Nexus API: Route Parameter Parsing For Simplified Data Ingestion

Introduction

In this article, we'll delve into the proposal to enhance the Nexus Ingestion API by incorporating route parameter parsing. This improvement aims to streamline data ingestion, simplify infrastructure, and provide a more flexible approach for data providers. We will discuss the background context, the new requirements, the proposed solution, and the implications for various components of the system. Understanding Nexus Ingestion API and its functionality is crucial for efficient data management. This includes understanding how data is routed, processed, and stored within the system. This article explores the proposal to enhance the Nexus Ingestion API by incorporating route parameter parsing, which will simplify data ingestion and provide a flexible approach for data providers. Route parameter parsing enables the API to extract information directly from the URL path, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient data handling process. This enhancement will help in simplifying the infrastructure, reducing complexity, and improving the overall performance of the system. The primary goal of this proposal is to move away from relying solely on forwarded headers for generating downstream artifacts. Instead, the API will evaluate route parameters first, providing a more intuitive and direct method for identifying data sources and message types. This shift will lead to a more organized and scalable data ingestion process, making it easier to manage and maintain the system in the long run. By implementing route parameter parsing, the Nexus Ingestion API can better handle diverse data sources and message types, ensuring a robust and adaptable data management solution. This includes accommodating various providers and their unique data formats, which is essential for maintaining a versatile and efficient API.

Background Context

Currently, the Medent team transmits data to endpoints that include the port number and the /ws endpoint (e.g., https://1.nexus-hel-qa.techbd.org:9429/ws). This setup complicates the infrastructure, requiring an ALB listener for port 9429 and corresponding security groups. Due to AWS limits on listeners per ALB, Medent uses multiple endpoints (e.g., https://2.nexus- ... and https://3.nexus- ...) in the production environment. This existing configuration, while functional, presents several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure scalability and maintainability. The current infrastructure setup necessitates the maintenance of multiple endpoints and listeners, which can lead to increased operational overhead. This complexity not only makes the system harder to manage but also increases the risk of configuration errors and potential downtime. Furthermore, the reliance on specific port numbers and the /ws endpoint limits the flexibility of the system. As new data providers and message types are integrated, the existing infrastructure may not be able to accommodate the additional load and complexity efficiently. Therefore, a more scalable and flexible solution is needed to ensure that the Nexus Ingestion API can handle future growth and changing requirements. The proposal to incorporate route parameter parsing aims to address these challenges by simplifying the infrastructure and providing a more streamlined data ingestion process. This will reduce the operational burden and improve the overall efficiency of the system. While the current configuration must remain in place for Medent in the short term, the long-term goal is to transition to a more sustainable and scalable architecture. This transition will involve migrating existing connections to the new route parameter-based approach, which will require careful planning and execution to minimize disruption to existing services.

The existing setup must remain in place for Medent for the time being, as it has already been deployed to the production environment. This constraint necessitates a backward-compatible solution to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting existing services.

New Requirements for Nexus API

The primary goal is to simplify the process by enabling the Nexus Ingestion API to consider route parameters when data is received. This would involve setting up a single listener on the ALB (likely for port 443 for HTTPS traffic). All incoming traffic would require route parameters to identify the source and message type. For instance, providers would be given URLs like https://nexus-hel-qa.techbd.org/{srcId}/{msgType}. In this example, srcId would identify the source, and msgType would indicate the type of message being sent. A provider like Netspective might send FHIR data using the URL https://nexus-hel-qa.techbd.org/netspective/fhir. The new requirements are designed to make the Nexus API more flexible and easier to manage. By incorporating route parameters, the system can dynamically route and process data based on the URL, which simplifies the configuration and reduces the need for multiple listeners and endpoints. This approach also enhances the scalability of the API, allowing it to handle a growing number of data sources and message types without significant infrastructure changes. One of the key benefits of this change is the improved organization of data ingestion. By using route parameters, the system can easily identify the source and type of data being sent, enabling more efficient processing and storage. This not only streamlines the workflow but also makes it easier to monitor and troubleshoot issues as they arise. The new URL structure, https://nexus-hel-qa.techbd.org/{srcId}/{msgType}, provides a clear and consistent way for providers to send data. This standardized approach reduces the complexity of integration and ensures that all data is handled in a uniform manner. Furthermore, the use of a single listener on port 443 simplifies the network configuration and reduces the attack surface, enhancing the security of the system. The transition to route parameter parsing is a strategic move to modernize the Nexus Ingestion API and prepare it for future growth. By adopting a more flexible and scalable architecture, the API can better serve the evolving needs of data providers and ensure the efficient management of incoming data.

