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Cloud Services

Note: The Sparx Systems Cloud Services product has been officially replaced with the Pro Cloud Server,
see here for the latest version of this page.

 

The Sparx Systems Cloud Services application provides a convenient mechanism for hosting models. It provides easy access to people within your team, and optionally to external customers and consultants anywhere around the world.

This page aims to do the following:

  • Familiarize you with the concepts involved
  • Discuss considerations for when and where you should use a cloud server
  • Highlight some of the additional functionality available by using the cloud server

Introducing Cloud Services for Enterprise Architect

Enterprise Architect models are stored in databases. Prior to the introduction of Cloud Services Enterprise Architect required users to install the appropriate drivers for the database and create a connection. Enterprise Architect would then use that connection to connect directly to the database and run the model. With the introduction of Cloud Services that model has changed in ways that provide a number of benefits.

  1. The process of setting up drivers and connections can now be performed once by an administrator during the server configuration. The only set-up required on a user machine is to install Enterprise Architect and connect to any model required on the cloud server.
  2. Database servers no longer need to be exposed through a firewall. The cloud server can be run from inside a corporate firewall. All model connections are now created using http allowing firewalls to completely isolate your database server.
  3. A cloud server can be configured to ensure all communication is encrypted. Using standard TLS/SSL protocols, you can be sure that your data is not intercepted during transmission on insecure networks.
  4. A cloud server can be configured to provide http level authorization to any model directly from the model user list. Even when the model is exposed on a public network you can be assured that only authorized users are able to access your model.

When to use a cloud server

A cloud server offers benefits whenever:

  • You would like to reduce the set-up requirements for each of your users
  • You would like to expose any models outside of a private network
  • Any users are connecting over slow connections

Setting up a server

One of the benefits of a cloud server is that the set-up needs to be performed once on the server instead of for all users who are connecting. The following describes the process for installing, configuring the ports and databases for the server.

Cloud Services

Additional Functionality

In addition to the core functionality of providing a model over a http connection, cloud services offer three additional things that add value to setting up a server.

Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration (OSLC)

Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration (OSLC) is an initiative to allow easier integration between requirement tools. It uses HTTP to list, add, modify and delete requirements.

The service provider definition to direct any OSLC client to will be:
<protocol>://<server>:<port>/<model_name>/oslc/sp/

For example, if you are connecting to a server running on your own machine using the default settings the connection will be:
http://localhost:804/model/oslc/sp/
See http://open-services.net/ for more information.

Re-usable Asset Service

The re-usable asset service (RAS) portion of the cloud server allows packages to be defined that can be used in any model. Enterprise Architect and the cloud server will track cross-package dependencies and ensure everything required by a package is available when a package is requested.

Scheduled Tasks

The cloud server includes optional support for running time based updates to data.

At this stage this is limited to updating a Time Series chart automatically to provide a dynamic view into how a model is changing over time. Please see the Enterprise Architect help file for more information.

Additional Resources

Use the links below to access more documentation, webinars and trial.