PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture

Elements in PIA

Browser:  An application that provides a user a way to view and interact with information on the internet.

Web server: A server program that presents HTML files that form web pages of a PeopleSoft application.

Application server: A server program that provides the business logic for the PeopleSoft application.

Database server: A server program that collects and organizes information so that you can access and update it. 

In PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture, no PeopleSoft executables are on the client. The client can be an internet device that uses standard internet technologies, such as HTTP, HTML, and XML, to communicate with the PeopleSoft application. 

Web Server

When a client connects to the server, the system displays a sign-in window, sent to the browser in HTML. Web services software manages communication with the browser.

Web services software displays HTML, but the HTML has to exist first. The database server has definitions, not HTML (usually), which are stored in tables. You must have one more piece to complete PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture . 

Application Server

The application server then completes the connection, managing communication with the database and deliver HTML to the web server for display.

Flow of Data in PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture

When a user navigates through a PeopleSoft application using a browser, a number of things happen. For example a request for a page of data about a student, Mr. X, goes through these architecture elements to the browser:

PeopleTools tables.

All the raw data that is required to assemble the student data component is contained in PeopleTools tables. This includes definitions of the component, page, fields, navigation, and other elements. This raw data goes to the application server for assembly as HTML.

Application data tables.

After the request is made, the information about Mr. X is retrieved and sent to

the application server.

PeopleSoft services.

Dozens of individual processes are running. One (PSAPPSRV) takes the PeopleTools data and application data about Mr. X and assembles it into HTML for display. 

BEA Tuxedo and Jolt.

BEA Tuxedo manages the multiple connections to the database. Jolt is a Java-based communication protocol. BEA Jolt and Tuxedo send the assembled HTML to the web server.

Java servlets.

Individual programs manage the state of each user session, including a buffer that allows the use of the browser Back button. Servlets pass the HTML to web services for display.