Store data information model viewed by data type

Data in WebSphere Commerce stores conforms to the types depicted in the following diagram. Each of the store data assets in the list of Store data information model viewed by subsystem can be classified as belonging to one or more of the types of store data illustrated in the following diagram.

 

WebSphere Commerce Server instance

The basic level of data is contained in the WebSphere Commerce Server instance. When an instance is created, the bootstrap files, which are loaded in XML format, populate the database with information. The bootstrap files create the following types of data:

This information is available to all stores that exist in that instance.

 

Core data

The next level of store data is the core data. Core data is divided into two levels:

The organization core data creates the minimum data for a business model specific environment, including:

Organization core data is available in both the sample composite store archives, and the sample organization structure component store archives.

In WebSphere Commerce all assets, such as catalogs, stores, and orders are owned by an organization. Each organization (or its parent, or grandparent) can subscribe to a set of access control policies. Hence the organization structure determines the access control allowed to the assets owned by these organizations. The WebSphere Commerce organizations can also be used for other purposes such as B2B buyer organizations, company departments, and business units.

In the Consumer direct business model, only the predefined organizations will be needed. However, in B2B environments, buyer organizations are created at runtime, when the B2B buyers register on the site. Part of the determination of a high level organization structure is to decide where the buyer organizations should be created.

For extended sites and hosted business models, when a new store is created, an additional organization may be created as well, which owns the new store.

The core data creates the minimum data for a store within that environment, including:

Store core data is available in both the sample composite store archives and the sample component store archives.

If you published any of the starter store archives indicated above using the Publish wizard, this information was created for you. The Publish wizard allows you to select the default organization that can act as the store owner, or you can create another organization to act as the owner using the Organization Administration Console. If you did not publish a sample composite store archive to use as the basis of your store, you will have to load this information into the database using the loading utilities, or edit the database directly.

The Stores data is classified as core data.

 

Configuration data

Configuration data controls the commerce server runtime. The commerce server runtime provides a framework in which the commerce applications are deployed and executed. The framework consists of command execution, exception handling, transaction control, data access, and persistence. The commerce server runtime leverages the run time services provided by WebSphere(R) Application Server to support WebSphere Commerce Server applications. Configuration data determines which commands and JSP files your store will use to display store pages.

The following data assets are classified as Configuration data:

 

Managed data

Managed data is data which the seller creates, and is read-only for customers of the seller's site. Since the seller is in complete control of the state of this data, managed data may be managed through a content management system.

The following data assets are classified as managed data:

 

Operational data

Operational data is data which is created or changed (directly or indirectly) by customers (users and buyer organizations) of the site as a result of their interactions with the site. For example, customer orders are considered operational data, as are inventory levels, which go up and down as your store operates. Customers are also considered operational data. Data created by the seller can also be operational.

Since changes to operational data are not under the complete control of the seller, this data is not managed using a content management system.

The following data assets are classified as operational data:

In some instances the line between operational and managed data may be hard to determine. For example, in one store, customer and contract data may be considered managed data, while in another store, the same type of data may be considered operational. The first store may manage their customer data and related contracts because they have a specific set of customers (that is, customers cannot register online). However, the second store allows customers to register online, and create contract information online.

A second example involves catalog data. In a single seller site, the catalog is considered managed data. In a B2B indirect site, catalog data maintained by business partners, may be considered operational.

In some sites, certain records of the same data type may be considered managed while other records are considered operational. For example, the default contract may be managed data, but the specific contracts negotiated online are operational data. Another example is e-mail activity. E-mail activity information and templates are considered managed data, but the actual e-mail activities generated from the templates and sent to customers are considered operation data, as are any as are any of the events resulting from the mailing, such as a customer opening the e-mail, or clicking on any of the clickable contents of the e-mail.

 

Store data types and the starter stores

The sample business models and starter stores provided with WebSphere Commerce include most of the types of store data in store data architecture. A WebSphere Commerce Server instance must exist before a store can be created using a starter store, or a starter store can be published. Then when you create a business model and stores based on one of the available business models and starter stores, using the tools in the Publish wizard, the core data is created. The business models and starter stores include all the necessary configuration, and most of the managed data required for a functional store. When creating stores based on certain starter stores, you may need to add additional data using the tools in the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, such as campaigns, catalog data, or special pricing.

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