The described requirements and the existing possibilities result in the following architecture of the software modules:
The Inter-Process-Communication-layer (IPC) is the necessary base for synchronization and data exchange. This is realized with the existing hardware (computers and networks) with software mechanisms like e.g. sockets.
For the link software it functions as a logical transport layer, which provides the physical functions for the synchronization and the data exchange.
The ECI-client interface and the ECI functions are top on the IPC layer and are realized by the ECI C-function package resp. additional userexits.
Extended by the specific CAX adapter programs, this layer offers a functional interface, which provides the logical functions for synchronization and data exchange.
The top layer of Agile e6 applications resp. CAX applications has to translate the user desired functions in a corresponding sequence of appropriate userexit calls finally.