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Explore how WebSphere Portal Application Integrator enables rapid creation of portlets with seamless connectivity to various back-end systems like SAP, Siebel, and relational databases. Learn about the framework, features, and architecture of WPAI for efficient enterprise data access.
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Developing Access to Enterprise Data Using WebSphere Portal Application Integrator Cesar WongBill Hahn Srikanth Thirumalai
Content • WPAI Overview • WPAI Architecture • RAD Overview • Creating EIS Portlets with RAD • Summary
WPAI Overview • WPAI is a framework designed for rapid creation of portlets with connectivity to back-end applications: • Enterprise Information Systems – SAP, Siebel, PeopleSoft • Relational Databases – DB2, Oracle, Informix, SQL Server, Cloudscape. • Other applications – Domino • WPAI Consists of: • Portal-based tooling (Application Portlet Builder) • Runtime Portlet • Adapter Framework and Adapters (SAP, Siebel, etc.)
WPAI Features • Out-of-the-box portlets • Portlets can be installed and used immediately. • Faster development • Business power users create portlets through the portal UI • No need for programmers to write low-level functions for connections, security, data beans, etc. • Fast execution • Portlets use connectors to access application through application's own native interface. • UI flexibility • Look and feel of portlet can be customized. • Takes advantage of front-end integration portal technology like Click to Action • Improved usability and security • Makes use of portal credential vault. • People Awareness enabled
WPAI Architecture Tools Runtime RuntimePortlet PortletBuilder Common Adapter API SAPAdapter PeopleSoftAdapter SiebelAdapter RelationalAdapter SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
WPAI Portlet Builder Tools Runtime RuntimePortlet PortletBuilder Common Adapter API SAPAdapter PeopleSoftAdapter SiebelAdapter RelationalAdapter SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
WPAI – Portlet Builder • Portlet-based tool • One portlet builder per back-end • Relational Portlet Builder • Domino Portlet Builder • SAP Portlet Builder • Siebel Portlet Builder • PeopleSoft Portlet Builder • Allows power user to quickly build portlets that interact with back-end systems. • Allows basic customization of portlet such as field titles, field controls, ordering, etc. • Demo available at the WPAI Pedestal
WPAI Runtime Portlet Tooling Runtime RuntimePortlet PortletBuilder Common Adapter API SAPAdapter PeopleSoftAdapter SiebelAdapter RelationalAdapter SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
WPAI Runtime Portlet • Single runtime portlet for all back-ends • Portlet builder creates concrete instances of the single portlet. • Default template allows for Search -> List -> Update pattern • Portlet look and behavior is metadata driven. • Struts-based template. • Demo available at the WPAI Pedestal
WPAI Adapter API Tooling Runtime RuntimePortlet PortletBuilder Common Adapter API SAPAdapter PeopleSoftAdapter SiebelAdapter RelationalAdapter SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
WPAI Adapter API • Common data and metadata access API for all back-ends. • Portlet Builder and Portlet Runtime interact with back-ends through this API. • Allows runtime and builder to be back-end agnostic. • Follows Business Object pattern from WBI but it is proprietary.
WPAI Adapters Tooling Runtime RuntimePortlet PortletBuilder Common Adapter API SAPAdapter PeopleSoftAdapter SiebelAdapter RelationalAdapter SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
WPAI Adapters • One adapter per back-end • Have intimate knowledge of back-end API • For some back-ends, make use of JCA connectors for managing connection pooling. • Provide both metadata and data access to back-end. • JCA connectors packaged separately, each in their own RAR file.
Data Flow in WPAI Back-end Back-endAdapter PortletBuilder BO Metadata Native PortletDescription (XML) Native Data and Metadata BusinessObjectMetadata BusinessObject Data (BO API) PortletRuntime
Tools for building EIS Portlets WebSphere Portal Rational Application Developer PortletBuilder EIS Wizards PortletBuilder CustomPortlets Adapter Framework Adapter Framework Adapters Adapters
RAD for Databases & Other SDO Development – No Coding Required!
EIS Connectors with Rational Application Developer Runtime Tooling CustomPortlets RAD 6.x Command Mediator Framework SAPMediator PeopleSoftMediator SiebelMediator RelationalMediator SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
Command Mediator Framework Runtime Tools CustomPortlets RAD 6.x Command Mediator Framework SAPMediator PeopleSoftMediator SiebelMediator RelationalMediator SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
Command Mediator Framework • Provides a single interface to back-end data access. • Uses SDO as the format for back-end data and metadata. • Metadata is obtained by the discovery framework in the form of SDO objects. • Mediators can be instantiated from the metadata in order to access back-end data which is also in SDO format.
What is SDO? • Data representation format. • Data is presented as a DataGraph which is a graph of related DataObjects. • DataObjects contain a collection of attributes which can be of simple data type or lists of other DataObjects. • DataObjects are self-describing – provide information about their attributes and their types. • In addition to containing DataObjects, DataGraphs can provide a history of changes to their data. • Standard created jointly by IBM and BEA and submitted to the Java Community Process as JSR 235.
Command Mediator Framework APIs Discovery API DiscoveryAdapter MediatorMetadata Native Metadata Back-end SDO Format Mediator API Mediator Data (SDO) Native Data
Mediator API • DataGraph getParamDataGraph(); • DataGraph getDataGraph(DataGraph params); • DataGraph applyChanges(DataGraph main); • Execeptions handled through Fault DataGraph • API provides extended information about DataObjects such as • Primary Key, Read Only, Calculated • Fixed Choice (both static and dynamic) • Default values (both static and dynamic)
Mediator API getDataGraph Back-end Read PortletApplication MediatorInstance Update applyChanges
Mediators Runtime Tools CustomPortlets RAD 6.x Command Mediator Framework SAPMediator PeopleSoftMediator SiebelMediator RelationalMediator SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
Mediators • Mediator instances are created using mediator metadata (in SDO format) • Mediators work with each back-end in the back-end’s native API • Equivalent of adapters in original WPAI architecture. • Still make use of JCA connectors for connection management.
RAD EIS Wizards Runtime Tools CustomPortlets RAD 6.x Command Mediator Framework SAPMediator PeopleSoftMediator SiebelMediator RelationalMediator SAP PeopleSoft Siebel RelationalDB
RAD Development Flexibility • RAD compliments WPAI by providing extensible J2EE and Portal development tools • J2EE, Web Services, JSF and SDO code generation • Portlet development drag-n-drop ease-of-use • Portal Site Creation Tools Visually Customize Page Layout, Themes, and Skins • Enhanced Portal Server Test Environment streamlines testing • RAD JSF tools simplify J2EE, Web Services, Database, Portal and rich thin client development • RAD is a core part of IBM’s Software Development Platform, the Rational Unified Process of Development Disciplines and the WebSphere Software Platform • RAD is the follow-on to WSAD and directly based on that code-base
Rational Application Developer EIS Tooling • Provides back-end specific wizards to construct commands (mediator instances). • The commands, with their input and output Datagraphs appear on the Page Data View in the Web Perspective in RAD. • Command data can be bound to JSF-based UI components on a JSP page using drag and drop.
Building an EIS Portlet with RAD • Setup Portlet Project • Add back-end Data Source • Build portlet page(s) using Page Designer • Run Portlet
Summary • WPAI continues to enable easy portlet application development. • RAD complements WPAI with extensible J2EE, Web Services, JSF, SDO, Portal and Rational Lifecycle Development Tools