This blog post is based on our recent webinar presented by Andrei Nozhenko, anyLogistix Product Owner.
Imagine you have a supply chain. It's complex, with lots of moving parts, connections, and rules. Now, think about creating a digital copy of it on your computer – that's your digital twin. However, to truly qualify as a digital twin, it must incorporate real-time data.
This digital twin you've created isn't just any copy; it's one you can play around with to test new ideas without disrupting the actual supply chain. In this blog post, we will focus on how anyLogistix's API, or Application Programming Interface, makes this all possible.
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Why do you need a digital twin in your supply chain? The answer is simple – mainly, it's for testing out improvements safely. In fact, the anyLogistix Professional Server's architecture supports this technology, and the API fits perfectly into solving real supply chain problems.
Supply chain model (click to enlarge)
Using anyLogistix's API, you can connect your digital twin to actual data from your business, like inventory numbers or delivery times. This means your digital model isn't just a one-time thing; it grows and changes as your real supply chain does. You can then connect it to analysis tools, such as PowerBI or Tableau, to make sense of the data and make smarter decisions.
With anyLogistix, you can solve problems across all levels of the supply chain: strategic, tactical, and operational. This versatility means you're not just tweaking the big picture but continuously refining every detail to improve performance and predict future outcomes. But how does anyLogistix accomplish this? Let's look at the architecture and functionality that make it a powerful supply chain management tool.
At its core, anyLogistix is built around two main components: logic engines (and solvers) and a database. When installed on a server, anyLogistix is transformed into a brain center for your supply chain, capable of executing complex calculations and optimizations. This setup can work with both internal and external databases, offering flexibility in how you store and manage data. Whether the database is stored on the same server as anyLogistix or elsewhere, it helps to keep your data secure and well-organized.
The process starts with inputs – your raw data – which anyLogistix's engines and solvers process to generate optimized outputs. These outputs aren't just numbers; they're actionable insights fed back into the database for easy access and analysis. This cycle ensures that all decisions are data-driven and grounded in the latest information available.
anyLogistix Professional Server (click to enlarge)
To interact with anyLogistix, you have two main avenues: a web interface and an API. The web interface is your visual dashboard, accessed via a browser, where you can manage scenarios, run experiments, and more. It's user-friendly and designed to make your experience with anyLogistix easier.
The API is where the magic of integration happens. It's split into two parts: private and public. The private part generally cannot be used externally anywhere other than the web interface, while the public part of the API is what external systems and tools, like BI (Business Intelligence) tools, use to communicate with anyLogistix.
This open API, along with additional API functions, allows for customization and automation. Whether you're working in Java or Python, you can directly interact with anyLogistix's server, retrieving data or running processes with just a line of code.
Thanks to the anyLogistix API, integration with BI tools is easy. You can extract data and insights directly into your preferred BI platform, whether it's for creating comprehensive reports, dashboards, or conducting further analysis. This seamless flow of information ensures that your decisions are based on the latest and most accurate data.
anyLogistix's API reveals just how much power and flexibility it offers for managing and optimizing supply chains. Here's a straightforward look at what you can do with anyLogistix's API, demonstrating its potential to transform the way you handle logistics projects.
First up, connecting to an existing project in anyLogistix is not hard. Once connected, all your actions are performed within this project environment. Need to switch to another project? Simply disconnect from the current one and establish a new connection to dive into a different set of data or experiments.
Bringing in data is flexible, with the ability to import scenarios from Excel or a database. This makes starting new projects or updating existing ones seamless. But it doesn't stop at importing. You can also tweak the data of scenarios already in your project, ensuring your models and experiments reflect the latest information.
Running experiments is a core function, allowing you to test hypotheses or new strategies within your supply chain model. Before you run these experiments, defining the settings is crucial, and anyLogistix gives you the tools to customize these parameters precisely.
After running experiments, accessing the results is straightforward. But anyLogistix goes further by enabling you to explore the data with dashboards and chart data. This means you can view all pages on a dashboard and the charts on those pages and get the specific data each chart displays.
For those who prefer working with data in Excel, anyLogistix has you covered. You can export dashboard pages directly to Excel, right from the interface, with a simple right-click and export action. This feature is invaluable for sharing insights, conducting further analysis, or presenting findings to stakeholders.
Finally, keeping your projects organized and focused is easy with the ability to remove scenarios you no longer need. This functionality ensures your project remains clean and manageable, avoiding the clutter of outdated or irrelevant data.
Let's look at the practical examples presented in the webinar, where we demonstrated the anyLogistix API capabilities to optimize supply chain management tasks.
For a deeper understanding of how these cases were implemented, including the coding aspects and setup, watch the full video of the webinar, which provides comprehensive insights. It showcases anyLogistix's capability to not just manage the complexity of supply chain operations but to significantly simplify them.
This case centers on a routine yet critical process many users face: conducting a current state analysis of the supply chain through regular simulation experiments and exporting these insights for further workflow analysis.
The process unfolds in a few key steps:
This example underscores how anyLogistix API facilitates an efficient approach to managing and analyzing supply chain scenarios. From updating scenarios with new data to running simulations and exporting results for analysis, the API supports a continuous cycle of improvement and strategic decision-making.
Case 1: Streamlining supply chain simulations (click to enlarge)
This example involves identifying the optimal location for distribution centers across different regions, ensuring the chosen setup can withstand various demand forecasts. This kind of stress testing checks if the network can meet the demands under different scenarios, which is a crucial step for maintaining a resilient supply chain.
Key steps in the network optimization case:
This case illustrates the power of the anyLogistix API to perform complex network optimization tasks and provide the analytical data needed for strategic decision-making. By automating scenario import, optimization, and data preparation for advanced analytics platforms like PowerBI, anyLogistix allows supply chain professionals to focus on what matters most: making strategic decisions based on reliable data.
Case 2: Optimizing network design (click to enlarge)
In this section, we've collected some key questions and answers from the webinar to clarify common inquiries.
1. Does the anyLogistix server require a Linux server? Can it work on a Windows server? Is the Analytics API functionality available in the anyLogistix Professional version, or is it exclusive to the anyLogistix server version?
Open API functionality is available only for the anyLogistix Professional Server version, which can be installed on a Linux OS.
2. Can the anyLogistix server be deployed on a Linux server on AWS?
Yes, the anyLogistix server can be deployed on AWS with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, 20.04 LTS, or 22.04 LTS. For detailed installation guidance, visit anyLogistix Installation Guide.
3. Will the Excel file used to import any data for the examples be shared?
All the exercises were performed using anyLogistix built-in examples: "Budget Comparison" for Case 1 and "Global Distribution Network" for Case 2.
Exploring anyLogistix's API and digital twin technology reveals a powerful duo for transforming supply chain management. Here's what we learned:
In conclusion, anyLogistix's API and digital twin technology stand out in supply chain management. They offer a blend of precision, flexibility, and insight that empowers businesses to innovate safely and efficiently. For a practical understanding and to witness the API in action, you should watch the full video of the webinar. It showcases anyLogistix's proficiency in streamlining complex supply chain tasks, establishing it as an essential resource for industry professionals.
