Jul 17

Java CAPS 6 has the 5.x compatibility infrastructure which allows one to import 5.x projects right into Java CAPS 6, build, deploy and run without changes. One can also develop repository-based projects in Java CAPS 6 – that’s the 5.x-style projects. This is the old way of developing Java CAPS solutions – still good and valid.

If one were to decide to not use the old way there is the JBI infrastructure, which allows development of solutions that use BPEL Service Engine, XSLT Service Engine, IEP Service Engine, Java EE Service Engine, etc., and a variety of Binding Components. The implication is that business logic is implemented in BPEL 2.0, which is used to orchestrate other services and resources, including interaction with external systems through Binding Components. This is the new way of developing Java CAPS solutions – 100% compatible with the Open Source OpenESB project since it uses the OpenESB project-developed container and components.

Someone might ask “so what happened to eGate?”. “eGate” meaning Java Collaboration Definition-like logic components, eWays and the JMS messaging backbone.

While the facility seems underadvertised/downplayed, Java CAPS 6 provides a number of 5.1 eWay-based JCA Adapters and a moderately easy means of developing JCA Message-Driven Beans that can use these adapters to implement JCD-like logic components and, effectively, eGate-like solutions that do not use BPEL or the JBI infrastructure.

This Note discusses and illustrates the implementation of a mixed Java CAPS 5.x-like integration solution that retrieves a file from the local file system using JCA Adapters and passes its content to a BPEL 2.0 process executing in the JBI container. This requirement I have seen and heard of being implemented in 5.x many times by many customers.

Most of the material in the first 16 pages of this Note is the same as in Note 2.

The JCA Message-Driven Bean, the piece of JCD-like Java logic, will be triggered by a Batch Inbound Adapter (what one would have called the Batch Inbound eWay in 5.1), will read the content of the file using the Batch Local File Adapter (eWay) and will send the payload as a string to a BPEL 2.0 Business Process, which will be triggered by this message and will execute in the JBI container. The batch Inbound Adapter will be configured to use a regular expression to match the name of the file. Once it finds the file it will rename the file by prepending the GUID to the name and will pass the new name, the original name and the directory path to the Java code. This is exactly what the 5.1 Batch Inbound does. The JCA MDB will use the new name, the original name and the directory path to dynamically configure the Batch Local File Adapter to retrieve the file content and rename the file (post transfer) to the original name with some string appended to indicate that the file was processed. This, too, is exactly what one would do in a 5.1 JCD in the same circumstance. Once the payload is available the JCA MDB will use the OneWay WSDL interface and the JBI NMR to send it, as a String, to a BPEL 2.0 process. Both the JCA MDB and the BPEL process will be a part of the same JBI Composite Application and will communicate with one another using the Normalized Message Router (NMR).

The entire Note is available in 03JCA-BInboundThroughBLFToBPEL2.0.pdf

Jul 16

Java CAPS 6 has the 5.x compatibility infrastructure which allows one to import 5.x projects right into Java CAPS 6, build, deploy and run without changes. One can also develop repository-based projects in Java CAPS 6 – that’s the 5.x-style projects. This is the old way of developing Java CAPS solutions – still good and valid.

If one were to decide to not use the old way there is the JBI infrastructure, which allows development of solutions that use BPEL Service Engine, XSLT Service Engine, IEP Service Engine, Java EE Service Engine, etc., and a variety of Binding Components. The implication is that business logic is implemented in BPEL 2.0, which is used to orchestrate other services and resources, including interaction with external systems through Binding Components. This is the new way of developing Java CAPS solutions – 100% compatible with the Open Source OpenESB project since it uses the OpenESB project-developed container and components.

Someone might ask “so what happened to eGate?”. “eGate” meaning Java Collaboration Definition-like logic components, eWays and the JMS messaging backbone.

While the facility seems underadvertised/downplayed, Java CAPS 6 provides a number of 5.1 eWay-based JCA Adapters and a moderately easy means of developing JCA Message-Driven Beans that can use these adapters to implement JCD-like logic components and, effectively, eGate-like solutions that do not use BPEL or the JBI infrastructure.

