Data Service

Data is the service that provides dynamic, read-only access to Lawson data. Upon request from a client (for example, a user running Lawson Portal), Data makes calls to the database and returns the requested data ensuring that security rules are enforced. Data retrieves data and sends it back to the requesting client in either XML or CSV format (default is XML). It does not support data updating.

Data replaces the Data Mining Engine (DME) from earlier releases of Lawson. Originally, DME was intended to be a light-weight method for Self-Service applications to retrieve Lawson data. In current releases, Self-Service applications continue to make calls to Data as do many other Lawson applications and components, including Lawson Addins for Microsoft Access, Enterprising Reporting, and OLE DB Object Services (for customer-developed applications).

Data Service Execution Cycle

The diagram and text that follow show the sequence of events that occurs when a client (for example, a user running a Lawson application in Lawson Portal) makes a request to Data.

Step #	What is happening
1	The user's browser delivers the appropriate HTTP request to the Router servlet.
2	Router determines that the Data service is needed to execute the user action and calls Data.
3	Data constructs a query and forwards it to the Secured Dig layer of the Environment. (The Secured Dig layer of the Environment is a simplified version of the API for retrieving data from the RDBMS where Lawson data is stored.)
4	Secured Dig retrieves the user-requested data and sends it back to Data.
5	Database activity.
6	Data formats the data per the requested output type (XML or CSV) and sends it back to the user's browser via HTTP.