Enterprise Data Federation Service
Enterprise Data Federation Service (EDFS or EDF) is a set of iTwin integration services designed to enable integration of Bentley iTwin platform solutions with any external enterprise system or user solutions (such as SAP®, IBM® Maximo™, Microsoft® SharePoint, etc.). EDFS is the latest generation (6th) of BECS (Bentley Enterprise Connection Service) integration engine.
EDFS is designed to support any requested integration by running any BECS integration package from Bentley Integration Catalogue (BIC). Thanks to this flexibility and zero coding needed for design or maintenance of integration packages is easy to adapt any integration request.
Main mission of EDFS is to provide zero coding, ready to use, Bentley catalogue based integration gateway to any user enterprise system or solution.
Advantages
- Better Decision-making and Productivity Reduces errors and improves decision making with automated data integration. Increases user productivity by providing quick access to accurate information. Decreases cost of data entry.
- Ensures Information Continuity Enables improved data quality in Bentley and 3rd party products for mission critical engineering information, and e.g. SAP maintenance work processes.
- Streamlines Implementations Shorter implementation enables faster ROI. Accelerated integration projects can be up and running quickly.
- Cost minimizing Minimize cost for Bentley Product development by solving integration in standard cross product way.
- Ready to use Predefined, already approved processes bundled in EDFS Packaged Integrations for various systems.
- Data on demand Enable performance on highest level, data are always fresh and up to date, there is zero data redundancy and zero costs for saving and refreshing of redundant data.
- Guaranteed data consistency Data consistency, validity, and accuracy in every product/solution in complex integrated business chain.
- Automated business operation flow Ensure business operation flow across user enterprise without any manual operation or execution delays.
- No need to install anything if 3rd party system also allowed on Cloud, supported all types of architecture (Cloud, onPremise, Hybrid).
- Time and cost saving Reduce implementation time of whole solution.
BECS Integration Packages
BECS Packaged Integration is a solution package bundled from specific BECS visual definitions (BECS Integration Packages) implementing defined integration business process to cover specific workflows between Bentley products and external enterprise systems (or other Bentley products).
These BECS Packaged Integrations include ready to use integration packages covering the most common workflows, e.g. create, update, install, dismantle, read, attach, upload, etc.
How does it work?
BECS integration is driven by executing of predefined integration visual definitions (BECS Integration Packages). Integration visual definitions implement specific business integration use case and all integration visual definitions designed for specific enterprise system are bundled into BECS Integration Packages.
Execution workflow
After triggering integration by caller (for example “Approval” process in Asset Operations, or click on element in iTwin Experience, or by EDFS Trigger, etc.):
- User’s call is authenticated and authorized,
- Requested Integration package is loaded
- Proper set of system credentials for Integration Package enterprise systems is provided
- Integration package execution started
- Retrieved data are post processed and returned to the caller
Authorization
User must have the EDFS Execute Integration Package role assigned for a specific integration package at the iTwin level or be an Organization Administrator for the Organization that owns a given iTwin.
Package role assignements can be set