Lawson System Tiers

The open architecture of the Lawson system is achieved through a multi-tiered software model. Lawson customers can use a variety of user interface options, hardware and operating system environments, and relational database management systems.

Lawson supplies the interface components that run the system and allow the tiers to communicate. Interface components include the set of executable programs libraries, configuration files, data, and dictionaries used to support the other Lawson tiers and interface to third-party products.

The Presentation Tier

The presentation tier is a Lawson user interface called Lawson Portal, which users view at the desktop through a standard web browser. Lawson also provides a user interface called Lawson Interface Desktop (LID), which is used by developers and system administrators to manage the Lawson system.

The Lawson Applications Tier

Lawson Applications provide business functionality within the Lawson system. They provide processes for specific business tasks users need to perform with their business data. This tier handles the actual data processing.

The Infor Lawson Core Technology Tier

The Infor Lawson Core Technology includes a repository for system data. It also includes administrative programs or utilities that isolate Lawson applications and extensions from the operating systems, databases, and third-party software they are used with. The product is designed to require minimal maintenance. Infor Lawson Core Technology products and utilities include the following.

  • Lawson Security

    Lawson Security is a role-based, rules-driven security system that is administered through the Lawson Security Administrator graphical user interface. Because it is based on the roles people in your organization have, Lawson Security reflects the way your organization runs its business. Its use of a rules builder enables you to develop a highly flexible and complex, yet relatively easy to maintain security system.

  • Resource Management

    The Lawson Resource Management application is a centralized information repository. It is a place to consolidate directory-type information about people, organizations, and things, and share that information securely across the enterprise. The Resource Management application interfaces with Lawson workflow systems, security systems, web servers, and other software. It also makes your corporate resource data available to a wide variety of users and systems.

  • Core Administrative Services

    Lawson provides set of system utilities that allow you to manage the Environment. With these utilities, you can start and stop the system or its components and manage system processes initiated by Lawson.

  • Lightweight Data Access Services (LDAS)

    The database services interface provides communication between the relational database management system (RDBMS) and the other tiers. The interface is comprised of a database driver and database administration utilities (collectively known as LDAS).

    The Lawson Database Server (ladb):

    • receives, analyzes, and manages data requests,

    • starts the RDBMS-specific Database Driver (ibmdb), and

    • translates Lawson 4GL APIs into native RDBMS SQL commands.

  • The GEN and LOGAN Databases

    Lawson architecture stores operational metadata (information about your Lawson system) used to operate and maintain the system in the GEN and LOGAN databases.

  • Additional Administrative and Program Modification Support

    The Environment includes other support such as Internet Object Services, Lawson batch job administration tools, program modification support, and a broader range of administrative tools and utilities for managing your Lawson system.