BellHawk Systems Integration Tools

The BellHawk line of software modules provides interfaces to a wide range of barcode, RFID and mobile data collection devices as well as to process control equipment and measuring equipment, such as weighing scales. The data from all these devices is stored in a database on a server where it can be accessed using client programs on PCs.

BellHawk Systems also provides a set of interfaces that can be used to exchange data with the BellHawk tracking and traceability database. These include:

Ability to import and export comma delimited files in Excel CSV format. This is part of the
DEX API.
The DEX API (applications programming interface). This provides a structured interface whereby an external program can write data objects into a BellHawk import table and have BellHawk put the data away in its internal tables. By calling a stored procedure in the BellHawk database, an external application can also have BellHawk extract objects from its database and place them in an export table, from which they can be read by the external application.
The BellHawk SDK (software developer’s kit). This is a .Net library that makes it easy to read and write BellHawk data objects using a VB.net or C#.Net program. With this library, users can read and write named data fields in objects. They can also access data sets containing just the latest updates to classes of object, or specific objects, or all data objects in a class.
The Bell–Connector interface. This is a tool that enables the definition of tables and fields in an external (ODBC connected) database and their relationship to the tables and fields in the BellHawk database. The Bell–Connector then periodically examines the records in the external database to look for changes and makes the corresponding changes in the BellHawk database. It also uses changes in the BellHawk database to make corresponding changes in the target database by direct update or by calling stored procedures in the target database. The Bell–Connector is aware of the dependency chains in the databases and does updates in the correct order so as to avoid dependency conflicts.

The DEX API is supplied at no cost with every BellHawk system, as is the ability to import and export comma delimited files. Many organizations have successfully implemented interfaces to a wide range of ERP and accounting systems using the DEX interface.

The Bell–Connector toolset is used by BellHawk Systems to speed the development of interfaces to ERP, Accounting and CRM systems with relational databases which have ODBC connectors available for them. Here BellHawk Systems works closely with specialists who know the inner workings and database structures for these front–office systems.

The DEX SDK is the newest addition to the BellHawk family of interfaces and is used to speed the development of interfaces to external systems that do not have well structured relational database interfaces. Theses include:

Interfaces to process control and test systems.
Interfaces requiring the automated import and export of data in a structured format dictated by external systems and/or equipment.
Web 2.0 data exchange interfaces for Web servers.

Both the Bell–Connector and the BellHawk SDK are driven by meta–data that describes the BellHawk database. By changing this metadata they can be used to implement interfaces to any relational database. This enables BellHawk Systems to quickly implement automated data exchange interfaces between different databases and between external systems and these databases.

BellHawk Systems is now integrating its BSAF store and forward technology with these interfaces to enable the reliable automated exchange of data between unlike databases in different facilities over low–bandwidth and unreliable data links, such as VPN channels over the public internet or over cell–phone data networks.

BellHawk Systems works closely with IT departments to assist them with implementing automated data exchange interfaces between legacy systems and to integrate new data collection devices with these systems. BellHawk Systems also works closely with organizations wishing to integrate their web presence with existing back–end databases and other data sources

For more information about the BellHawk systems integration tools and related integration services, please contact BellHawk Systems at 508–865–8070 and press “1” for Client Services or click on the link below.