Chapter 1 Understanding AI for Stored Procedures

EAServer and AI for stored procedures functionality

EAServer implements a multitier distributed computing architecture. Figure 1-3 shows the typical EAServer environment, in which three distinct elements, or tiers, work together to give users access to data:

The client application code, which manages the presentation and interaction with the end user.
Middle-tier components, which run in EAServer and are typically coded by the middle-tier developer. They contain the executable business logic that handles much of the application processing.
The back-end database, which is the transaction target accessed by the EAServer component. It stores, manages, and processes data.

Figure 1-3: Typical EAServer environment

In most cases, interaction between the client application and EAServer occurs as follows:

When a client application needs to use a component, it issues a request to the EAServer.
The request from the client prompts EAServer to instantiate the component.
The client invokes a method on a component.
The method invokes the target stored procedure and returns any results to the client.

For detailed information about how EAServer works, see the EAServer documentation.

In AI for stored procedures, the components in the middle-tier contain methods that represent target stored procedures. Figure 1-4 shows the following elements, or tiers, of the AI for stored procedures environment:

The client, which contains the application code that manages the presentation and interaction with the end user.
Middle-tier AI for stored procedures components, which contain methods that provide direct access to a target stored procedure. No middle-tier coding is required.
The target stored procedure, which contains business logic for an application.

Figure 1-4 shows the EAServer client accessing a stored procedure through the AI for stored procedures component in the middle tier.

Figure 1-4: AI for stored procedures environment