Planning Space architecture

The following diagram shows a typical architecture for a clustered IPS server in a ClickOnce (thick client) deployment. A cluster of three IPS Server machines is shown (which could be scaled up or down, since the server machines do not store user data). All of these machines connect via a LAN to a load balancer which will be the IPS Server endpoint that is addressed by client user machines. The load balancer connects via a firewall to the external environment.

The load balancer and firewall may be simple virtualised appliances, or dedicated hardware appliances, depending on the number of concurrent users, the data throughput, and the overall security environment for your IT resources. Access to the IPS Server and the data stored in Planning Space is configurable using the Windows built-in security and authentication services, or additional dedicated security services.

Architecture diagram for a ClickOnce-based (thick client) deployment for Planning Space.

In the ClickOnce-based deployment, also known as 'bootstrap deployment', client user machines use 'thick client' applications programs to run Planning Space applications, communicating via HTTP(S) with the IPS Server cluster, with all data stored in the shared databases on the SQL Server machine. The thick client applications are auto-installing (hence the name 'bootstrap') from install programs that are downloaded from the IPS Server (note that local Administrator access is not required for the thick clients to install on Planning Space users' machines). The thick client apps also perform auto-updating: at every launch they will query the IPS server for updates and install these automatically during start-up.

The alternative to ClickOnce deployment is Installer-based deployment (see the diagram below), where all of the client-side provisoning and processing is handled by an Application Provisioning Server (such as Citrix) and its own client processes which run on Planning Space users' machines.

Architecture diagram for an Installer-based deployment for Planning Space.