an image of programmers and developers using epicor ICE tools

Epicor ICE Tools

Epicor Internet Component Environment, more commonly known as Epicor ICE, is a business system architecture. It fortifies the

Epicor Internet Component Environment, more commonly known as Epicor ICE, is a business system architecture. It fortifies the Epicor enterprise business software and offers a true service-oriented architecture. This agile business process enabling technology builds on an already complete and robust framework. It is designed to help customers use and enhance Epicor applications at a business level, rather than a technology level. The result is minimal overhead for your business. Epicor ICE addresses the following key needs of modern enterprises:

Epicor ICE Reliability

Downtime is very expensive, and many companies now run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Although a company’s employees may not be on the premises ’round the clock, many systems are up and running 24×7 to service the needs of global operations and customers who need access to the system via the Web or increasingly the Cloud. Epicor ICE allows online backup and complete fail-safe options. Ensuring availability meets the most rigorous service level agreements. It also supports corporate social responsibility initiatives in areas such as hardware and software virtualization, for more efficient environmental and energy management.

Epicor strongly believes that investments made make in their products to run well in the Cloud benefit every customer, even those who run ERP on-premises. The improvements in deployment, management, and operations are have been extremely useful to all customers.

Scalability

Whether your business is at a single location or spans multiple sites around the world, Epicor offers scalable and easy to deploy solutions for simple to complex operations. In particular, for deployments requiring high-end scalability, all business logic within Epicor applications is encapsulated within objects that are executed via application servers. These, in turn, communicate with the database via data servers. An enterprise can utilize multiple application and data servers in order to deliver the required level of performance to the enterprise. Epicor ICE also allows an enterprise to split itself up on multiple servers that can be deployed around the globe—delivering maximum performance to the local company. However, a powerful messaging infrastructure ensures real-time collaboration of information for delivering the same control and data access as if the enterprise existed on one centralized server. This combination of technology delivers unrivalled scalability.

Agility

A service-oriented approach to enterprise software development ensures an abstraction of complexities in terms of how business systems are built and operated. In an SOA, business logic, that represents software processes is broken down into a series of loosely coupled granular “business services“ which are then made available and discoverable on a network via web services. Each service provides functionality that can be adapted to the needs of the enterprise while hiding the underlying implementation details. By exposing business processes, SOA provides the ability to streamline those business processes, which in turn promotes agile change management. It becomes much easier to match your business rules to the processes in your business system because business processes are broken down into smaller functions that can be accessed and manipulated.

Epicor goes a step further by considering both server business logic and client business logic as “business services.“ This delivers a technology resource that’s not just built for change but is designed for people. Epicor ICE reduces the cost and complexity of technology adoption by being completely ready for business.

Accessibility

Epicor ICE includes the Epicor Everywhere™ Framework for complete user interface and device control, including utilizing Microsoft .NET Windows desktop application technology to provide users with the most effective platform in order to maximize their environment. Historically, a Windows client meant that applications could only be effectively operated over a local area network (LAN). Users connect to the application over a LAN and over wide area networks (WAN) with Desktop application technology.

The Epicor Everywhere Framework uses metadata so that user experiences can be rendered for a number of devices and platforms. For instance, your Epicor applications can be deployed as Web forms in almost any Internet browser or deployed to almost any mobile device. Epicor ICE also ensures that all application logic is exposed securely as web services to allow users to connect with business logic via their chosen mechanism and to enable greater access from other applications and businesses.

Flexibility

Epicor ICE also provides flexibility for the client deployment with support for Windows forms, Web forms, and Mobile device forms. Additionally, Epicor ICE offers flexibility in deployment model with support for on-premise installation, external and colocation hosting and multi-tenancy software as a service (SaaS).

Customization

Epicor ICE has a built-in customization engine based on Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET that allows companies and individual users to customize and personalize their environments without the need to alter existing source code, thus avoiding costly upgrade costs.

na image of the epicor BPM workflow interface

Epicor ICE uses a layered approach to customization. Customizations are held within the database in a separate layer. This ensures portability from release to release with minimal effort. At the base layer, there are no customizations. Epicor Partners and end-users can create industry-specific customizations within the verticalization layer for streamlined deployment and utilization by those industries. Then, site-specific customizations can be made in the customization layer. Finally, individual users personalize the system for optimum usability on top of site customizations. Epicor can continue to add functionality to the base without interfering with customizations executed on successive layers. This is called the Epicor Layered Client Stack. Customizations created in the Epicor Layered Client Stack can be written in C#, VB.NET or a combination of both.

Also embedded into Epicor ICE business architecture is a comprehensive BPM platform. Epicor BPM allows users to build their own business rules into the application. With no need to touch the base source code, costly upgrade issues can be avoided.

Productivity

Epicor enterprise business applications are delivered with dedicated user experience. Application forms can be rendered in a Windows desktop application or Web application. However, Epicor understands that to maximize productivity, application capabilities need to be extended out to a broader community of users. To that end, Epicor ICE also supports composite applications delivered via Web Portals and immersive applications. This is where application logic is surfaced up within common office productivity tools, like Microsoft Office. This ensures that all users, no matter what their chosen tool may be, can be as productive as possible.

Also embedded into Epicor ICE business architecture are a series of Web application concepts that raise user productivity. Enterprise Search grants rapid access to relevant information and support for subscription technologies, like really simple syndication (RSS).

Connectivity

Connecting people, systems and processes is the primary goal for modern ERP applications. Systems work together through integrations. Application programming interfaces (APIs) and standard protocols like SOAP tightly-couple these systems together. Alternatively, simple message exchanges or REST can offer loose coupling. Epicor ICE ensures that every application has a robust API which is available using multiple methods and protocols.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. We provide full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems. For businesses addressing the emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

Sean Balogh

About Sean Balogh

A marketing professional working hard to deliver relevant and engaging content to audiences in education, technology, and manufacturing.