Chapter 5                          Product Overview

RTView provides the ability to access real-time and archived data from multiple data sources and EAI messaging infrastructures. RTView reads data directly from the source, which eliminates the need for intermediate data servers, reduces complexity, and maximizes performance and scalability. Flexible deployment options allow you to embed displays in existing Java applications or enterprise portals as well as distribute displays throughout the enterprise as compact Java applets or browser-based images that update automatically.

RTView includes the Display Builder which is used to quickly build customized displays with objects that connect easily to live and archived data. Displays can be deployed via application, rich client browser or thin client browser. RTView supports a variety of built in data sources in addition to custom data sources. See the Data Sources section of this documentation for more information.

Note: You may not be licensed to run all RTView data sources.

This section describes the following:

§        “Display Builder” on page 17

§        “Deployment” on page 18

§        “Data Server” on page 18

§        “Historian” on page 18

§        “Alerts” on page 18

§        “Customization” on page 18

 

Display Builder

The Display Builder features point-and-click palettes of graphic objects, including meters, labels, tables, graphs and scales. Within the Display Builder it is possible to perform calculations on data (e.g.: sum of all values in a table column) and configure objects to display data and drill down to more detailed displays. Objects can also be configured to execute commands such as sending an email, issuing an SNMP trap or data source specific commands. To minimize the number of displays that need to be configured, a single display can be reused—without any edits—to show data from a number of different sources depending on values passed in when the display is viewed. See “Building Displays” for more information.

Deployment

RTView can be deployed via application, rich client browser or thin client browser, connecting to the backend data either directly or through the Data Server which caches and federates the data. Since RTView is a portable delivery platform, all displays, including graphical elements, data attachments, drill downs, functions, substitutions and security settings, are portable to any deployment option - without re-engineering. This facilitates implementation and rollout since development, testing, and production systems can use different deployment technologies without significant porting costs. If situations change in your organization and you would like to choose a different deployment option, you can readily do so.

SL keeps current on the latest information delivery technologies, such as browser and portal options, scalable data distribution, application servers and security. This ensures that the most suitable option for your enterprise remains deployable with minimal costs. See “Deployment” for more information.

Data Server

The Data Server uses EII and XML technologies to gather, federate and distribute information from disparate data sources based on information currently in demand. It also caches the data so that multiple demands are delivered to any number of clients - without need of subsequent data queries. These important factors greatly enhance processing speed. Because the Data Server can exist behind firewalls, it also greatly simplifies and strengthens the secured delivery of information to clients beyond the firewall. See “Data Server” for more information.

Historian

With the Historian you can archive data to any database using JDBC. The Historian enables the comparison of live data to historical data for trend analysis or comparison to other metrics. See “Historian” for more information.

Alerts

RTView features a real-time alert engine that enables management and operational personnel to monitor the health and status of business operations. The alert engine can monitor conditions and perform automated actions from any available RTView data source. Alert definitions can include thresholds, severity, notification policies and automated actions, such as email, system commands or data source specific commands. The RTView alert engine can load any number of alert definitions, and any number of customized dashboards can be created to view alert status, filter alerts, use alerts as drill down navigation for analysis and corrective action, or to interactively change alert status such as alert acknowledgment. See “Alerts” for more information.

Customization

RTView can be customized to meet your specific needs:

        Graphic objects and palettes can be created using SL-GMS J/Developer™

        Easily extensible user interface supports the creation of custom menu items, toolbar buttons and dialogs

        In addition to packaged data sources, customize to read data directly from any source

Contact SL Technical Support at 800.548.6881 or 415.927.8400 for more information on customizing your RTView package.