Alero combines an innovative design with a powerful architecture based on multi-tier, web based, pluggable, service-oriented architecture (SOA). The entire foundation is based on XML, Unicode, and J2EE.

Based on a multitier architecture, Alero not only separates the tiers that comprise the product but also disassociates them from each other allowing each layer to be changed without affecting the others. In addition, by using a virtual channel to communicate between the presentation and logic tiers, Alero takes this architecture to a new level, allowing creating next generation application/solutions. In this way, the presentation layer can access and manage information from one or multiple repositories as if working with a single, virtual repository. Whether you are using Alero's presentation layer or your own, by simply using Alero's programming interfaces, you immediately gain this functionality in your own solution.

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Alero was designed as an extensible framework. As such, you can create and plug-in your own modules as if they were an integral part of the product. This extensible framework is comprised of four types of modules, as follows:

• Agents implement specific business logic independently or in cooperation with one or more agents and/or adapters.

• Adapters implement specific interfaces to information sources such as databases, file systems, applications, other ECM systems, etc. (referred in this documentation as 'repositories').

• Security Managers implement user validation and security algorithms, and may also interact with external systems such as LDAP, single Sign-on, PKI, etc.

• Event Managers implement extension functionality based on transaction events.

Each of these types of modules implement a standard, well-defined interface (framework), allowing the different types of modules to work together seamlessly without concern for the specific details of each implementation.

As a partner or customer of Alero Technology, you can take full advantage of Alero's architecture, technologies, and services by using the development tools provided with the product, including a complete set of programming interfaces (client API's) for different preferences and a server SDK to create server plug-in modules such as agents, adapters, security managers and event managers.

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Alero is compliant with industry standards. As such, at the database level, it conforms to JDBC-compliant relational DBMS and standard SQL; at the server level, the SOA architecture conforms to JSR170, WfMC, LDAP, XML/JAXP, XPDL, JavaMail, JCE, PKI/X.509, Unicode; and, at the web level, it conforms to AJAX, Servlets/JSP, JSF, WebDAV, DASL, WSDL, SOAP, and .Net.

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The entire architecture is based on frameworks within frameworks, allowing modules to be created and added (plugged-in) to the framework by partners as if they were an integral part of the product, extending the functionality of the framework (product). For more information, refer to the answer for question E2 above.

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The product provides just three applications: one end-user and two management applications. With these applications, user-related and administrator/operator-related tasks can be performed by end-users and administrators respectively.

One the one hand, the Alero Web Client application is a generic application to facilitate the secure access and management of information managed by the product. This is a generic application that allows users to perform common user tasks such as accessing and managing documents and folders, performing specific tasks in a process, accessing information in other external systems, etc.

On the other hand, the entire product can be configured, administered, and managed using the Alero Administration application and can be operated, monitored, and traced using the Alero Server Manager application. These two applications are also web-based.

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The Alero Web Client application is a web based application that was developed using Java Server Faces (JSF) and the Java programming interface provided with the product.

The Alero Administration and Server Manager applications are also web based applications that were developed using Servlets/JSP (specs v1.1) and the Java programming interface provided with the product.

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Alero Technology is not foreign to the concept of virtualization. In fact, Alero takes software virtualization to a new level by implementing virtualization throughout the entire product, from information to storage to server to administration. Following is a brief description.

• Information virtualization. Alero virtualizes the management of information by abstracting logical repository from physical repository, allowing organizations to manage any type and/or number of repositories as one single, virtual repository, regardless of their characteristics such as data managed, location, type, platform, architecture, language, etc.

• Storage virtualization. Alero virtualizes storage by abstracting logical storage from physical storage, allowing end users and applications to read, write, and delete files without having to know the complexities of storing and managing those files, including the number, location, and type of storages; and the number, location, size, format, and security of the files they are working with.

• Server virtualization. Alero virtualizes servers by abstracting logical server from physical server, allowing multiple Alero servers to be seen as one single, virtual server, regardless of their characteristics such as location, type, platform, vendor, etc.

• Administration virtualization. Alero virtualizes administration by providing one central point of configuration and management for the entire system, regardless of the complexity, including the number of Alero servers, locations, configurations, platforms, etc.

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Designed as a service-oriented Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) specifically for the management and integration of enterprise information, Alero delivers rapid integration capabilities through its integration services that let you concurrently and quickly connect, integrate, access, manage, and optimize large-scale information resources.

Integration with other products is accomplished using adapter technology (modules). These adapters allow a loose-coupled integration with third party applications/solutions, delivering dynamic, bi-directional access to individual or multiple underlying systems in real time. And, if you add a comprehensive set of pre-built services provided with the rest of the product, which deliver services to the information accessed through the connectivity layer, Alero allows organizations to immediately shift the emphasis from data and application integration to information integration, simplifying the process of integration altogether. For more information, please refer to the answer for questions F9 below.

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By providing a flexible set of security services, including proprietary and LDAP-compliant services that validate, authorize, and control user access rights to system resources, Alero simplifies the security implementation of complex initiatives. And deployment is a snap: Alero's security services can be configured for a business application in a matter of hours, making these security capabilities immediately available.

Alero's approach to security is unique in the market place. Instead of providing built-in security like most products do, it provides modules of security that can be associated with repositories of information. This flexible security model lets organizations meet even the most complex security requirements by allowing associating multiple security modules with any repository managed by the system, by supporting any number of security standards (each module can support a different standard), and by letting partners develop their own security implementations or integrate with existing ones without the need of Alero's intervention (security modules are plug-in modules in the Alero framework.)

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Alero's approach to development is unique in the market place. By providing a function-rich set of integrated products that virtualizes the enterprise, Alero allows developers, Independent Software Vendors (ISV's), and Systems Integrators (SI's) to shift a large percentage of the development emphasis from programming to configuration tasks. And by standardizing the approach to integration, you can now easily develop your own "Build once, sell many" integration modules, delivering consistent and easy-to-use, -maintain and -support integrated composite solutions in a fraction of the time and costs associated with traditional development and integration methodologies, while significantly reducing the risks associated with customized solutions.

With Alero, simple to complex development and integration projects can be accomplished without having to worry about many of the complex issues'such as communications, scalability, reliability, integration, fault tolerance, security, administration, operation, and matters of dependencies like operating systems, databases, vendors, and data types'that development projects must deal with. By taking care of these issues, Alero allows developers to concentrate on the logic of their solutions and core competencies.

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Again, you can integrate with third party applications and solutions by building your own integration modules outside of Alero or by taking advantage of Alero's pluggable, extensible architecture. The most common way to integrate Alero with other applications/solutions is using the adapter technology provided with product. For more information, please refer to the answers for questions E8 and F6 above.

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