This Note discusses and illustrates the implementation of a JCD-like integration solution that retrieves a file from the local file system and writes its content to a JMS destination. This requirement I have seen and heard of being implemented in 5.x many times by many customers.

The JCA Message-Driven Bean, the piece of JCD-like Java logic, will be triggered by a Batch Inbound Adapter (what one would have called the Batch Inbound eWay in 5.1), will read the content of the file using the Batch Local File Adapter (eWay) and will write the payload as a string to a JMS destination. The batch Inbound Adapter will be configured to use a regular expression to match the name of the file. Once it finds the file it will rename the file by prepending the GUID to the name and will pass the new name, the original name and the directory path to the Java code. This is exactly what the 5.1 Batch Inbound does. The JCA MDB will use the new name, the original name and the directory path to dynamically configure the Batch Local File Adapter to retrieve the file content and rename the file (post transfer) to the original name with some string appended to indicate that the file was processed. This, too, is exactly what one would do in a 5.1 JCD in the same circumstance. Once the payload is available the JCA MDB will use the JMS OTD to send it, as a TextMessage, to a JMS Queue. Again, this is something that a 5.x JCD would do.

In effect, this Note describes and illustrates the process of re-creating a 5.x Java Collaboration Definition using Java CAPS 6, but instead of using the repository-based approach it is using JCA MDBs and JCA Adapters.

Complete text of the Note is in 02JCA-BInboundThroughBLFToJMS.pdf

Jun 08

As implemented in OpenESB and Java CAPS 6/JBI, JBI at first put me off completely. I had no idea where to start and what to do. This was particularly annoying as I was reasonably effective in developing solutions using Java CAPS 5.x and did not look forward to trying to figure out how to do in OpenESB the same thing I already new how to do.

This document is intended to save you the anxiety and help you get over the initial hurdles. It walks through the process of creation, deployment and execution of a simple File-to-File integration solution, with detailed step-by-step illustrations. The focus is the practice of using JBI components not the theory of JBI.

This document addresses the integration solution developers, not developers of Service Engines or Binding Components.

The projects use JBI components only, that’s why they are just as good for OpenESB exploration as they are for Java CAPS 6/JBI exploration.

JBI (Java Business Integration) is not discussed to any great extent. JBI artifact names are used in discussion but not elaborated upon. Explanations are provided where necessary to foster understanding of the mechanics of developing integration solutions using JBI technologies in OpenESB and Java CAPS 6/JBI.

Java CAPS 6 and OpenESB are two of a number of toolkits that implement the JBI specification (JSR 208). When I use an expression like “In JBI …” I actually mean “In JBI as implemented in Java CAPS 6 and OpenESB …”. The same things may well be implemented differently in other JBI toolkits.

Java CAPS 6 “Revenue Release” is used and shown in illustrations. OpenESB can be used instead however the appearance of components shown in illustrations may vary somewhat.

01File2File.zip contains the document that documents the example in an illustrated, step-by-step fashion.

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Apr 28

Finally, the Java CAPS Book has been spotted in Australia. That means it is available in print in the USA and elsewhere.

Brendan and I will be signing copies at JavaOne in San Francisco for these who care.

Photo courtesy of Eleine D. – Thanks Elaine.

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Apr 05

Transferring large payloads, on the order of tens or hundreds of megabytes, between a FTP server and a local file system, in either direction, requires selection of appropriate features of the Batch FTP and Batch Local File eWays, and tuning certain timing parameters.

Default timing parameter values result in timeout exceptions when transferring large payloads.

The Batch FTP eWay and the Batch Local File eWas are typically used to receive the entire payload before writing it out. This results in attempts to allocate memory many time the size of the payload being transferred and, for large files, causes memory exhaustion and application server failures.

Discussion in the attached document points out which timing parameters need to be tuned to facilitate transfer of large payloads. It also presents sample Java code that uses facilities of the Batch FTP and Batch Local File for streaming payload between the FTP server and the local file systems without using excessive amount of memory.

