Multi-tier architecture

Application Tier. In a multi-tier architecture, the collection of programs that run on the chemist s client or workstation machine. It is the tier of programs "closest" to the chemist in the architecture. Typically this may be a Web client program or other program with a GUI that allows the chemist to interact with the architecture. 

Multi-tier Architecture. An expansion of a client-server architecture to include a middle layer of software. The middle tier may run on a computer different from either the client or server computers. The middle tier isolates the client and server programs, so that changes in either of them do not require corresponding changes in the other. The middle tier acts as to receive, authenticate, and transform data as it passes between client and server computers. To make middle tier software easy to change and maintain, it is often written in Java, a modem object-oriented computer language that is available free on most of today s computer platforms. 

From a software architectural point of view PLM systems are usually multi-tier and candidates for SOA enabled solutions. Based on a generic data model representation in a general purpose database system multiple layers of abstract data handling... 

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