Middleware refers to software that transfers data from one system or application to another. Industrial middleware is intentionally and specifically focused on the systems, applications and technologies prevalent in industrial environments, such as manufacturing plants and other industrial facilities. There are several attributes that separate industrial middleware from general purpose integration software.

• Industrial middleware must be ultra-reliable; manufacturing plants operate 24×7 and any unscheduled downtime costs money. Industrial middleware must be zero-code; there is simply no room for custom code on the manufacturing plant floor.
• Industrial middleware for SAP must have deep support for SAP connectivity; operational requirements should dictate connectivity, not product limitations.
• Industrial middleware must be highly flexible; many times, NLINK has saved the day by being able to quickly support evolving requirements while the inflexible systems it connects to cannot.
• Industrial middleware must provide proper built-in support for industrial protocols like OPC; all the layers of the plant floor need to be connected, and you can’t do that without OPC.
• Industrial middleware must be quick and simple to deploy and effortless to support; complexity breeds fragility and requires experienced and expensive handling — that’s not what you need on the manufacturing plant floor.
• Industrial middleware must be real-time; designed for transactional processing, not ETL, and it should operate in-memory, for speed.

We could go on but you’re probably getting tired by now.

Industrial middleware facilitates seamless communication and data exchange between diverse systems by translating protocols and routing data. These transfers can be automated and unattended, such as scheduled downloads of master data from a system of record to an ancillary system, or they may be triggered by user interaction, such as a request for dashboard data from a mobile device. The industrial middleware aggregates and normalizes data for consistent analysis, automates workflows and manages events to streamline operations. Ensuring secure data transmission and user authentication, it also supports scalability and integration of new devices or systems with its modular architecture. These key functions collectively enhance interoperability, efficiency, real-time insights, cost savings and security in industrial environments. Industrial middleware is a crucial component in modern industrial environments, enabling the integration, communication and automation of diverse systems and devices to enhance overall operational efficiency and effectiveness.

NLINK supports all of SAP’s published APIs and methods. This includes BAPIs, RFCs, IDocs, BDCs, Web Services, REST and OData. Regardless of the chosen method, all of the authentication and authorization for access is controlled by SAP.

The NLINK product runs on a wide variety of standard off-the-shelf hardware. It supports deployment to virtual machines and has been productively deployed to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.

https://junot-corp.s3.amazonaws.com/NLINK-Server-Hardware-Recommendations.pdf

If you are going to do your own NLINK configuration, we offer 3-day or 5-day remote training courses to help you learn how to use the NLINK Configuration Module and the specific Connectors you have purchased. If we are doing your configuration, your designated NLINK administrators need only watch a few videos and read some high-level documentation. Hands-on training is provided during the deployment to make sure the appropriate personnel are completely comfortable with running and monitoring the interfaces and how to contact customer support if necessary.