When business processes are digitised, different user groups have to be taken into account. Employees working in the back-office or on site, external service providers as well as customers all require different interfaces suited to their needs. Furthermore, they also use different hardware or work in a browser. Lovion offers specifically tailored workstations for all types of use cases that all have access to the same data.
Thanks to its offline capabilities, the Lovion WINDOWS CLIENT can be used both in the back-office as well as in the field. The client offers a modern and clear user interface that was completely rejuvenated in the new Lovion 7 version. During this redesign phase, the main attention was given to aspects improving the efficiency, easy handling and accessibility. A configurable Desk is the first visible interface that appears when starting Lovion on a Windows client. It displays all current and relevant information and functions each user needs to do their work on a daily basis.
The Lovion APP CLIENT is optimised for mobile field work and can be used on smartphones and tablets with either Android or iOS operating systems. The interface is designed for easy-to-use handling and dynamically adjusts to each device’s screen size. Furthermore, it also works in offline mode. When the Lovion APP SERVICES are implemented, all Lovion data can be accessed through the APP. This offers users all necessary tools in the field to execute and document their work quickly and efficiently.
Registered users also receive access to Lovion in a browser via the Lovion PORTAL CLIENT. The frontend is based on a single page application (SPA), which is implemented using HTML5, CSS and ECMAScript (Javascript). Just like the APP CLIENT, access is secured using the http/2 communication protocol on the central server. In addition, the design is responsive, meaning that it automatically adjusts to various screen resolutions. Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge browsers are supported.
Lovion strongly focuses on IT standards to transparently and openly ensure the platform’s maximum future reliability for all its customers. By implementing the .NET framework from Microsoft, Lovion is based on one of the most modern developer environments in the software industry. The component-based Lovion core development is mainly done using C#. In addition, the user interface technology implements the “Windows Presentation Foundation” (WPF). Furthermore, the Lovion APP and PORTALS all use modern web development technologies HTML5, CSS3 and TypeScript.
Lovion stores primary data in relational databases. As a result, customers have free access to all their data. As Lovion is developed using Microsoft .Net, Microsoft SQL Server usually serves as the standard database. However, it is also possible to deploy Oracle databases as well as the widely used DB PostgreSQL and Memory DB SAP HANA. Customers have full access to their data and can also view the system’s configuration.
The cloud and cloud technologies are increasingly gaining importance in modern IT system operations. Thus, Lovion not only utilises web technologies internally for the APP and PORTAL clients, but also supports widely spread standards such as SOAP/ WSDL (W3C), RESTful, ODATA, JSON / XML or WMS / WFS. This means that Lovion’s system can offer web services as well as access external web services and can also communicate with these.
Next to the web services, Lovion also offers various direct and file-based interfaces. External systems that are vital for certain technical and business processes, for example ERP (e.g. SAP, Wilken, kVASy, MS Dynamics, Schleupen) and GIS (e.g. Smallworld, ESRI, INTERGRAPH, BENTLEY, GISMobil), can also be integrated. In addition, interfaces for MS Office and many other DMS are available. Numerous commonly used file formats, such as XML, CSV, GAEB, DXF/DWG, SHAPE or GEOJSON are supported.
The Lovion system offers modular products that are specifically tailored to the requirements of grid operators and utility companies. The system stands out through its highly flexible configuration options and can also be customised to a company’s individual needs. For core configurations, a graphic user interface is available where customers can independently carry out configurations. These are transparently saved in Lovion’s settings and in XML structures.
Data models in Lovion describe database structures as well as the visibility and editability of individual fields. All these settings are transparently visible in Lovion DB DESIGN. As the solution also supports inheritance functions, elegant data models can be defined that eliminate any redundancies. Furthermore, both Lovion as well as customers are able to modify data models and can expand these. However, to prevent any data model inconsistencies, customers can only make modifications in a separate data model description file.
Lovion BIS provides preconfigured standard products that are relevant for a utility company’s business processes. The Windows client user interface is based on Microsoft Office products. The interface of the Lovion APP and PORTAL are based on HTML 5 and employ widely used web standards. Lovion’s standard delivery of the user interface can be limited to certain components or be partly adjusted by the customers themselves using a guided menu.
The status of a process provides fundamental information at first glance and is vital in providing a good overview of a process-based system. Thus, Lovion implements intuitive and expandable status models with the help of fluid and colour-coded status definitions. Status changes are controlled by validations and prerequisites to ensure a valid process sequence. In addition, individual process steps and workflows can be defined and managed through tasks.
Lovion BIS offers its own user management where safety and security are the main focus. Only encrypted databases are used, and passwords are stored as non-legible “salted hashes”. Users can be assigned to specific roles and organisational units.
Alternatively, a “Single Sign On” (SSO) can also be implemented. This means that Lovion is integrated into Microsoft Windows user management or is connected to an active directory (AD).
An extensive authorisation management is available in Lovion BIS where reading, editing, inserting and deleting rights are controlled. These rights can be individually configured for entire databases, individual feature classes/data tables, entities or even for individual fields.
Next to the database authorisation, system functions and graphic interface components can also be authorised individually.
Lovion AUTH CONNECT offers additional authentication features during logins. These are OAuth (Open Authorisation) and OpenID connect protocol functionalities.
As a result, Lovion enables logins through various identity providers, such as Entra Id (formerly known as Azure Id) and keycloak. This means that two-factor and multi-factor authentications are also possible.
Furthermore, safety mechanisms of other identity providers, such as PassKeys can also be enabled.
OAuth and OpenID connect protocol increase the application’s safety and security as no username and password combinations are transmitted to Lovion. Instead, only tokens are used.
This also reduces the risk of identity theft.
Next to the authentication, Lovion AUTH CONNECT also enables an easier way to synchronise users and user roles from the Entra Id into the Lovion application. As a result, roles and users can be managed transparently using Entra Id.
When sensitive data is accessible through the internet and web technologies, a high degree of safety and security is required as well as optimal support for all hardware and software components.
Thus, Lovion web technology strictly adheres to current and continuously developing safety guidelines to ensure maximum safety. One essential Lovion development guideline is the current
OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project). Lovion product safety is continuously tested and successfully implemented in DMZ environments of all sizes and server reinforcements, XML gateways and SSL certificates. Furthermore, Lovion GmbH is also a participant in the Alliance for Cyber Security.
From Lovion 7 onwards, the system can be completely operated in the cloud. The standard cloud is Microsoft Azure. Azure services such as firewalls, virtual networks or database and backup services ensure high availability, IT safety and scalability. The three-layered architecture consisting of data storage, application logic and the Lovion web application server provides the foundation for these central cloud components. Secured Access to the client is possible through the http/2 communication protocol.
The deployment, in other words, the delivery and updates of the Lovion environment, for example for tests, quality assurance, training and last but not least, for going into the productive phase is automated for the cloud. This automation ensures that the Lovion environment is quickly available and additionally ensures a quality-based deployment.
The operational application ensures a safe and secure as well as an efficient working experience with Lovion. Next to the operational application in the cloud, system components are continuously monitored such as the application server and interfaces. Furthermore, support is offered to users to ensure correct handling and to modify configurations as well as to carry out the administration.
Data backups and recoveries are vital to ensure continuous and safe system operations. Lovion data backups are carried out using Azure backup services. These new backup cloud technologies eliminate the need to carry out backups on your own. Furthermore, the redundant data management in the Azure cloud not only provide data recoveries, but also improves data availability.
Lovion GmbH
Phoenixseestraße 6
44263 Dortmund
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