15.1 Oracle Application Server InterConnect

You can use OracleAS InterConnect to integrate applications from Oracle, other software providers, or custom-built applications using message-oriented middleware. OracleAS InterConnect enables integration through modeling rather than relying on extensive programming techniques. Integration logic is separate from the integration platform. OracleAS InterConnect components include a hub, adapters, and a Development Kit. Figure 15-1 shows a typical deployment configuration.

Figure 15-1. Typical OracleAS InterConnect deployment

The OracleAS InterConnect design and modeling tool, called i Studio, features easy-to-use wizards. Intended for use by business analysts, i Studio largely eliminates the need to write code when creating business rules and transformation integration logic. Users of i Studio can define and map data to be exchanged between applications, and can configure and deploy the integration. Objects can be locked within the tool, thus enabling multiple users to model and design simultaneously . OracleAS InterConnect supports metadata versioning so that multiple versions of the same object can coexist or be active at the same time. If business process collaboration is desired, Oracle Workflow can define the business processes. The i Studio tool is then used to associate semantic maps with these business processes.

Components connected with OracleAS InterConnect and created in i Studio are called application views . Application views include interest in specific messages, internal datatype identification, and information on how a message should be mapped to or from an internal datatype. A common view is a hub view in which each spoke is an application view participating in the integration. Figure 15-2 shows the hub-and-spoke nature of OracleAS InterConnect deployment between the common view and application views.

Figure 15-2. Typical OracleAS InterConnect hub and spoke

Common views can contain the following components:

Business objects

A collection of logically related integration points ”logical occurrences that trigger communications between applications

Event

An integration point used to model "publish and subscribe"

Procedure

An integration point used to model "request/reply"

Common datatype

Data definition for reuse

Transformations, sometimes call mappings , are the integration points to application views.

Generated models and designs are stored in the OracleAS InterConnect metadata repository, which is part of a hub. At runtime, the metadata repository is the source of instructions enabling message exchange to occur. Runtime management, which is handled through Oracle Enterprise Manager, includes such management tasks as:

• Starting and stopping components

• Monitoring message flow

• Performing problem detection

• Handling error management

15.1.1 OracleAS InterConnect Adapters and Messages

OracleAS InterConnect Adapters provide connectivity via a bridge, the protocol/application-specific portion of the adapter. The adapters transform and route messages between an application and the hub. Data is transformed from application views to common views and from common views to application views, as defined in the metadata repository. Figure 15-3 shows the architecture of an adapter.

Figure 15-3. OracleAS InterConnect Adapter architecture

A number of prepackaged OracleAS InterConnect adapters are available, including:

Technology Adapters

These adapters are used in cases where endpoints don't have APIs. They include Oracle database, Oracle AQ, MQSeries, HTTP/S, SMTP, FTP, and CICS.

Packaged Application Adapters

These adapters are used to integrate JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, SAP, and Siebel applications.

Adapter SDK

The SDK enables the creation of adapters for applications and protocols that aren't supported by other adapters. The kit is a collection of Java JAR and Javadoc files.

Messages are commonly communicated using database adapters, Oracle AQ, or XML messaging, or through the Data Definition Description Language (D3L). All OracleAS InterConnect messages are guaranteed to be delivered exactly once in the order sent. Messages can be load-balanced across multiple adapters using Real Application Clusters (RAC), a clustered Oracle database configuration. Routing of messages can be implemented using business rules based on message content.

Interfaces to Oracle's E-Business Suite of Applications are typically via database access to the Oracle Applications interface tables or through an XML gateway (as XML is supported in several of the technology adapters). Interfaces can be created to Oracle's CRM application via SOAP and to Oracle's Supply Chain applications via the Supply Chain Trading Connector (SCTC).

OracleAS InterConnect supports two distinct models:

Publish and subscribe

With this model, applications may be subscribers. These subscribers receive messages whenever they are published by specific applications. When this model is used, the publishing application doesn't expect a reply.

Request/reply

Alternatively, an application may publish a message and expect a reply either in synchronous mode (the message can't be received until the reply is sent) or asynchronous mode (the reply is sent after message reception ).

