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Multi-Partition Architecture

Advantages:

  • Scalability (=performance). in case of high utilization of a cluster, any partition can be moved to a different cluster.
  • Generally better performance for PX tables since DB index is build for partitionId which is in this scenario is identical to business unit iD.
  • Faster and less expensive individual country implementations due to much lower complexity and no regression considerations.
    • Lower complexity of price logic and maintenance of customer/product master data/price parameters.
    • Allows differences in price logics for price-setting and quoting, easier to configure/maintain different price logics (however the best is to have them the same).
    • No adjustments at other partitions for other countries/regions (regression).
    • Fewer pricing parameters per each country iteration, easier for users to understand and maintain.
  • Higher differentiation in country-specific setup and configuration(s).
    • More differentiated logics and processes (if required) without global considerations.
    • Separate release schedules corresponding more to local business time.
    • Partition specific settings (time zone, the home page, convert a quote to deal, …).
    • Easier to maintain different templates (for Price Lists, Quotes) – one template per partition may be sufficient.
    • Independence between countries if material number / SKU is not unique for different countries / BU etc.
  • Allows differences in data (= table) structures. However it is recommended to keep them the same or create separate tables.
  • No interference between different units.
  • Less complexity and easier maintenance of data entitlement and user administration.
  • Typically, a better performance due to simpler logic(s), less data, less complex interfaces per partition. 
  • Increased security for access to data across partitions (compared to just within one).
  • Decreased IT dependency to harmonize data and processes.
  • Physically separate businesses (different BU, way of doing business).
  • When the customer does not have the standardized global pricing process or capacity to establish it in such a short time that our projects usually take.
  • Scalability: in case of high utilization of a cluster, the partition(s) can be moved to a different cluster.

Disadvantages:

  • Users log in using URLs specific for each partition. To see the data of a different business unit, an additional login is required.
  • Data entitlement is difficult or too complex.

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  • (plus) You need only a country-specific set of PP, PX, etc. Common PX tables can be stored in one the global partition.
  • (plus) The calculation logic is country-specific only -> performance can be better.
  • (plus) A rollout does not affect other countries in any way.
  • (minus) Higher software subscription costs. Enterprise customers usually have an enterprise license anyway, so this may not be an issue.
  • (minus) In case of global product and customer data, it will get multiplied; the integration will have to send the data to each partition.
  • (minus) In case of different logics, much higher cost of future implementations of every new global feature. E.g. for 5 partitions = up to 5 times higher implementation cost of a new global feature (each partition has to be modified and tested individually). The same is valid for global feature bugs.
  • (minus) A global partition may be required to support global analytics or business processes.
  • (minus) A user is maintained at the partition level, global users will have to log in to multiple partitions to perform assigned tasks or approve country-specific price lists, quotes, etc.

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