Exploiting distributed object technology to achieve networked inventory management

Abstract

This paper reports on the development of Networked Inventory Management Information Systems (NIMISs). These are distributed and object-oriented information systems for integral inventory management across networked organisations. The desired functionality of the systems is networked inventory management, which is the combination of integral inventory management (according to Base Stock Control, Materials Requirements Planning and Line Requirements Planning) and networked organisation management (including configuration flexibility, timing flexibility and algorithm flexibility). The systems exploit distributed object technology, using both distributed systems (with principles as local computing, heterogeneous computing and transparent computing) and object-oriented technology (characterised by object classification, attribute encapsulation and operation invocation). The system design is created with the help of the Object Modeling Technique (OMT) and consists of an object model, a dynamic model and a functional model. For the system implementation the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is applied.