Dermot Murray Extending your Oracle Forms Estate Using Oracle Application Express
Agenda • Introduction • Introduction • The Forms Challenge • Introducing Oracle Application Express • Use Cases • Technical Architecture and licence considerations • Conclusion
INOAPPS COMPANY OVERVIEW Oracle Platinum Partner Multiple accolades from customers and Oracle ► Largest Independent Oracle Specialist Partner ► 2015 Winner: Specialized Partner of the Year: ► Applications, EPM, BI and Technology Oracle Cloud ► Expertise in Hosting, Managed Services ► 2014 Sunday Times Tech Track 100 ► Deloitte Technology Fast 50 UK 2014 & Fast 500 ► Engineered Systems and Hardware Practice ► Capable to deliver the whole Red Stack EMEA 2014 ► 2010 & 2012 Winner, Specialized Partner of the ► Implemented and Operating Oracle Fusion ERP Year: Oracle Accelerate For Midsize Companies Cloud Long track record of using Oracle Forms and Application Express
Global Locations UK OFFICES Aberdeen (Head Office) Edinburgh Edinburgh Derby INTERNATIONAL OFFICES Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Houston, Texas, USA ► Global delivery experience and capability ► Established off shore and on shore model
Inoapps Company Overview OUR FOCUS AREAS OUR MAIN INDUSTRY SECTORS ► Application Implementations ► Business/Professional Services ► Business Intelligence ► Engineering and Construction ► Engineered Systems and Storage ► Financial Services ► HCM ► High Technology ► Hyperion & EPM ► Manufacturing ► JDE and PeopleSoft ► Oil & Gas ► Managed Services and Cloud ► Public Sector ► Mobility ► Telecommunications ► R12 upgrades ► Utilities ► Oracle Forms and Apex Long track record of using Oracle Forms and Application Express
So, you have Oracle Forms… ► Stable ► Mature ► Mature ► Big Investment ► “Does what it says on the tin” ► BUT …
So, you have Oracle Forms… ► User Interface is ‘mature’ ► High development cost ► High development cost ► Licencing limitations ► Integration capabilities ► Limited scope for extending footprint
How to solve a problem like… Desktop Integration Integration Mobile Mobile limitations limitations Simplified “External” UI users
Oracle Application Express ► Toolkit to allow the rapid development of applications using only your web browser ► Fully-supported, no-cost feature of the Oracle Database ► Can extend and supplement Oracle Forms in a wide variety of ways ► Consists of a UI development tool, based on DB Schema and objects
APEX and Forms ► Retain existing Forms estate ► Re-use the business logic and IPR of existing apps ► Extend footprint using Apex screens ► Expand functionality using Apex capabilities ► Reduce and minimise the limitations of Forms ► Increase the use of your Oracle estate with minimal additional costs
Forms and APEX: Perfect Companions Forms Apex Integration Integration Legacy Database Screens Objects Mobile Admin Business Simplified Screens Logic UI Core App External “Spine” users
Oracle Applications Express T he Swiss Army Knife of Development Platforms
Use Case: Application extension Application Extension Application Extension
Use Case: Extend Application ► Existing Forms estate delivers core functionality ► Want to extend the footprint into New Users New functionality ► Use Apex to deliver new scope Enhanced Look and Feel No desktop limitations Rapid development
Use Case: Refresh User Interface ► “Mature” application seeks new “look and feel” (for long walks on the beach, fine dining and new experiences) ► New ways to engage your users with a simpler user experience ► Apex has a huge variety of data presentation themes
Mobile enablement Refresh User Refresh User Application Extension Application Extension Interface Mobile Enablement
Use Case: Mobile Enablement ► You wish to extend the footprint of your Forms application to allow users on Mobile devices – phones or tablets ► Oracle Forms on mobile is not easy ► Security considerations are signifcant ► Other Oracle middleware options available – but complex ► Extend footprint using Apex screens, using optimised “Mobile Themes”
Mobile Enablement
Mobile Enablement
Use Case: Mobile Enablement ► Online access only – No Offline capability or “App” capabilities ► Security considerations – needs externally facing server, DMZ, patches, hardening ► Licencing considerations – potential user audience increases, licence needs to match
Back Office Integration Data Gathering Platform Business Intelligence Business Intelligence Platform Back Office Processing Mobile Enablement
Use Case: Back Office Processing ► Mature forms estate that needs to extend beyond its current limitations ► Require back end integration and interfacing capabilities ► Don’t want to implement additional middleware layers Oracle Forms will not offer sufficient capabilities ► Back Office capabilities required to facilitate integration SOA Integration Email Integration CSV production and upload Batch processing
Use Case: Back Office Processing Web Services CSV/ Blob Email Presentation/ Presentation/ Handling Handling Integration consumption Batch SSO Processing Integration
Use Case: Business Intelligence Platform ► Forms based application used to “gather” data ► How to “enable” that data out to a wider audience ► Many BI tools out there (including from Oracle), but all will incur significant cost, time and effort ► Apex offers a wide variety of “out of the box” reporting capabilities ► Can be used to offer BI capabilities to existing applications
Oracle Application Express Email Integration Data Gathering Platform Single Sign On Data Warehousing Data Warehousing Excel Killer Batch Processing SSL Encryption Workflow and automation engine Pixel Perfect Reporting Web service integration Business Intelligence Platform Document Management
Forms and Apex – Perfect Companions Complement Replace Replace Supplement Supplement Extend Expand
System Architecture - Forms Forms Server Database Server Forms Client Forms Listener Manages Runtime Java Applet GUI and beans Runtime Engine App logic, data management, PL/SQL engine
System Architecture - APEX Web Listener Web Browser Meta Data Oracle Database with Oracle Applications Express
System Architecture – Forms and Apex combined Forms Client Database Server Forms Server Java Applet GUI and beans Apex Web Apex Browser Listener Apex Schema
Architecture Considerations ► Existing Database infrastructure can be used ► Web listener can be located on DB server ► Or use existing Forms Middleware Server ► NO additional hardware ► NO additional middleware
Project Phases of a typical system deployment UI Test and Technical Requirements Data Build Solution Deploy Architecture Gathering Dictionary Business Logic Design
Project Phases of an Apex extension UI Test and Technical Requirements Data Build Solution Deploy Architecture Gathering Dictionary Business Logic Design
Licence Considerations ► First Rule of Oracle – make sure you are licenced ► First Rule of Oracle – make sure you are licenced ► Oracle Applications Express licence is included in Database licence usage ► NO additional licence requirements (As long as all users are licenced for DB)
Oracle Apex 5 ► Latest release, GA in April 2015 ► Latest release, GA in April 2015 ► Huge step forward in terms of functionailty, scope and “look and feel” ► Underpins Oracle’s strategic investment in Apex
Don’t believe me?
Skills Considerations ► Core skills – SQL/ PL/SQL ► Core skills – SQL/ PL/SQL ► Screen designer is simple and intuitive ► Low cost of entry – but huge scope for development ► LOTS of Google resources
Business Benefits of Apex Extension Time to Deployment Scope of solution Scope of solution Cost of infrastructure Cost of infrastructure Integration Cost of licences User Adoption Cost of Project Risk
Summary ► Many organisations have made a significant investment in Oracle Forms ► There are many upgrade or migration paths available to Forms users ► Oracle Application Express offers a simple and low cost way to retain that investment whilst retaining the ability to meet the changing needs of the business
Questions? #InoappsCloudcast
Dermot Murray Technology Division Manager E: d ermot.murray@inoapps.com | T: 0870 112 2000 | W: www.inoapps.com
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