Proposed Solution: Route Parameter Parsing

To achieve this, the Nexus Ingestion API should evaluate route parameters before the forwarded headers it currently uses to generate downstream artifacts like MsgGroupID for SQS or file structure for S3. This approach ensures that the most direct and relevant information is used first, improving the accuracy and efficiency of data processing. The implementation of route parameter parsing involves several key steps. First, the API needs to be modified to extract the srcId and msgType from the URL path. This can be achieved using standard routing libraries and frameworks that support parameter extraction. Once the parameters are extracted, they can be used to look up the appropriate configuration settings, such as mtls, queue, and dataDir. This lookup process ensures that the data is processed according to the specific requirements of the source and message type. In addition to the code changes, the Port Config needs to be updated to include a sourceId field. This field will be used to map the route parameters to the corresponding configuration settings. The new Port Config structure will also include a msgType attribute, which will function similarly to responseType in determining how the API sends a response. For example, entries with a msgType value of "ws" or "pnr" will still require a web services response (via SOAP), just like the /ws endpoint does today. This backward compatibility is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition and minimizing disruption to existing services. The proposed solution not only simplifies the data ingestion process but also improves the scalability and maintainability of the Nexus Ingestion API. By using route parameters, the system can dynamically adapt to different data sources and message types, reducing the need for manual configuration and code changes. This flexibility is essential for supporting the evolving needs of data providers and ensuring the long-term viability of the API.

Port Configuration Update

The Port Config would be updated to include a sourceId field, which would be used for looking up attributes like mtls, queue, dataDir, and other values currently used for ingestion. Following the example above, a Port Config might look like:

{ "sourceId": "netspective", "msgType": "fhir", "mtls": "txd", "execType": "async", "route": "/hold", "queue": "hel-prd-hold-queue.fifo" }

Note the new sourceId & msgType attributes. The latter would work similarly to responseType in determining if/how Nexus Ingestion API would send a response. For example, entries with the msgType value of "ws" or "pnr" would still require a web services response (via SOAP) like the /ws endpoint provides today. This new configuration structure provides a more organized and efficient way to manage the settings for different data sources and message types. The sourceId field acts as a unique identifier for each provider, allowing the API to quickly retrieve the appropriate configuration settings. The msgType attribute further refines the configuration by specifying the type of message being sent, enabling the API to handle different message formats and processing requirements. The inclusion of these attributes in the Port Config simplifies the data ingestion process and reduces the need for complex logic in the API code. By centralizing the configuration settings, it becomes easier to manage and maintain the system over time. This also improves the scalability of the API, as new data sources and message types can be easily added by simply updating the Port Config. The msgType attribute’s behavior, similar to responseType, ensures backward compatibility with existing services that require specific response formats. This is crucial for a smooth transition and minimizes the disruption to existing workflows. By leveraging the msgType attribute, the Nexus Ingestion API can continue to support web services responses (via SOAP) for entries with values like "ws" or "pnr," maintaining the functionality of the /ws endpoint. This thoughtful design approach ensures that the API remains versatile and adaptable, capable of handling both legacy and modern data ingestion requirements.

Data Storage Implications

When saving data to S3 (data and metadata buckets), the only changes would be in the metadata: route parameters would be included as a new attribute, and the TenantID would reflect the {srcID}_{msgType} format. This ensures that the stored data is easily searchable and retrievable based on the source and message type. The changes to the metadata are designed to provide a more comprehensive and organized view of the ingested data. By including route parameters as a new attribute, the metadata becomes more informative and facilitates better data governance and auditing. This additional information can be valuable for tracking the origin and type of data, as well as for troubleshooting and debugging purposes. Reflecting the TenantID using the {srcID}_{msgType} format further enhances the clarity and consistency of the metadata. This naming convention makes it easier to identify the tenant associated with a particular data set, simplifying the management of multi-tenant environments. The impact on data storage is minimal, as the primary changes are focused on the metadata rather than the data itself. This approach ensures that the existing data storage infrastructure can be leveraged without significant modifications, reducing the cost and complexity of the implementation. The updated metadata structure aligns with best practices for data storage and retrieval, making it easier to integrate with other systems and tools. This is particularly important for organizations that rely on data analytics and reporting, as the enriched metadata provides valuable context for understanding and interpreting the data. Overall, the proposed changes to data storage are a significant step towards improving the data management capabilities of the Nexus Ingestion API. By enhancing the metadata, the system becomes more flexible, scalable, and easier to maintain, ensuring that it can meet the evolving needs of data providers and consumers.

