The Anthology system design is modular, consisting of four independent functional components: Anthology Server and Remote Manager, Anthology Mobile, Anthology Developer and Anthology Web Services . This design allows you to choose the components that provide the most benefit to your business. Anthology Server & Remote manager is the core component that interacts with the others. Anthology Mobile is the actual workforce application used to perform your business processes. Combining it with the server provides all of the functionality required to collect data on mobile devices and move it back to the central database. These two components are all that is required to make your business more efficient and competitive. The Anthology Developer is an optional component that adds flexibility to the base system. Technavant can pre-configure a turnkey system for your business. However, if you frequently have the need to alter or augment your business processes, then the Developer is a powerful tool at your disposal. Whether you want a turnkey system that is ready to go or you want to develop your own processes, Anthology is the right choice. Interfacing to other business systems that perform invoicing, purchasing, order creation or other processes is an important consideration. The Web Services component provides functionality to easily interface with other systems, increasing their value and streamlining your operations. If you only need to collect data or if you want to move that data into your other enterprise systems, Anthology Web Services gives you the choice.

All of the software in Anthology was developed using Microsoft C# .NET 2.0. Microsoft C# .NET enjoys widespread support, providing you with more choices in hardware and software platforms. Because C# .NET programs will run on any system which supports the .NET framework, continued support is assured. C# .Net supports both form-based and web-based applications, providing a single and compatible environment for all of the applications. .NET remoting provides a powerful tool for distributed n-tier design. This advantage allows us to distribute processing in larger enterprise installations, thereby improving system performance. It also provides a central point for common business functions, providing consistency and maintainability.

Anthology Mobile runs on Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's), smart phones and tablets running Windows CE, or desktop and laptop computers running Windows XP. It can interface to a variety of hardware devices such as cameras, barcode readers, RFID readers, GPS, printers or other devices. It utilizes a local SQL database to store user data and data for the Anthology scenarios (programs) giving you all of the advantages of data constraints and validation. The scenario data contains all of the information for a user business process including screen design, database mapping and logic directives. The scenario configuration data along with program and database versions are kept up to date automatically through the synchronization process. (See Server and Remote Manager for more information). Connectivity with the Anthology server is achieved in any number of ways, including hardwired, WIFI/Bluetooth, Cellular, Satellite or any other connection that can support TCP/IP tunneling. Using a local SQL database provides high availability of data, allowing work to proceed even if connectivity is less than optimal. This allows for real time, near real time, or part time connectivity as conditions permit, providing maximum productivity. Security is always a concern, so authentication (ID and password) is required to access all applications and data. Anthology Mobile also supports encryption of key data stored on the mobile device, like passwords, or the entire database. If you require additional security, we can provide features to prevent the running of unauthorized programs and lock the database if the device is lost or stolen. Anthology gives you the choice of security from authentication to complete encryption all the way back to the central database.

The Anthology Server and Remote Manager is the enterprise level central system providing a centralized database, synchronization server, synchronization management and administrative functions. The server typically uses the iAnywhere (Sybase) SQL Anywhere relational database manager. Oracle, Sybase Adaptive Server or Microsoft SQL Server database platforms running on Unix, Linux, Windows, etc. are optionally available for large scale databases serving hundreds of mobile units. Referential integrity is provided through primary and foreign keys, as is support for triggers and procedures, row level locking, transaction processing, and indexing for performance. The central or consolidated database holds a superset of all data found on the mobile devices. The server uses the time-proven Sybase Mobilink synchronization technology to keep the data on the Anthology mobile device in sync with data on the server. It supports replication between a variety of devices such as PDAs, PDA phones, tablets and laptops and a number of different relational databases. The bi-directional synchronization, which can be initiated by the remote or the server, provides a high level of transactional integrity. Management of the software across many mobile device can be a difficult task. Anthology server solves this problem by automatically updating mobile databases with database changes (tables, columns, indexes, etc.), files and even new program files for the mobile units simplifying the management of the mobile devices. Security is configurable from simple authentication to complete encryption of the database and of data during transmission to insure data privacy and integrity. The synchronization server consists of one or more instances of a running service, which listen for synchronization requests from mobile devices. Running more than one service will optimize throughput on systems with a large number of mobile devices. It completely handles the exchange of information between Anthology mobile and Anthology server. It also contains the configuration information for the mobile applications and the data replication rules and schedules.

