Supply Chain Optimization using postgreSQL and Apache-Age - Part 1
Tags: supplychain, apacheage, postgres
Published: 2023-03-24 18:42:39

Supply chain optimization plays a crucial role in the success and competitiveness of a business. Optimizing the supply chain can lead to several key benefits, including: **_Cost reduction, Improved customer satisfaction, Enhanced flexibility and responsiveness, Better inventory management, Risk mitigation, Sustainability_** and many more!

## Introduction
[**Apache AGE**](https://age.apache.org/) can help model and analyze supply chain networks to optimize resource allocation, minimize costs, and improve overall efficiency by analyzing the relationships between suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

## What is Apache Age?
Apache AGE (Apache Graph Extension) is an open-source PostgreSQL extension that provides graph database functionality. It is built on the high-performance, scalable graph database project AgensGraph, and it extends PostgreSQL to support the creation, querying, and manipulation of graph data using the Cypher Query Language.

## Let's start
Optimizing supply chain using Apache AGE requires a few steps, including setting up the environment, creating the graph data model, loading data into the database, and querying the data for insights. Here's a high-level guide:

**Set up the environment:**
To get started, install PostgreSQL and the Apache AGE extension. Follow the installation instructions in the official documentation: https://age.apache.org/age-manual/master/intro/setup.html

**Create the graph data model:**
Create a graph schema to represent the supply chain network. You can model entities such as suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers as nodes, and the relationships between them as edges. For example, you can have a schema like this:

<u>Nodes:</u>
- Supplier (id, name, location)
- Manufacturer (id, name, location)
- Distributor (id, name, location)
- Retailer (id, name, location)

<u>Edges:</u>
- Supplies (supplier_id, manufacturer_id, cost, lead_time)
- Produces (manufacturer_id, distributor_id, cost, lead_time)
- Distributes (distributor_id, retailer_id, cost, lead_time)

To create this graph data model in Apache AGE, follow these steps:

1 - Create a new graph in Apache AGE:

```
SELECT * FROM cypher('CREATE GRAPH supply_chain');
```
2 - Set the graph path:

```
SET search_path = ag_catalog, supply_chain;
```
3 - Create nodes (labels) for Supplier, Manufacturer, Distributor, and Retailer:

```
-- Supplier
SELECT * FROM cypher('CREATE (:Supplier)');

-- Manufacturer
SELECT * FROM cypher('CREATE (:Manufacturer)');

-- Distributor
SELECT * FROM cypher('CREATE (:Distributor)');

-- Retailer
SELECT * FROM cypher('CREATE (:Retailer)');
```
4 - Create edges (relationships) for Supplies, Produces, and Distributes:

```
-- Supplies
SELECT * FROM cypher('
  MATCH (s:Supplier), (m:Manufacturer)
  WHERE id(s) = 1 AND id(m) = 2
  CREATE (s)-[:Supplies]->(m)
');

-- Produces
SELECT * FROM cypher('
  MATCH (m:Manufacturer), (d:Distributor)
  WHERE id(m) = 2 AND id(d) = 3
  CREATE (m)-[:Produces]->(d)
');

-- Distributes
SELECT * FROM cypher('
  MATCH (d:Distributor), (r:Retailer)
  WHERE id(d) = 3 AND id(r) = 4
  CREATE (d)-[:Distributes]->(r)
');
```
Note that in the examples above, the node and relationship IDs (1, 2, 3, and 4) are placeholders. You should replace them with your actual data when creating the graph data model.

Once you have created the graph data model, you can start loading your supply chain data and use Cypher queries to analyze and optimize the network.

## Related Articles
[Supply Chain Optimization using postgreSQL and Apache-Age - Part 2](https://dev.to/adeelahmed2k01/supply-chain-optimization-using-postgresql-and-apache-age-part-2-1289)

## Contribute to Apache AGE
Apache AGE website: [https://age.apache.org/](https://age.apache.org/
)

Apache AGE Github: [https://github.com/apache/age](https://github.com/apache/age)