High availability planning and scheduling architecture

A method for high availability planning and scheduling, comprising:

• receiving a request received from one or more external systems at a first primary high availability (HA) system using a message bus;
• processing the request using an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine and planning information stored in memory of the first primary HA system;
• modifying the planning information according to the processing of the request;
• generating a response to the external system;
• communicating the response to the external system;
• generating a replication message including information reflecting the modifications made to the planning information by the first primary HA system;
• and
• communicating the replication message to each secondary HA system coupled to the external system using the message bus and operable to process requests from the external system, the secondary HA system further operable to modify a local copy of the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system according to the replication message,
• wherein:
• the first primary HA system processes requests requiring modification of the planning information;
• the secondary HA system processes requests not requiring modification of the planning information;
• and
• the method further comprises:
• replacing the first primary HA system with a second primary HA system such that the first primary HA system ceases processing requests from the external systems and the second primary HA system begins processing requests from the external systems:
• and
• communicating planning information from the second primary HA system to the secondary HA system after replacing the first primary HA system with the second primary HA system, the secondary HA system operable to store the planning information in memory of the secondary HA system and further operable to begin processing requests using an APS engine included in the secondary HA system and the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system.

High availability planning and scheduling software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

• receive a request received from one or more external systems at a first primary high availability (HA) system using a message bus;
• process the request using an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine and planning information stored in memory of the first primary HA system;
• modify the planning information according to the processing of the request;
• generate a response to the external system;
• communicate the response to the external system;
• generate a replication message including information reflecting the modifications made to the planning information by the first primary HA system;
• communicate the replication message to each secondary HA system coupled to the external system using the message bus and operable to process requests from the external system, the secondary HA system further operable to modify a local copy of the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system according to the replication message;
• direct requests received from external systems and requiring modification of the planning information to the primary HA system;
• direct requests received from external systems and not requiring modification of the planning information to the secondary HA system;
• and
• replace the first primary HA system with a second primary HA system such that the first primary HA system ceases processing requests from the external systems and the second primary HA system begins processing requests from the external systems;
• and
• communicate planning information from the second primary HA system to the secondary HA system after replacing the first primary HA system with the second primary HA system, the secondary HA system operable to store the planning information in memory of the secondary HA system and further operable to begin processing requests using an APS engine included in the secondary HA system and the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system.

A system for high availability planning and scheduling, comprising:

• means for receiving a request received from one or more external systems at a first primary high availability (HA) system using a message bus;
• means for processing the request using an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine and planning information stored in memory of the first primary HA system;
• means for modifying the planning information according to the processing of the request;
• means for generating a response to the external system;
• means for communicating the response to the external system;
• means for generating a replication message including information reflecting the modifications made to the planning information by the first primary HA system;
• and
• means for communicating the replication message to each secondary HA system coupled to the external system using the message bus and operable to process requests from the external system, the secondary HA system further operable to modify a local copy of the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system according to the replication message,
• wherein:
• the first primary HA system processes requests requiring modification of the planning information;
• the secondary HA system processes requests not requiring modification of the planning information;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• means for replacing the first primary HA system with a second primary HA system such that the first primary HA system ceases processing requests from the external systems and the second primary HA system begins processing requests from the external systems;
• and
• means for communicating planning information from the second primary HA system to the secondary HA system after replacing the first primary HA system with the second primary HA system, the secondary HA system operable to store the planning information in memory of the secondary HA system and further operable to begin processing requests using an APS engine included in the secondary HA system and the planning information stored in memory of the secondary HA system.

A high availability planning and scheduling system, comprising:

• a plurality of high availability (HA) systems associated with a supplier of products and coupled to one or more external ordering systems using a message bus, each HA system including:
• an HA server operable to receive and queue requests received from the external systems;
• and
• a demand fulfillment engine operable to:
• receive a request from the HA server;
• process the request using available-to-promise (ATP) supply information associated with one or more products and stored in memory of the HA system;
• modify the ATP supply information according to the processing of the request;
• and
• generate a response to the external system from which the request originated;
• the plurality of HA systems including a first primary HA system operable to process product orders, a second primary HA system operable to replace the first primary HA system and process orders, and one or more secondary HA systems operable to process product inquiries;
• the second primary HA system further operable to communicate planning information to one or more of the secondary HA systems after replacing the first primary HA system;
• the first primary HA system further operable to communicate information to the secondary HA systems relating to modifications made to the ATP supply information by the APS engine of the first primary HA system resulting from processing of product orders;
• and
• each secondary HA system operable to modify the ATP supply information stored in memory associated with the secondary HA system according to the information received from the first primary HA system and further operable to replace the first primary HA system in the event the first primary HA system becomes unavailable.