MES Application layer

what is the mes application layer? audience this page is written primarily for it architects and it teams evaluating the platform technology behind the mes application layer non technical readers, such as project stakeholders, may also find it useful to understand how the applications are built and hosted the mendix low code platform is used to create the mes application layer it consist of multiple applications/services depending on the responsibilities this allows a modular approach to be used the mendix applications are hosted on a kubernetes node this allows scaling & activation of the mendix applications the functionalities & features are explained in the overview documents how is the data architecture organised? each service maintains its own dedicated postgresql database instance this enforces strict domain ownership quality objects remain in the quality application, production order objects remain in the order cockpit, and so on there is no shared database across services cross application data exchange is handled either via odata connections between mendix applications or publish subscribe kafka topics on the kafka redpanda streaming broker(s) mendix connect acts as an internal service catalog apps can expose data via odata, making it reusable by others without duplicating it integration is as simple as drag and drop a developer can drag a remote entity from the data hub into their data model and use it instantly this setup ensures mendix microservices remain loosely coupled, each with its own lifecycle, while still working together as a unified solution published odata services are registered automatically in the catalog, making them usable in other mendix apps all events are published on a kafka broker by the services other services (mendix or non mendix) can subscribe to the created topics when the require the data this decouples the services at the data layer and removes the requirement of multiple point to point connections technology mendix low code platform mendix is an enterprise low code platform that accelerates development of data driven applications it provides a visual modelling environment for domain models, ui, microflows (business logic), and integrations in the context of mantsu mendix reduces time to market for mes screens and workflows that would otherwise require significant custom development the platform supports standard rest and event based integrations, allowing mendix services to publish and subscribe to kafka topics mendix applications run as containerized services, making them compatible with kubernetes based deployments how does mantsu use mendix low code? mantsu provides templates that can already contain user interfaces and common features it is possible to deploy the mantsu template solution and configure it for your use this configuration contains company branding, setting up master data (plant lay out, product data, downtime reasons, loss reasons, etc ) for more complex projects with specific requirements, it is possible to extend the templates by adding a project specific layer to the mendix application it is possible to create customer specific user interface screens; these contain all the data that you require to be shown on the shopfloor, or new dashboards can be added it is possible to create fully new features to extend the mantsu solution for your specific company needs every customization will create a deviation from the templates future upgrades in the templates may require new effort to apply the same customizations (this will be analyzed by on a case by case basis) updates in the templates are not automatically provided frequently asked questions which platform does mantsu use for the mes application layer? the mendix low code platform; each mantsu service runs as a containerized mendix app on kubernetes low code is chosen to allow a fast but plant specific implementation why does each mantsu service have its own database? it enforces strict domain ownership; services stay loosely coupled and independently deployable, each on its own postgresql instance odata & uns brokers are used to exchange data between applications & services how do mantsu's services exchange data? via odata connections between mendix apps for direct data access, and kafka topics on the redpanda broker for events these allow for an immediate access to the required data can the mantsu templates be extended? yes templates cover the recurring features; project specific requirements are added in mendix low code or through high code extensions summary the mes application layer consists of multiple mendix services on kubernetes, each with its own postgresql database, exchanging data through odata and kafka events templates accelerate delivery; high code extensions cover complex requirements