A manufacturer and supplier of medical products, hygiene items, and household chemicals, faced the challenge of integrating its internal end-to-end management system, known as the Distribution Management System (DMS), with the ERP systems of regional distributors. The aim was to facilitate faster and more cost-effective exchange of information as the distribution network expanded.
To address this challenge, JazzTeam, adopted an agile approach and leveraged their expertise in enterprise integration patterns and MuleSoft implementation.
Challenge
Prior to the integration, the client and JazzTeam delivery team established that a sales management system is what they need to provide statistics for each region and country, track product availability in warehouses, and monitor the volume of goods sold. Additionally, the system had to be easily scalable and allow for the addition of new market participants with minimal costs.
The main challenge was to seamlessly integrate the DMS with various ERP systems used by regional distributors across different markets. The configurations of these systems varied, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of each system’s requirements and compatibility. Additionally, the project required a distributed team spanning multiple countries and time zones, making effective coordination and communication crucial for success.
Finally, the system required sophisticated statistics tracking by country, and needed to be easily scalable to accommodate new market participants with minimal costs.
Solution
JazzTeam proposed the use of MuleESB as the integration platform, enabling the consolidation of multiple information systems used by the supplier. Leveraging MuleESB’s capabilities, JazzTeam developed a cloud-based integration system deployed on the CloudHub platform.
To streamline and optimize data exchange, the solution leveraged a unified data protocol, combining SFTP and REST. With designated folders on the SFTP server for each region, the Mule application seamlessly monitored and extracted newly added information, ensuring a reliable and swift transfer. By transforming the file contents into a standardized format and utilizing REST APIs, we seamlessly forwarded the data to the client’s unified system. Our Mule implementation facilitated the secure exchange of large volumes of data, maintaining data integrity and performance efficiency throughout the process.
In addition to data exchange, the solution encompassed data migration and transformation. Monitoring multiple SFTP servers, we efficiently retrieved CSV and TXT files containing data from various regions, regardless of file size. Through Mule’s capabilities, the files were transformed into JSON format based on specific input requirements and seamlessly delivered them to the corresponding queues in Anypoint MQ. Mule then directed all messages from the queues to the respective REST services, ensuring smooth data flow. To confirm successful transactions, the system generated comprehensive reports deposited on the SFTP server. Moreover, Mule archived all incoming files for data retention purposes, providing a comprehensive data management solution.
This continuous data flow provided the client with up-to-date information accessible 24/7, enabling them to have real-time insights into product performance across markets, inventory status, and more. It empowered the client to carry out agile management and production planning.
- The team utilized REST API architectural style to ensure flexibility and avoid constraints imposed by specific data transfer protocols.
- By incorporating MuleSoft’s best practices, such as Mule Expression Language and Dataweave transformation, they streamlined the integration process..
- Real-time data exchange capabilities of Mule enabled the customer to have up-to-date information on product sales across all markets, warehouse inventories.
- A unified data exchange protocol was developed and implemented to accommodate the specific requirements of each region, ensuring seamless communication and data transfer without compromising system performance.
Outcomes
By successfully integrating the DMS with regional distributors’ ERP systems, JazzTeam empowered the goods supplier to streamline their distribution processes, expand their network, and achieve greater operational efficiency.The project achieved several significant outcomes:
Enhanced Efficiency: The integration of the DMS with ERP systems allowed for seamless information exchange, resulting in improved operational efficiency and reduced costs.
Global Integration: Successful integration with distributors from various regions, including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Ireland, expanded the supplier’s global reach and facilitated smoother collaboration.
Expertise Expansion: JazzTeam had MuleSoft Certified Developer on the team, further strengthening their expertise in integration projects and providing added value to their clients.
Best Practices Adoption: The team established and implemented best practices for MuleESB integration, such as MUnit testing and load testing with JMeter, ensuring the reliability and scalability of the integration solution.
Client Satisfaction: The client, Infoview Systems Inc, praised JazzTeam’s efficient processes, strong management, and technical expertise. The open communication and proactive approach during daily stand-up meetings ensured transparency and allowed for effective risk management.
