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Chapter 1
System Overview
This is a system overview of the PeopleSoft technical environment
and development requirements.
Chapter Objectives
This chapter provides:

Basic understanding of PeopleSoft Internet Architecture

Basic understanding of a Relational Database

Requirements for Development
Chapter Contents
This chapter contains the following items:
Overview of PeopleSoft Internet Architecture ...................................2
What Is A Relational Database? .......................................................4
Development Requirements .............................................................5
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Chapter 1: Systems Overview
Designing An Application
Overview of PeopleSoft Internet Architecture
PeopleSoft application runs on PeopleSoft Internet Architecture
(PIA) which consists of the following elements:

Web Browsers

Web Servers

Application Servers

Database Servers

Batch Servers
High Level PeopleSoft Internet Architecture Relationships
Web Browser
The web browser interprets the HTML that is being sent from the
Web Server and also passes it transaction requests from the
application. It is responsible for displaying the HTML that is built
by Application Server.
Web Server
The web server interprets the browser requests and works with the
application server messaging to pass data back and forth from the
browser to the PeopleSoft application.
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Designing An Application
Chapter 1: Systems Overview
Application Server
The application server runs all the business logic on the requested
data and is also responsible for keeping the connection to the
database server. It sends requests for retrieving as well as saving
data to the database server.
Batch Server
The batch server is responsible for running the PeopleSoft Process
Scheduler, which is used to run reports and processes against the
data.
Database Server
The database server holds the database engine that contains all
the PeopleSoft application object definitions, system tables,
application tables, and data.
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Chapter 1: Systems Overview
Designing An Application
What Is A Relational Database?
PeopleSoft’s database is a relational database. This means that
data is broken down into a series of tables. When retrieving data,
the system only accesses the tables that contain the requested
data.
You can think of a relational database as a filing cabinet. The filing
cabinet represents the database. The drawers of the cabinet
represent data files or tables, while individual forms represent data
records or rows.
What is a Table?
Each table
consists of several
records. Therefore, the
terms “table” and
“records” are often used
interchangeably.
In a relational database, tables are used to store information. This
information is stored in a format that is similar to a spreadsheet.
The table consists of a series of columns and rows. The columns
represent the fields on the various pages in the system. The rows
represent the actual data on those pages.
This is a partial example of the Personal Data table:
Personal Data Table
Field Names
Records
EMPLID
COUNTRY_NM_FORMAT
NAME
NAME
INITIALS
NAME
PREFIX
SA0001
USA
Prince,Nathan
NP
Mr
SA0002
USA
Norman,Bruce
BN
SA0003
USA
Kuhn,Tricia G
TK
Miss
SA0004
USA
Rocha,Juan
JR
Mr
Student Career Table
EMPLID
ACAD_CAREER
CAR_REQ_TERM
SA0001
UGRD
2077
SA0001
GRAD
2097
SA0003
UGRD
2077
SA0004
UGRD
2077
Each table in the database contains unique data, data that is not
available in any other table. Therefore, it only needs to be
maintained in one place but can be accessed from various pages
in the system.
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Designing An Application
Chapter 1: Systems Overview
Development Requirements
How is it determined that a modification is needed to the application?
There are differing reasons for making modifications to the
PeopleSoft system. Some possible scenarios:

Business Processes

Missing Data

Presentation of data

Extend Functionality
Business Processes
A modification to a business process is needed or a new one
created. Examples might be a new interface to export/import data
to a new vendor or a process that does a new calculation on data
that already exists. A business process can cause change to an
SQR Report, Application Engine or even workflow logic.
Missing Data
Missing data could be something that you want to track that isn’t
being kept anywhere in the database. This can include anything
from a simple edit value on a field to an entire record needing
many fields. This will generally call for changes to fields and
records and possibly pages to capture and display the new data.
Presentation of Data
This is normally when the data you want exists in the database but
is not being presented, either online or in a report, in the manner
which is desired. There might simply be a need for a new query
written, changes to pages, or entire new report.
Extend Functionality
Delivered functionality of a component may not be adequate to
satisfy all your business needs. In which case, there may be a
need to extend the functionality of an existing module within the
application.
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Chapter 1: Systems Overview
Designing An Application
Modification Considerations
Questions you should ask when considering making modifications to the
application.
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
What type of development is required?

Does it already exist in the system?

Does it require changes to delivered objects or will it be a bolt-on
modification?

What is the effort involved to make the modification?

What benefits will it render?

Can a large solution be submitted as a smaller unit of work?

What is the impact to the maintenance of the application (i.e.
upgrades)?
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