Bookshelf v7.5: Business Services

Business services execute actions. Business services can be executed within a workflow process, or stand-alone. The business services within the VCML connector are usually executed from a workflow process. Examples of business services are the FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager, EAI Siebel Adapter, and FINS VCML XML Converter.

Siebel business services act on property sets passed to them. They perform business logic operations such as interfacing with a database, interfacing to VCML-based systems, or transforming one integration object into another.

Business services have object-like qualities, such as methods, method arguments, and user properties. These elements define how a business service can be used. Although business services can be used to perform many different functions, they all have a standard interface.

Siebel Systems provides many business services, and you can create your own in Siebel Tools using the provided scripting extensions. This guide describes those business services used to interface to VCML-based systems.

NOTE: For more information on business services in general, see Integration Platform Technologies: Siebel eBusiness Application Integration Volume II.

Table 3 lists the business services included in the Siebel Financial Services application.

Table 3. Business Services in the Siebel Financial Services Application
Business Service Name	Purpose
FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager	Wraps the existing EAI Siebel Adapter business service to allow it to process a single XML document with multiple body messages.
FINS VCML XML DTE	Wraps the existing EAI Data Transformation Engine business service to allow it to process a single XML document with multiple body messages.
FINS VCML XML Converter	Merges the message integration object with the envelope integration object into a single integration object instance.
FINS VCML XML Dispatcher	Reads the incoming Siebel integration object and prepares it for further processing by tagging specific integration components and fields.
FINS VCML Wizard Service	Reads VCML DTD files and generates external integration objects matching VCML format. Optionally, creates internal integration objects based on Siebel business objects.

NOTE: For more information on business services in general, read Integration Platform Technologies: Siebel eBusiness Application Integration Volume II.

FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager

The FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service is responsible for retrieving data from or updating data in a Siebel Financial Services application. It may invoke the EAI Siebel Adapter or another business service configured in its user properties. It is an adapter that resides logically between the Siebel Object Manager and the rest of the connector. It executes operations specified in an XML message instance as Siebel Database transactions.

The FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service translates XML command elements into EAI Siebel Adapter actions. It either carries out the action or finds another business service to carry out the action.

The FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service combines return results into a single property set. A property set is an intermediate data store that can be used in subsequent operations within the connector.

For inbound processing, the FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service accepts a VCML XML property set, which may contain multiple integration object instances for multiple transactions. It pairs each individual transaction request with an integration object instance and invokes methods in the EAI Siebel Adapter. For outbound processing, the FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service pairs a transaction request with an integration object instance and sends an VCML XML property set to the DTE.

FINS VCML XML Data Transformation Engine (DTE)

The FINS VCML XML DTE transforms property sets in a Siebel internal integration hierarchy to an external integration object hierarchy, and the opposite. This function allows the FINS VCML XML Converter business service to exchange data between two systems with different data models. The transformation map is defined at run time from Siebel Administration views.

This business service is a wrapper around the existing EAI Data Transformation Engine business service. It enhances the existing service by providing the ability to transform multiple integration object instances.

For inbound processing, the DTE accepts a property set from the FINS VCML XML Converter business service and transforms it into a property set to be used by the FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service. The incoming property set is made up of one or more external integration object instances. If there are multiple instances, the DTE parses them into individual instances and transforms them. The DTE then packages the returned transformed instances as an output property set as internal integration object instances.

For outbound processing, the DTE accepts a property set from the FINS VCML XML Transaction Manager business service and transforms it into a property set to be used by the converter. The outgoing property set is made up of one or more internal integration object instances. The DTE then packages the returned transformed instances as an output property consisting of one or more external integration object instances.

NOTE: For details on Siebel Data Mapper, see Integration Platform Technologies: Siebel eBusiness Application Integration Volume II.

FINS VCML XML Converter

The FINS VCML XML Converter business service is used in two scenarios— outbound processing and inbound processing. In outbound processing, the FINS VCML XML Converter business service combines the VCML envelope with the VCML message and handles authentication with external systems. In inbound processing, the FINS VCML XML Converter business service receives hierarchy input and converts it into a property set.

FINS VCML XML Dispatcher

The FINS VCML XML Dispatcher handles inbound XML hierarchy instances. It tags the incoming XML hierarchy with the necessary information for subsequent modules to perform their operations, such as the integration objects to be used.

The dispatcher receives incoming messages and parses them into header and envelope sections. It also analyzes incoming message body sections, traversing the hierarchy looking for multiple commands in a single VCML document. Using the dispatcher map, the dispatcher tags each part of the message body with the appropriate external integration object name for the FINS VCML XML Converter business service. It also tags the message with the DTE map name for the FINS VCML XML DTE.

FINS VCML Wizard Service

You can use the FINS VCML Wizard Service to build integration objects for the Financial Services Connector for VCML. The wizard guides you through the process of selecting objects (from the Siebel repository or from an external system) on which you can base your new Siebel integration object. The wizard builds a list of valid components from which you choose the specific components to be included in your Siebel integration objects.