Design of a scalable software architecture based on cloud computing for RedssApp integration with providers and customers

Abstract

The social and solidarity sector in Colombia faces difficulties due to the lack of centralized and accessible information on solidarity economy organizations, which limits their visibility and growth, and in turn, the optimization of their supply chains, which makes it necessary to incorporate digital tools that allow mapping and validation of experiences of solidarity associativity, as well as the effective management of the Supply Chain 4.0. To solve this need, the objective of the study was to design a software architecture based on cloud computing, which would contribute to the development of a mobile application that would facilitate the integration of suppliers and customers, allowing interoperability and ensuring a secure, efficient and real-time flow of information.

For this purpose, a methodology based on the proposal of the study "IoT system for monitoring climatological variables in urban agricultural crops" was applied, adapted to the construction of a software architecture in cloud computing. This methodology is structured in four phases, but in this study two phases were implemented, including the selection of tools and technologies and the design of the system architecture. This approach allowed the development of a scalable and adaptable solution to the needs of the solidarity sector.

Phase 1 identified software and hardware tools to ensure interoperability of the cloud system, prioritizing open source platforms and efficient communication standards for real-time data management and processing. In Phase 2, a modular cloud architecture was designed that integrates with existing enterprise systems and is organized into three tiers: storage, for secure and accessible data management; analytics, for optimizing Supply Chain 4.0 decision making; and visualization, for intuitive, real-time access to information that facilitates stakeholder interaction. In addition, Google Cloud tools were selected to ensure interoperability, scalability, and security of the system. The architecture included Google Firebase, Google Analytics, Maps SDK and Identity Toolkit API to optimize data storage, processing and analysis in real-time. Firebase has enabled structured and secure data management, Google Analytics facilitates the analysis of user behavior, Maps SDK improves the visualization of locations, and Identity Toolkit API ensures authentication and access security.

We have an architecture in the cloud with the necessary characteristics to start its implementation and continue with tests to validate its functionality. This allows us to consider RedssApp as an effective solution for the management of Supply Chain 4.0, facilitating the connection between suppliers and customers in the solidarity sector. Through this approach, it has been possible to develop a scalable and secure platform, capable of adapting to the challenges of the digital environment and strengthening the integration and collaboration between the actors involved.