Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
CEP provides powerful approaches to process data, transform them to information
and link them to business processes. By doing so, CEP is a suitable technique to
provide actual data at a desired granularity level in a timely manner. Hence, CEP is a
suitable approach to monitor logistics networks and to support simulation with latest
data constituted by service profiles. This leads to a better database, whereby
simulations have not to rely on experience or outdated data. The available data
includes current performance profile built up from internal and external data and can
be combined as desired. This data can be used to simulate logistics networks at an
early point of creation and generates more reliable predictions.
6
Service Profiles as Data Source for Simulation
The previous section explains how the logistics network including the different
logistics services are monitored with the use of CEP during the operation phase.
The approach allows to process data and transforms them to information. This way
of data acquisition is performed over all running processes in all logistics networks
including their logistics services provided by the different service providers. With the
use of CEP it is possible to create and update service profiles dynamically and at run-
time. These profiles are provided in real-time at an appropriate granularity level and,
thus, meet the requirements of simulation in the 4PL business model. Because CEP
facilitates situational awareness by using external data and, thus, observes the
environment, it is feasible to prioritize profile parameters far easier. There can be a
multitude of reasons why a LSP does not comply with the delivery period, e.g. traffic
jam or just driving too slow, which are interesting for creating profiles and causes
different ratings. The profiles also include the positive and negative deviation from
the agreed conditions. All these aspects are attached to the corresponding events and
allow a detailed evaluation of a specific logistics service and its provider. So for each
single logistics service a profile with parameter like service level, lead time, etc. is
created and is updated continuously. The services provided by a single logistics
provider can be aggregated to provider profiles. This evaluation is used for the
provider selection and for simulation (see Fig. 1). In summary, a closer look at the
service lifecycle in conjunction with the presented approaches is given (see Fig. 5).
In the
analysis
phase the 4PL establish a pool of LSP with a description of their
capabilities. Furthermore, a contract between the customer and the 4PL with some
SLOs (e.g. delivery time) is drawn up.
The 4PL models a logistics network regarding to the above mentioned constraints.
This model is illustrated in a formalized way in form of a process model. The process
model describes the static structure of a business process. To analyze the dynamic
behavior of a system a simulation model of the logistics network based on the process
model is used. In order to minimize the modeling effort and the manual errors
creating a simulation model, the simulation approach is integrated in the planning
process [7]. The
design
phase ends with this step.
In the
implementation
phase the 4PL has to encompass the designed process by
integrating the LSPs and the alignment of the existing logistics information systems
and IT support.
During the
operation
phase, the 4PL monitors the logistics service execution
(process instance) realized by the LSPs. On that account, the 4PL processes internal