# Distributed models

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/distributed-models/169801>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [June 8, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/distributed-models/169801 "2009-06-08T23:06:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![slava](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@slava](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/slava)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/distributed-models/169801/1 "2009-06-08T23:06:54Z")

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Hello,  
I am designing a web application that has several tiers including a  
Flex  
client, Rails server and SAP back-end. The application is an extension  
of  
functionality offered by SAP system. SOAP services are used  
communicate with  
the back-end.  
I am pondering on the implications of the fact that some of my data  
models  
are likely to be in the back-end and some in the Rails application and  
some  
are distributed (shared) between Rails and the back-end. I would  
appreciate  
any pointers toward relevant knowledge on this subject and if anyone  
tried  
something similar with Rails.  
Some of the questions I have to find answers to are:

- How does one use ActiveRecord with shared models?
- What are the implications of this type of distributed design?
- Relevant design patterns.

thank you,  
Slava