Technical documentation for Texada CloudLink.
In This Article
- CloudLink Architecture and Landscape
- Connectivity and Integration to ERP System
- Environment
- Dealer Requirements
- Backup Restore Protocol
- Disaster Recovery
- Database Support
- How to Access Your SQL Data
CloudLink Architecture and Landscape
CloudLink Architecture
All CloudLink products are hosted by Texada on third party Cloud servers such as Amazon Web Services (“AWS”). Cloud infrastructure is built to be infinitely scalable to support any number of users and advanced data science analytics. CloudLink is a SaaS product hosted by Texada on the customer’s behalf.
CloudLink apps are readily accessible through the Internet via desktop or mobile clients. On-prem data is securely uploaded to CloudLink via tunneling technology and Active Directory integration is available to streamline user authentication.
The below outlines the architecture of the CloudLink infrastructure:
SSL Certificates
Texada will maintain all SSL certificates.
Browser Compatibility
Current and future CloudLink products will work on the latest versions of Chrome and Internet Explorer. Texada Browser Support for Internet Explorer will end Jan 2022.
Connectivity and Integration to ERP System
Data Ingestion
Current CloudLink products utilize batch data ingestion. Any writes required to a dealer system must be done through an API provided and supported by the ERP vendor on top of the system of record.
Processes and Data Objects
CloudLink downloads most major areas of ERP and Financial systems, depending on the CloudLink product, including:
- Customer
- Influencers/Contacts
- Equipment
- Work Order
- Warranties
- Service Letters
- Accounts Receivables
- Revenue/Sales
- Service Contract Information
- Invoices
- Equipment Inventory
- Equipment Price List
- Parts
- Sales and Rental Contracts
- Tax Calculations (DBS Vertex extension)
External Integrations
CloudLink offers the following integrations with external vendors:
- CAT SOS (API)
- CAT Daily (API)
- CAT Inspect (API)
- CAT Parts.Cat.Com (API)
- CAT SIS (API)
- CAT OLGA (Files Upload)
- CAT CPQ (API)
- VisionLink (API) (SMU, Location, Fault Codes, Fuel Consumption and Utilization data)
- Daniel Group - customer surveys (API)
- RDA - customer surveys (API)
- Trimble - Service Truck Location (API)
- GeoTab - Service Truck Location (API)
- Samsara - Service Truck Location (API)
- UCC/CAIS - (File Upload)
- Dodge - Project data (API)
- CAT Interact - ServiceLink integration (API)
- Docusign - iQuote integration (API)
- AGCO Leads (API)
- AGCO BigMachines Integration - iQuote integration(API)
- FDC Parts Portal
- SalesForce Integration (iQuote)
- SalesForce Integration (CMP)
- Accenture Work Orders - ServiceLink Integration (API)
- Accenture Gatekeeper - SalesLink Integration (API)
- CAT PSE Lead (API)
- CAT Prime Product Leads (API)
- CAT Callable Configurator
- SRA Opportunities Integration (API)
- IRS Integration
Process Flow
Data Locality
|
ERP |
CloudLink |
External Integrations |
|
Customer
|
Prospect
|
Customer Geolocation
|
|
Contact
|
Leads & Opportunities |
Equipment Telematics
|
|
Equipment
|
Customer Profile
|
Equipment Inspections
|
|
Equipment Sales Tools
|
Customer Activities |
Equipment Fluids Analysis
|
|
Parts Orders
|
Customer Issues |
Customer Surveys
|
|
Service Repair History
|
Condition Monitoring Cases |
OEM Leads
|
|
Invoices / AR
|
Lost Sales & Competitive Info |
Parts Pricing & Availability
|
|
Standard Service Jobs
|
Quotes
|
Extended Warranty Pricing |
|
Service Bulletins
|
Sales Administration |
UCC
|
|
Warranty
|
Service Scheduling and Processing |
Power Systems Quotes
|
Environment
Environment Architecture
Dealers have access to two environments:
- Production Environment
- Used for the day to day usage of the applications.
- The latest, stable version is installed for all applications.
- Texada will deploy bi-weekly fixes and minor enhancements to this environment, and it will be updated with major enhancements during the quarterly releases.
- Connected to the dealer’s production systems.
- Sandbox Environment
- Can be used for testing new enhancements to be deployed in the next bi-weekly or major releases.
- Always future state (current version +1).
- Connected to the dealer’s non-production systems.
Change Management
The following outlines the change management process, how and when code will be pushed to the different environments.
Bug Releases
New versions of the applications containing bug fixes are deployed to Sandbox and Production environments within a 2-week period. The fixes are first applied to the Sandbox environment before being deployed to Production.
Enhancement Releases
All new and modified enhancements are deployed first to the Sandbox environment.
During the quarterly release cycle, new and modified features are promoted from Sandbox to Production.
Notice of Changes
Tenants are notified at the start and end of each upgrade. A communication notice will also be provided in advance outlining new functionality being added to the platform during enhancement releases.