SQS Integration

For SQS, nothing changes except the MsgGroupID, which would use {srcID}_{msgType} for these cases. This ensures that messages are grouped logically based on their source and type, facilitating efficient processing and management. The modification of the MsgGroupID is a crucial aspect of the proposed solution, as it directly impacts how messages are processed and managed within SQS. By using the {srcID}_{msgType} format, messages from the same source and of the same type are grouped together, allowing for more efficient processing and prioritization. This grouping strategy simplifies the management of message queues and ensures that related messages are handled in a consistent manner. The change to MsgGroupID is designed to minimize the impact on the existing SQS infrastructure. By only modifying the MsgGroupID, the system can leverage the existing SQS queues and processing logic without significant changes. This reduces the complexity of the implementation and ensures a smooth transition to the new approach. The use of {srcID}_{msgType} as the MsgGroupID aligns with best practices for message queue management, providing a clear and consistent way to identify and process messages. This is particularly important in environments with a high volume of messages, as it simplifies the task of monitoring and troubleshooting the message queues. The improved message grouping also enhances the scalability of the system. By organizing messages based on their source and type, the system can handle a growing number of messages without significant performance degradation. This is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of the Nexus Ingestion API and its ability to support evolving data ingestion needs. Overall, the changes to SQS integration are a key component of the proposed solution, enhancing the efficiency and manageability of message processing within the system.

Important Considerations: Backward Compatibility

This implementation must be backward compatible to ensure that existing connections, as noted in the background section, remain functional until they can be migrated to this new process. This is a critical requirement to avoid any disruption to existing services and maintain the reliability of the system. Backward compatibility is not just a technical consideration; it's a business imperative. Disrupting existing services can have significant consequences, including data loss, downtime, and damage to the organization's reputation. Therefore, the implementation of route parameter parsing must be carefully planned and executed to ensure a seamless transition. The backward compatibility requirement necessitates a phased approach to the implementation. The new functionality should be introduced in a way that does not interfere with existing connections, allowing providers to gradually migrate to the new process. This may involve maintaining both the old and new endpoints for a period of time, as well as providing clear documentation and support for the migration process. The design of the route parameter parsing solution should also consider the existing data formats and protocols used by different providers. The new API should be able to handle both the old and new data formats, ensuring that existing integrations continue to function as expected. Testing is a crucial aspect of ensuring backward compatibility. The new functionality should be thoroughly tested with existing systems and data flows to identify and address any potential issues. This may involve setting up a test environment that mirrors the production environment, as well as conducting comprehensive regression testing. Overall, the emphasis on backward compatibility reflects a commitment to maintaining the stability and reliability of the Nexus Ingestion API. By ensuring a smooth transition to the new route parameter parsing solution, the organization can minimize the risk of disruption and maximize the benefits of the new functionality.

HTTP Connections Only

This solution is designed exclusively for HTTP connections, as NLB (Network Load Balancer) does not support routing parameters. This limitation should be clearly communicated to all stakeholders to avoid any confusion and ensure that the solution is implemented correctly. The focus on HTTP connections is a pragmatic decision based on the capabilities of the existing infrastructure. While NLB does not support routing parameters, HTTP load balancers like ALB (Application Load Balancer) do. Therefore, the solution is designed to leverage the capabilities of ALB to implement route parameter parsing. This limitation does not necessarily preclude the use of other protocols in the future. However, it is important to acknowledge the current constraints and design the solution accordingly. If there is a need to support other protocols in the future, the solution may need to be extended or adapted to accommodate the specific requirements of those protocols. The decision to focus on HTTP connections should be clearly communicated to all stakeholders, including data providers, developers, and operations teams. This will ensure that everyone is aware of the limitations of the solution and can plan accordingly. The communication should also emphasize the benefits of the solution, such as the simplified infrastructure and improved data ingestion process. Overall, the focus on HTTP connections is a practical and efficient way to implement route parameter parsing in the Nexus Ingestion API. While there may be limitations, the solution provides significant benefits and can be adapted in the future if needed.

Conclusion

The proposed implementation of route parameter parsing in the Nexus Ingestion API offers a streamlined, scalable, and maintainable solution for data ingestion. By simplifying the infrastructure, enhancing data organization, and ensuring backward compatibility, this enhancement will significantly improve the efficiency and flexibility of the system. This initiative represents a strategic move towards modernizing the Nexus API and ensuring its readiness for future growth and evolving data needs. The benefits of this approach extend beyond technical improvements. By simplifying the data ingestion process, the organization can reduce operational costs, improve data quality, and enhance the overall agility of its data management capabilities. The ability to dynamically route and process data based on URL parameters provides a level of flexibility that is essential for supporting a diverse range of data sources and message types. The backward compatibility requirement ensures that existing services are not disrupted, minimizing the risk of downtime and data loss. This is particularly important in a production environment, where stability and reliability are paramount. The focus on HTTP connections reflects a pragmatic approach to leveraging the existing infrastructure and capabilities of ALB. While there may be limitations, the solution provides significant benefits and can be adapted in the future if needed. Overall, the implementation of route parameter parsing is a significant step forward for the Nexus Ingestion API. By embracing this modern approach to data ingestion, the organization can position itself for continued success in the data-driven world. For more information on API design and best practices, visit https://www.example.com/api-design-best-practices.