Scan Data Server™ (SDS)

Itasca has built an industry-standard application, called Scan Data Server (SDS), to ensure Magic™ has the real-time data that it needs to optimize inventory. This ingenious application was designed to interact with multiple POS applications. It’s also not just proprietary to our applications, as several other software vendors and retailers use it to gather real-time POS info for their specific purposes. This puts the strategic functionality in thousands of supermarkets running NCR, IBM/TOSHIBA, Fujitsu and other leading POS systems.

We offer it to any software provider or retailer who needs access to real-time information in an efficient manner.

There are three main components of CDS (noted below), but due to it’s confidential and technical nature, we politely ask you to give us your email if you are truly interested. We hope you understand.

Three components:

The client application(s)
SDS Server
SDS Agent

Client Application

Client applications utilize a link library and application program interface (API) to receive notification of POS transaction data as it occurs. The library executes an application defined callback routine as each data item is retrieved. This allows for:

► Simplified application programming requirements, as compared to native transaction log evaluation.

► Near real-time access to transactions.

► Available for a variety of Windows and Unix based systems.

► Transaction data is represented in a normalized format independent of the type of POS, making the application POS independent.

► Utilizes a TCP socket for communications to SDS Server, allowing the client application to reside on the same computer or across a local or wide area network to SDS Server.

Scan Data Server

SDS runs as a background service process on the in-store processor (ISP) monitoring the sales activities of the POS. SDS monitors the current transaction log (journal) of the POS and as additional transactions become available, they are retrieved from the POS and saved in a database on the ISP. The system records the name/number of the current transaction log and it’s position within the file for synchronization with the POS after an interruption. This supports:

► Supports simultaneous connections from multiple client applications.

► Available for a variety of Windows and Unix based systems.

► Support for IBM 4690 Supermarket, Optimal Robotics and NCR ACS front-end systems.

► Parameters are used to configure the amount of history to maintain and optional parameters restrict SDS Server from accessing the POS during certain hours. (For example, peak sales periods or during a store close.)

► Can be installed directly on the POS or on an in store processor.

► For ISP installations utilizing SDS Agent for POS access, the system automatically accesses a secondary POS controller if the primary cannot be reached.

SDS Agent

SDS Agent is a compact software component which provides access to the POS transaction log/journal for SDS Server. SDS Agent is installed directly on the POS primary and backup controllers and communicates with SDS Server via a TCP socket.

Designed to have a very small memory and disk footprint, SDS Agent simply reads the transaction log in native disk blocks and transmits the data to SDS Server. All parsing/processing of transaction data occurs on the ISP. Benefits then are:

► Small memory, disk & CPU footprint.

► Native “background process” on the IBM 4690.

► Installed on both the primary and alternate controllers. The system can be configured to use the “alternate” controller normally, with fallback to the“primary” if the alternate fails.