Both publish and subscribe and request/reply messaging can behave in a point-to-point manner if the sending application calls out which specific application should receive a message.

Values in one application can be mapped to equivalent values in another application by defining domain value maps using i Studio. Keys for corresponding entities in two different applications can also be correlated using i Studio.

15.1.2 i Studio Interface

The interface in the i Studio modeling and design tool consists of two navigation trees for design and deployment, as well as five main menus .

Here are the navigation trees:

Design Navigation Tree

Groups objects as Common Views, Applications, Workflow, and Enabling Infrastructure

Deploy Navigation Tree

Groups objects as Applications or Workflow

The menus include:

File Menu

Handles creating and opening existing projects and workspaces, project reloading, object creation and migration, export of PL/SQL stubs, and metadata push to adapters

Edit Menu

Handles editing, copying, deleting, versioning, or loading objects, renaming applications, adding or removing applications from domain value maps or cross-reference tables, and deploying events to or editing Workflow configurations

Procedure Menu

Handles invoking or implementing procedures via wizards

Event Menu

Handles publishing or subscribing to events via wizards

Help Menu

Handles access to the iStudio User 's Guide

Figure 15-4 shows a typical view of the i Studio interface and the Design Navigation Tree.

Figure 15-4. Typical iStudio interface

15.1.3 Oracle Workflow for Java

The Oracle Workflow for Java (OW4J) engine can be used with OracleAS InterConnect to enable business process definition, automation, and integration. Oracle Workflow for Java enables execution of a sequence of events in a specific order. You can view the progress of processes through these sequences via either monitors or notification methods (for example, JMS messages and email). The following components are part of OW4J:

Workflow Builder

Provides a graphical business process-modeling tool

Workflow Engine

Manages business process execution and exception handling

Business Event System

Provides a Java API for propagating events

Process Monitor

Used to view and administer events

Directory Service

Enables OracleAS Single Sign-On, synchronization with the Oracle Internet Directory, and integration with LDAP

Workflow Manager

Monitors system metrics and processes, and configures and monitors notification mailers

Business process models are typically created using the JDeveloper OW4J Modeler as the Workflow Builder . Business processes might be either short or long. Very short business processes are served by in-memory workflows. Long-lived tasks may extend to weeks and beyond.

Version numbers are automatically assigned to workflow tasks, thus enabling different versions of activities.

Models of these processes can be built to include logic for looping, branching into parallel flows and rendezvous, decomposing into subflows, branching into subtasks , and others. Escalation processes can be created and then executed after periods of inactivity based on predefined rules. Notification routing can also be set up to handle typical occurrences such as delegation of responsibility or rerouting during absence of a participant.

The Process Monitor provides a Java applet to review business activities that have been completed, are active, or are yet to be initiated. Decision makers are identified and their responses are shown. Administrators can intervene to explore stopped processes or to skip or retry processes. It is possible to review the time and cost of business processes by exploring workflow processing data stored in an audit database.

The Workflow Manager interface is exposed through Oracle Enterprise Manager. Work items and event messages can be viewed (including the distribution of event messages by status). This interface enables administrators to more quickly determine business bottlenecks.

15.1.4 Typical OracleAS InterConnect Deployment Sequence

A typical OracleAS InterConnect deployment sequence includes the following steps:

1. Configure a source triggering mechanism (such as through Oracle AQ).

2. Create a new project in i Studio.

3. Create common view business objects in i Studio and business object events.

4. Create an i Studio application in which an adapter communicates with a business application.

5. Create a cross-reference table mapping keys between systems using i Studio applications.

6. Create published events in i Studio that map application views to common views, perform transformations, and publish new events to subscribers.

7. Subscribe applications to events in i Studio.

8. Create content-based routing in i Studio if required (e.g., routing based on message or message header contents via Oracle Workflow with appropriate applied business logic).

9. Create an Oracle Workflow process bundle in i Studio if business logic is to be applied (including a bundle name , business process, and publish-and-subscribe activities), and then deploy it.

10. Create objects in Oracle Workflow for modeling, and then model business logic.

11. Deploy application queues in i Studio, and test the integration prior to final production deployment.