The material covered in the document was prepared using Java CAPS projects developed and tested in Java CAPS 5.1.0, exported, imported into Java CAPS Release 6 and tested again. It is expected that the code will work in all versions of Java CAPS from 5.1.0 up.

Streaming Large FTP Transfers with CAPS 5.1 and 6.pdf

FTPtoLocalFileStreaming_5.1.0_project_export.zip

LocalFiletoFTPStreaming_JC6_project_export.zip

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Mar 07

It has been a long road but the Java CAPS Book, on which my colleagues and I have been working for a while, is about to make it into the world. The publisher made it available on line through the Safari Books Online – Rough Cuts.


Anyone with a subscription can get their hands on the material right now. Anyone without a subscription can get a trial subscription from Safari Books Online.

The URL is: http://safari.oreilly.com/9780137146130

The printed version is expected early May 2008.

Enjoy.

PS.

A correction – Sebastian’s name is spelt incorrectly – it is actually Sebastian Krueger – we are working on getting the spelling corrected.

Thanks Christian for picking up the acronym error.

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Jan 11

By default, the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server domain uses a single log to log all events, whether arising out of execution of the Integration Server or arising out of execution of Java CAPS solutions deployed to it. This log is named server.log and is kept in the <JavaVACPInstallRoot>/logicalhost/is/domains/<domainroot>/logs directory.

This note discusses how the Integration Server can be configured to deliver all or selected events to an additional log handler and how XML-formatted event information can be obtained. This note also presents some ideas on multiple logging destinations and notification.

Here is the Note itself: Java CAPS 51 – logging to additional destinations.pdf

Warning

The writing of this note, and the underlying development and configuration work, were prompted by repeated questions about logging in Java CAPS, in particular how it could be made to behave like it used to in the non-J2EE versions of the SeeBeyond EAI products. For these readers who are still waiting for the answer they like – there will be no such answer coming. It is not possible to configure logging for ‘your interface’ separately from logging for all other ‘interfaces’ since there is no notion of ‘your interface’ as a separate component in Java CAPS. There is no way to collect logging information pertaining to a specific project or deployment in such a way that all relevant information is collected, no information is lost and no information on unrelated components is included.

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Dec 28

In Java CAPS 5.1 the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server is a modified version of the Sun Application Server 8.0 Platform Edition. As such a number of things that can be done with that application server can be done with the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server. Most notably, the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server uses the java.util.logging API for logging. Integration Server logging can be manipulated from the command line, using the isadmin tool, from a Web-based GUI and, also, programmatically.

This note discusses how IS logging can be manipulated programmatically using Java Collaboration Definitions. This note applies to the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server included in Java CAPS 5.1.

JCD-based Programmatic Log Manipulation Note

Java CAPS 5.1.3 Project Export

Trigger Data Files

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Dec 26

In Java CAPS 5.1 the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server is a modified version of the Sun Application Server 8.0 Platform Edition. As such a number of things that can be done with that application server can be done with the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server. Most notably, it can be managed at runtime using the isadmin tool much the same way as the Sun Application Server 8.0 PE can be managed using the asadmin tool.

This note discusses how the isadmin tool can be used to manage runtime logging of the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server. This note applies to the Sun SeeBeyond Integration Server included in Java CAPS 5.1.

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Nov 25

This example implements a part of the ELS functionality dealing with linking a number of related messages until all are collected or a time period elapses, whichever is the sooner, a counted and timed correlation pattern, or an aggregator pattern with a timer.

Unlike the implementation from Example 2, on which it is heavily based, this implementation will correlate a varying number of messages, statically set at design time, or as many as it receives within a given time period expressed as a static duration. Thus the same implementation can be used to correlate 2, 3, 10 or 30 messages, by modifying the value of a single business process attribute, over a statically configured time period. By obtaining the value of the business process attribute which controls the message count or which controls duration, from the environment or the initial message, one will change the static implementation into a dynamic counted and timed correlation solution.

CorrelationExample_03_CountedAndTimed.pdf discusses the solution and illustrates key points that vary between Example 2 and this example.

CountedAndTimes.zip is the Java CAPS 5.1.3 project export that implements the solution.

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