IBM E02HMLL-I Implementation Guide - Page 19

Connectors, Connector, communication, applications, Collaborations

Page 19 highlights

A site can tune the closeness with which collaborations and connectors are coupled. The collaboration might, for example, execute on a 24-hour basis, sending requests to a connector that communicates with its application only between midnight and 2:00 A.M. The collaboration could be designed and configured to send the requests without requiring a response and simply process the responses when they come. Alternatively, a collaboration that has been enabled for long-lived business processes can save the flow context of a request, and send the request with a timeout value, specifying the period of time in which a response can cause the saved processing flow to resume. Connectors Connectors are supplied as components of adapters. A connector provides distributed translation services for the IBM WebSphere Business Integration Server Express system, moving data between collaborations and either: v An application, or v A programmatic entity-a remote web server, for example-that understands a technology standard, such as XML, that is handled by a connector A connector has a distributed structure: v The connector controller interacts directly with collaborations and runs as a component within the InterChange Server Express process. v A client connector framework runs as a separate process from the InterChange Server Express and, together with an application-specific component, interacts directly with an application or other programmatic entity. In this guide, the client connector framework and the application-specific component are together referred to as the connector agent. The two parts of a connector can run on the same system or on two different systems. The connector controller runs as part of the InterChange Server Express and so resides on that system. However, the connector agent can reside on any system on the network from which it can communicate with both its application and the connector controller. Connector communication with applications There is one connector for each version of an application. Each connector is unique, because it communicates with its application according to the application's interfaces. To detect application events in which collaborations are interested, a connector polls the application or uses the application's event callback notification mechanism, if there is one. A connector can also interact with the application at the command of a collaboration or to verify the results of its previous requests. Collaborations In an IBM Websphere Business Integration Server Express implementation, the term collaborations refers to software modules that contain code and business process logic that drives interactions between applications. A collaboration can be simple, consisting of just a few steps, or complex, involving several steps and other collaborations. Chapter 1. Overview of IBM WebSphere Business Integration Server Express 7

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A
site
can
tune
the
closeness
with
which
collaborations
and
connectors
are
coupled.
The
collaboration
might,
for
example,
execute
on
a
24-hour
basis,
sending
requests
to
a
connector
that
communicates
with
its
application
only
between
midnight
and
2:00
A.M.
The
collaboration
could
be
designed
and
configured
to
send
the
requests
without
requiring
a
response
and
simply
process
the
responses
when
they
come.
Alternatively,
a
collaboration
that
has
been
enabled
for
long-lived
business
processes
can
save
the
flow
context
of
a
request,
and
send
the
request
with
a
timeout
value,
specifying
the
period
of
time
in
which
a
response
can
cause
the
saved
processing
flow
to
resume.
Connectors
Connectors
are
supplied
as
components
of
adapters.
A
connector
provides
distributed
translation
services
for
the
IBM
WebSphere
Business
Integration
Server
Express
system,
moving
data
between
collaborations
and
either:
v
An
application,
or
v
A
programmatic
entity—a
remote
web
server,
for
example—that
understands
a
technology
standard,
such
as
XML,
that
is
handled
by
a
connector
A
connector
has
a
distributed
structure:
v
The
connector
controller
interacts
directly
with
collaborations
and
runs
as
a
component
within
the
InterChange
Server
Express
process.
v
A
client
connector
framework
runs
as
a
separate
process
from
the
InterChange
Server
Express
and,
together
with
an
application-specific
component,
interacts
directly
with
an
application
or
other
programmatic
entity.
In
this
guide,
the
client
connector
framework
and
the
application-specific
component
are
together
referred
to
as
the
connector
agent
.
The
two
parts
of
a
connector
can
run
on
the
same
system
or
on
two
different
systems.
The
connector
controller
runs
as
part
of
the
InterChange
Server
Express
and
so
resides
on
that
system.
However,
the
connector
agent
can
reside
on
any
system
on
the
network
from
which
it
can
communicate
with
both
its
application
and
the
connector
controller.
Connector
communication
with
applications
There
is
one
connector
for
each
version
of
an
application.
Each
connector
is
unique,
because
it
communicates
with
its
application
according
to
the
application’s
interfaces.
To
detect
application
events
in
which
collaborations
are
interested,
a
connector
polls
the
application
or
uses
the
application’s
event
callback
notification
mechanism,
if
there
is
one.
A
connector
can
also
interact
with
the
application
at
the
command
of
a
collaboration
or
to
verify
the
results
of
its
previous
requests.
Collaborations
In
an
IBM
Websphere
Business
Integration
Server
Express
implementation,
the
term
collaborations
refers
to
software
modules
that
contain
code
and
business
process
logic
that
drives
interactions
between
applications.
A
collaboration
can
be
simple,
consisting
of
just
a
few
steps,
or
complex,
involving
several
steps
and
other
collaborations.
Chapter
1.
Overview
of
IBM
WebSphere
Business
Integration
Server
Express
7