Tenants will receive notifications in advance to test major enhancements in Sandbox before the code is deployed to the Production environment.
Daily Maintenance Window
Texada has a daily recurring maintenance window during the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. dealer’s local time. Texada will make every reasonable effort to take other necessary downtime with 24 hours’ notice, and at a time when it will be least disruptive to Customer’s business.
Dealer Requirements
Below is the high level overview of what a dealer must provide in terms of hardware and tools to support Cloudlink.
Dealer Effort Requirements
Effort will be required by the dealer as follows:
VPN tunnel setup to establish a connection for the dealers network to Texada network
Authentication service installation to allow dealers to log into Cloud products. See ‘User Authentication’ for more details.
ERP data mapping for new dealers
Getting Data From the Dealer
CloudLink extracts data from the dealer’s ERP and other on-premise systems (e.g.., financial system) into the CloudLink environment. The definition of the data that will be extracted and the schedule to export the data will be controlled within CloudLink.
VPN Tunnel Set Up
- The VPN tunnel will enable us to have a secure connection between the Texada network and the dealer network so we are able to connect to their ERP and financial data and perform the extracts
- The VPN tunnel will be connected from the Texada network to the location where the dealer’s on-premise data is hosted
User Authentication
Texada will implement one of the three options below for application authentication.
Microsoft Azure Active Directory Integration
CloudLink can be integrated with Microsoft Azure Active Directory. This allows integration for customers using Office 365, Dynamics 365, or other MS online services. This can also be enabled with or without multi-factor authentication (MFA), by using Azure configuration.
Microsoft ADFS (Active Directory Federation Services) Integration
CloudLink can be integrated with Microsoft ADFS. This can also be enabled with or without multi-factor authentication (MFA), if available in the ADFS solution used at the dealership.
OKTA Identity Cloud Integration
CloudLink can be integrated with OKTA Identity Cloud. This can also be enabled with or without multi-factor authentication (MFA), by using OKTA configuration.
Backup Restore Protocol
Whether in the case of data entry errors or unforeseen events, our backup protocol protects your data, giving you access to the most up-to-date data in any situation.
Backups are saved according to the following schedule:
|
Data |
Backup Frequency |
|
Last 24 hours |
Hourly |
|
Last 7 days |
Daily |
|
Last 30 days |
Weekly |
|
Last 12 months |
Monthly |
|
Last 7 years |
Yearly |
Disaster Recovery
CloudLink Platform Architecture
The CloudLink platform was designed to satisfy two core requirements: no single point of failure and protection against data loss.
To achieve these goals, redundancy is implemented in all networking, storage, and server components. To mitigate data loss, a primary-mirror solution was implemented for the data layer, accompanied by comprehensive backup policies.
The architecture includes the following:
- The Production environment relies on a multi-datacenter design
- Each datacenter has its own building, power, cooling, and internet connection
- For each tenant, infrastructure is deployed to at least two datacenters
- Load is shared between components available in the multiple datacenters
- Networking is redundant and all components are replicated in all datacenters
- Databases are clustered between the primary datacenter and the secondary datacenter for each transaction.
Disaster Scenarios
Application Server - Node Offline
- Other application servers take over the load, transparent to customers.
- Action is taken to bring the node back online.
Application Server - Node Unrecoverable
- Other application servers take over the load, transparent to customers.
Action is taken to rebuild the node using the last backup.
Primary Database Server - Node Offline
- All databases are failed over to the secondary node due to clustering.
- Applications are automatically redirected to the Secondary node
- Action is taken to bring the node online.
- Applications are automatically redirected to the primary node.
Primary Database Server - Node Unrecoverable
- All databases are failed over to the secondary node due to clustering
- Applications are automatically redirected to the secondary node.
- Action is taken to rebuild the cluster node.
- Applications are automatically redirected to the primary node.
Secondary Database Server - Node Offline
- No impact to customers.
- Action is taken to bring the node online.
Secondary Database Server - Node Unrecoverable
- No impact to customers.
- Action is taken to rebuild the cluster node
Primary and Secondary Database Server - Node Offline
- Action is taken to bring the cluster nodes online.
Primary and Secondary Database Server - Nodes Unrecoverable
- Action is taken to rebuild the cluster nodes using the last backup.
Database Support
Texada offers the following Database Administration Support:
- Database health monitoring
- Database performance monitoring
- Database data and log size and growth monitoring
- Index tuning
- Statistics tuning
- Data and log backups
- Disaster Recovery
How to Access Your SQL Data
Texada has created a library of CloudLink APIs that allow a dealer to pull data for any reporting needs. The library currently contains APIs in the following domains:
- Activities
- Applications
- Campaigns
- CAT Inspections
- Compare
- Contacts
- CSA Contracts
- Customer Hierarchy
- Customers
- Deals
- Divisions
- Equipment
- Issues
- Lost Sales
- Machine Quotes
- Opportunities
- Parts and Service
- Parts and Service Quotes
- Regions
- Sales Reps
- SalesLink Requests
- SOS Samples
- Users
- Work Orders