it is managing.

For example CRM, ERP or any other collaboration environments could be added very quickly. All that is required is the facilitation of the appropriate connector (virtual, desktop or web). This yields the ability to support data synchronization between conflicting client or server applications within a matter of weeks with neither application requiring modification of any kind.

Two XC Bridge Implementations

XC Connect and XC Vault are two seperate products that have been built and deployed on the XC Bridge framework that allow different users on different servers to securely share version-controlled files and synchronize Calendar, Contact, and/or Task data. The data and files can be both personal and/or public and are protected by a full permission model. In addition, this implementation allows users to access and view this data and files across the following different desktop and server applications, including Microsoft Exchange servers in different domains:

Microsoft Outlook^®
Microsoft Entourage^®
iCAL and Address Book for OS X
Novell Evolution^TM
Web-based interface
Microsoft Exchange^®

As the above drawing implies, the Entourage user on MS Exchange Server #1 is able to share calendar and/or address book data with the Outlook user on MS Exchange Server #2. Likewise, the drawing also illustrates that the Outlook user is able to share data with an Outlook, Entourage, Address Book/iCal, or Evolution user that is not on either MS Exchange Server. A Microsoft Windows and a Safari user on a Macintosh are collaborating on the same file using XC Vault to control the versions.

This ability to collaborate across disparate collaboration servers enables users at different corporate divisions, organizations or even different companies, to share calendars, address books, and tasks lists regardless of their operating system or desktop application.

Platform Usage

Traditionally, XC Connect enabled Calendar, Contact, and Task data to be shared across any combination of:

Outlook (COM),
Entourage (AppleEvents)
Apple iCal/Address Book (combination of AppleEvents and JNI),
Evolution (CORBA), and
Web-Browser interface.

XC Connect and XC Vault are commercially available now, are deployed solutions, and have thousands of users world-wide.

With the introduction of the Virtual Server Connector, data can now be synchronized between disparate servers (e.g. two different Microsoft Exchange networks):

Customization is not required for any desktop or web application, nor are they affected in any way since the data interaction is treated in the same manner as user input.

In addition, the XCN server contains add-on modules to expose the Calendar, Contact, and Task xml data via a web browser interface providing additional flexibility to data access.

XC Connect is currently a deployed solution with an active and growing customer base across virtually every vertical market segment. Customers range from large universities, financial institutions, law offices, advertising companies, and many more.

Conclusion

XC Bridge solves the problem of collaborating across the heterogeneous desktop landscape and across the huge chasm that exists between collaboration servers. As the need for organizations to communicate effectively grows, XC Bridge makes it possible for that data to be available virtually seamlessly.

XC Bridge is the enabler between divisions of the same corporation, between totally different companies, or even between departments within the same community of organizations.

For further information, please contact (info@xcnetwork.com) at Xchange Network.

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