Exchange Data with SC Navigator

Introduction

AIMMS SC Navigator apps require input data from other systems and may export data to other systems, beyond manual file upload into the app. This document describes how to exchange data between on-premise systems and AIMMS SC Navigator apps running on the AIMMS Cloud Platform (Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Exchanging data between on-premise systems and AIMMS SC Navigator apps running in the AIMMS Cloud Platform

In this context the ‘SC Navigator database’ is the (MySQL) database from/to which the AIMMS SC Navigator apps read/write data (not to be confused with the AIMMS PRO database where apps, users and configuration of the AIMMS PRO instance are stored).

Overview

All SC Navigator apps access one, customer-specific, central SC Navigator database for obtaining their input data and for storing the results. For data exchange between on-premise (or other cloud) systems and SC Navigator we offer a secure connection to the (MySQL) database that forms part of the SC Navigator suite of apps. Customers are free to design and implement their solution for exchanging data with this database, using MySQL connectors, industry standards and common tools for database interaction.

Note

See https://dev.mysql.com/doc/index-connectors.html for details how to connect to MySQL databases.

More details

For exchanging data the SC Navigator database in the AIMMS Cloud Platform acts as decoupling connection point or ‘intermediate database’. On‑premise systems can exchange data with this (MySQL) database, for example via syncing or via import or export components (see Figure 2). AIMMS does not offer such components as there are many such components available both commercially and as open-source.

Figure 2 – Exchanging data via the SC Navigator database

All traffic takes place via a VPN tunnel that is initiated from the on-premise environment, so there is no need to permit incoming connections with associated security risks. This VPN (Virtual Private Network) tunnel offers high information security because it creates a virtual private connection by encapsulating and encrypting all data packets.

More details of the relevant parts of the AIMMS Platform architecture can be found in Figure 3.

More details on the relevant AIMMS Cloud Platform architecture

The following diagram (Figure 3) depicts the part of the AIMMS Cloud Platform architecture relevant for exchanging data. The application databases, called ‘SC Navigator database’ in this context, are placed in customer-specific VPCs that include gateways to receive incoming VPN connections. We support the VPN IPsec standard.

Figure 3 – Simplified diagram showing the relevant parts of the AIMMS Cloud Platform architecture