UC- Product Information Management (PIM)

Description

A secure and scalable Product Information Management (PIM) system designed to centrally manage product data, enabling administrators to add, update, delete, and retrieve product information through a web interface. The system ensures authenticated access, real-time updates, and seamless access to a centralized product catalog for downstream systems or users. This solution supports enterprise-grade performance, security, and extensibility via cloud-native services.

Actors

• Admin User: Responsible for managing product data (create, update, delete, view).

• Authenticated Consumer (optional): A user or system that accesses the product catalog in read-only mode (e.g., e-commerce frontend, internal product team).

• Azure AD B2C: Manages secure identity and access management for admin users.

• Azure Functions (API Layer): Handles CRUD operations on product data.

• Cosmos DB: Stores structured product information in a NoSQL format.

Preconditions

• The admin user must be authenticated via Azure AD B2C.

• The web interface (React app) must be deployed and connected to API endpoints.

• Cosmos DB is provisioned and contains the relevant schema for product data.

• All Azure Functions are deployed and properly secured behind Azure API Management.

Flow of Events

Basic Flow (Add/Update/Delete Product)

1. Admin logs in securely via Azure AD B2C on the frontend.

2. Admin navigates to the product management dashboard.

3. Admin selects an action:

   • Add Product: Enters new product details via form and submits.

   • Update Product: Edits details of an existing product and saves changes.

   • Delete Product: Selects a product and confirms deletion.

4. Frontend sends a secure API call to the corresponding Azure Function endpoint.

5. Azure Function authenticates the request and performs the operation in Cosmos DB.

6. The result (success/failure) is returned to the frontend.

7. Admin receives confirmation and the UI reflects the latest catalog state.

Alternative Flow (Read-Only Access)

1. Authenticated consumer queries the product catalog via API or web interface.

2. Azure Function retrieves data from Cosmos DB and returns it securely.

3. UI renders the product list or search results.

Postconditions

• Product data is accurately stored and updated in Cosmos DB.

• Audit logs or monitoring (via Azure Monitor) capture key actions for traceability.

• Admin users can consistently perform CRUD operations via a secure interface.

• The product catalog reflects real-time updates across channels.

Benefits

• Centralized Control: Single source of truth for product information.

• Secure Access: Enforced via Azure AD B2C and protected endpoints.

• Scalable Architecture: Built on serverless Azure Functions and Cosmos DB.

• Extensible: Easy to integrate with external APIs or business systems.

• Cost-Efficient: Pay-as-you-go model via Azure Function consumption plan.

• User-Friendly: Modern frontend using React and Azure Static Web Apps.

Tools & Technologies Used

• Frontend: React hosted on Azure Static Web Apps

• Backend/API Layer: Python-based Azure Functions

• Database: Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL)

• Security & Authentication: Azure AD B2C

• API Exposure & Governance: Azure API Management

• Monitoring & Logging: Azure Monitor (optional enhancement)