The Anthology Manager application acts as a front end to the server, allowing you to easily configure and maintain the system. The synchronization manager provides the control of the synchronization process through filtering to limit the data flow to individual mobile devices using publications scripts. Maintaining replication scripts can be time consuming, so Anthology provides a suite of tools for easy creation and maintenance of the publication scripts. It also provides release or version control for the mobile device as defined in the Developer, simplifying the management of your deployed software. The synchronization manager determines security configuration during replication and may implement authentication and data encryption for devices outside of the corporate firewall.

Functions are provided make routine administration of the system easy. Administration functions include add and maintain mobile devices, add and maintain users, associate applications to mobile devices, selectively release these applications and maintain all replication schedules and requirements. The administration functions also provide access to audit tables which track activities such as replication status of individual mobile devices and other reporting functions. This gives you valuable information to monitor and insure smooth performance of the system and helps you identify situations before they become problems.

The Anthology Developer is a tool that is used to develop the application scenarios, including the forms, controls, events and directives. You pick the target device such as a PDA, tablet PC, desktop PC or laptop from a tree view. This makes it easy to create forms and add different controls, rules and logic by selecting items and dropping them on a form. You can determine the program flow, i.e., which screens are displayed using rules or directives to define logic decisions, using this intuitive GUI. The scenario will branch to different screens based on the user input.

Indicators lists and code tables are used to load list boxes, combo boxes and other multi item controls, populating them without any code development. The Developer makes it easy to create these and map them to the database. Custom control objects are also available to capture pictures, display and then annotate them, or capture signatures, making the use of these advanced features just as easy. A grid object is provided to show data in a spreadsheet style display for tabular data. Data validation is provided at the control and wizard level to insure data integrity. After you drop any of these controls on a form, you can easily map these controls to the database using the Developer. Methods or functions for commonly used items such as GPS acquisition or barcode reading are built-in, further simplifying the process.

The Developer provides tools to define user tables in the consolidated and mobile databases. You can easily create any number of tables and columns using standard data types and SQL database constraints. You are not forced to use pre-existing generic column names that have no meaning. Table and column names are user-defined which makes your reporting easier. The Developer will generate SQL or you may create your own custom queries. All of the design information created in the developer is stored in the consolidated database and used by the Anthology server. This simplifies your routine backup processes by keeping everything in one location. The scenario design information is then downloaded through replication to the Mobile devices automatically during next replication.

The developer also provides tools to help manage your remote devices. You can specify what scenarios and data are sent to which devices. You can also view and control program and database version on individual mobile devices, simplifying the management of the mobile software deployment. The system will automatically download any needed updates during replication. This gives the administrator the choice of when to distribute changes and to whom.

The Anthology Web Services provide external interfaces functions for the Anthology system. These include actual web service interfaces to systems like Websphere, Web Methods, Tibco or other systems, which utilize calls to a web service. Anthology Web Services utilizes an industry standard WSDL (Web Services Description Language) and XML (Extensible Markup Language) form maximum compatibility. We utilize a “smart Client” application that sends messages to your external systems to prompt them to “fetch” data. It will operate in real time constantly waiting for message requests from external systems. Multiple copies of the interface can run if you need increased throughput. Both output and input message formats are fully configurable so it can easily handle any of your data requirements. The system can also send email messages containing information for another application or to notify managers or other personnel for special events. It also provides for batch type interfaces such as FLAT (Fixed Length ASCII Text), delimited file, or XML file input/output or other custom interfaces for interfacing to systems, which don't support web interfaces.

The Anthology Web Services Manager provides an easy to use front end for configuration of the web service. The developer can easily configure it by mapping the input data stream table row and column in the database. In the same way, the developer can map the output data steam from any table row and column in the database. This gives you complete control over the interface and makes it easy to configure for specific data requirements. The developer can also map events to send out real time messages as required.