Development of a framework for applying ASYCUDA system with N-Tier application architecture

Abstract

N-Tier architecture considered as a comprehensive and integrated solution for designing, creating, developing and maintaining the large scale applications. Each application is a set of several physical and logical components. If we want an enterprise application, we should design these components as a well formed layout. N-Tier application architecture provides a model for developers to create a flexible and reusable application. By breaking up an application into tiers, developers only have to modify or add a specific layer, rather than have to rewrite the entire application over. There should be a presentation tier, a business or data access tier, and a data tier. [1] Using N-Tier architecture would improve flexibility, reliability and extensibility software applications. ASYCUDA is the client/server application which performs customs declaration and clearance in some countries. ASYCUDA should assist Customs Administrations' modernization and reforms, by supporting both facilitation of legitimate trade and efficiency of Customs clearance controls [2]. It has implemented as a national project in Islamic Republic of IRAN Customs administration since 14 years ago. Nowadays, more than 90% of IRAN Customs processes are done with this system [11]. In this paper we analyze and adapt ASYCUDA application with the N-Tier architecture. We present the integration and validation of ASYCUDA application's tier with the N-Tier architecture and we propose a framework for applying it with the N-Tier application architecture. Then we evaluate some results about our proposed framework and finally we found that, it will make ASYCUDA more flexible and scalable. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.