It is a given that the cost of a web-based solution is often lower; the web in general is already ubiquitous and familiarity with web behavior inherently improves usability. For all these reasons and more, the software industry in general is moving towards web-based solutions.
Rendering a web-based interface onto a properly architected software product is not a generally difficult task. The challenge for vendors is to render a web-based interface that will not cause a reduction in functionality or configurarabilty or require a major re-deployment effort by their existing customers . LabWare has met the challenge through its Configure Once, Deploy Anywhere™ strategy. The same configuration deployed in the client-server environment will work in the WebLIMS environment. The screen capture below is an example of a LabWare LIMS Folder rendered in client-server, the Web, and on a PDA. All three interfaces use the same underlying configuration.
Technology will certainly continue to change in the future. LabWare believes it is extremely important to protect the investment and trust our customers, present and future, place in us.
WebLIMS Offering
Rendering a web-based solution for end users is only the tip of the iceberg. The LabWare web strategy includes a series of web-based capabilities:
- WebLIMS - a full-featured, zero footprint web-based LIMS client called WebLIMS
- PocketLIMS - WebLIMS rendered on a PDA
- WebServices - to integrate with other applications and to extend the existing WebLIMS functionality, LabWare can both publish its own WebServices and consume third party WebServices
- XML Data Exchange - WebLIMS can dynamically generate an XML Schema from the LIMS database structure for third party consumption and data interchange validation
- SMTP - LabWare has incorporated SMTP to support internet email exchange
WebLIMS Architecture
Just because a vendor claims to provide a web-based solution does not mean they are inherently using the most modern technology. Some of the characteristics of a modern web-based application are as follows:
- J2EE Web Application Server independent - Tomcat, Orion, WebSphere, Oracle Application Server, etc.
- The Web user interface is 100% dynamically generated - No hard-coded JSP or HTML files
- Zero footprint on the client- 100% pure HTML and JavaScript
- Using the latest Web/J2EE standards - JavaServer Faces, Java Connector Architecture, Ajax technology, XML/SOAP
- Textbook separation of data, business logic and presentation layer - Model-View-Controller (MVC)
- Load balancing capability - Web application server, LIMS application server, database server
There are four logical tiers of LabWare WebLIMS architecture.
- LIMS database - the LIMS database is only used to run the database engine (Oracle, SQL*Server, etc.) Data is accessed by other servers via ODBC or JDBC
- LIMS Application Server - the LIMS Application Server administers business logic
- J2EE Web Application Server - the J2EE Web Application Server generates 100% dynamic HTML/JavaScript and communicates to the LIMS Application Server via SOAP/XML over TCP/IP
- Client - The client renders the WebLIMS interface via a browser-based client
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