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Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Architecture

This chapter provides a high-level overview of the capabilities provided by the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect architecture.

This chapter contains these topics:

• Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Architecture Overview

• Designing the Integration: Overview

• Storing the Integration in the Design-Time Repository: Overview

• Deploying the Integration to the Runtime Repository: Overview

• Storing the Integration in the Runtime Repository: Overview

• Executing Runtime System Components: Overview

• Executing the Adapter Framework: Overview

• Managing the Integration: Overview

• Create Integration Reports: Overview

• Chapter Summary

  See Also: Chapter 3, "Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Concepts" for details on the terms used in this chapter

Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Architecture Overview

Figure 4-1 provides an overview of the key Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect components that enable an integration. A key Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect architecture feature is that it separates design time modeling metadata from runtime modeling metadata and instance data. This separation enables you to work on modifications to integrations while the previous definitions are part of a deployed configuration. A separate runtime repository also allows for administration and optimization of runtime schema based on your business needs. (for example, the volume of data, business activity monitoring, and so on).

The components in Figure 4-1 are sequentially numbered to indicate the order in which they are typically used, starting with the design of an integration between parties and continuing through to the administration of a deployed, actively running integration.

Figure 4-1 Key Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Components

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Table 4-1 describes the high-level functions of each component shown in Figure 4-1 and provides references for more details.

Table 4-1  Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Component Overview

Key	Component	Function	See Also...
1	Design tool	Use the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool to design modeling metadata and profile data without writing a single line of code: Modeling metadata Create the interactions, business process, datatypes, event types, transformations, role types, and condition expressions Profile data Create applications, add application adapters and delivery channels, and create application agreements between applications Create host and remote trading partner identification, organization, cooperation (collaboration), security, delivery, and endpoint data Create remote trading partners and trading partner agreements between the host (the organization in which Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect is installed) and remote trading partners	"Designing the Integration: Overview"
2	Design-time repository	Stores the integration created at design time.	"Storing the Integration in the Design-Time Repository: Overview"
3	Deployment tool	Use the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool to perform the following tasks: Create a configuration for the integration. During creation, all modeling metadata and profile data of the integration are validated end-to-end a final time to ensure that only a complete and consistent integration is deployed to the runtime repository. Deploy the validated configuration from the design-time repository to the runtime repository	"Deploying the Integration to the Runtime Repository: Overview"
4	Runtime repository	Stores the validated configuration required to execute an integration, as well as the event instances, role instances, business process instance, and all other data created at runtime. Enables you to administer and optimize an integration separate from design time.	"Storing the Integration in the Runtime Repository: Overview"
5	Runtime system	Retrieves the configuration from the runtime repository that is required to execute the integration and creates instance data that can later be used for business activity monitoring.	"Executing Runtime System Components: Overview"
6	Adapter framework (and adapters)	Provides a uniform interface for a variety of application adapters to exchange events with applications and trading partners integrated with Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect. This enables many types of applications with their own data formats and interfaces to communicate with Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect.	Executing the Adapter Framework: Overview
7	Administration and report tool	Enables you to monitor and administer an integration, and generate integration reports with the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool.	"Managing the Integration: Overview" "Create Integration Reports: Overview"

See Also: Chapter 3, "Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Concepts" "Managing and Monitoring a Middle-Tier Instance from Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Server Control" for instructions on managing the adapter framework "Managing the Adapter Framework Instance"

Designing the Integration: Overview

The Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool provides a flexibility that does not require you to complete all modeling metadata and profile data tasks at the same time or in a completely sequential order. For example, you can complete all modeling metadata tasks and store the metadata for later use. Or, you can complete a portion of your modeling metadata tasks and complete the remaining tasks later. The same approach can be used when performing profile data tasks. Design tasks consist of two types:

• Modeling metadata design tasks

• Profile data design tasks

  See Also: "Modeling Metadata Design" for details on modeling metadata concepts "Profile Data Design" for details on profile data concepts "Modeling Tab Overview" for a list of modeling tasks "Profiles Tab Overview" for a list of profile tasks

Storing the Integration in the Design-Time Repository: Overview

As you design an integration, the modeling metadata and profile data are stored in the design-time repository. In addition, modeling metadata and profile data that is only partially designed is also stored in the repository. You can later complete the design when you know all the required data.

This modeling metadata and profile data describes the behavior of the integration and the steps that must be sequenced to execute a business process. This modeling metadata and profile data is a design of a specific integration before deployment and execution.

Integration modeling metadata and profile data stored in the design-time repository can also be reused in multiple integrations, thus eliminating duplication of effort in designing an integration.

Deploying the Integration to the Runtime Repository: Overview

You can use the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool to deploy an integration. Deployment is a two-step process:

• Create a configuration of the integration. During configuration creation, all integration modeling metadata and profile data is validated end-to-end to ensure that only correct and complete modeling metadata and profile data appears in the runtime repository. For example, if you have designed all modeling metadata and profile data except for the transformation binding role, you are notified that this portion of the design is missing. If validation of a configuration fails, configuration creation is terminated.

• Deploy the configuration from the design-time repository to the runtime repository. This results in the creation of the necessary metadata in the runtime repository for the runtime system to execute the integration.

  See Also: "Create and Deploy a Configuration" for concepts "Deployment Tab Overview" for a list of deployment tasks Chapter 16, "Creating and Deploying a Configuration" for instructions on creating and deploying a configuration

Storing the Integration in the Runtime Repository: Overview

After a configuration is deployed, the runtime repository stores the configuration of modeling metadata and profile data required to execute an integration, as well as the event instances, role instances, business process instance, and all other data created at runtime. This includes:

• Trading partner profiles, parties, and agreements

• A comprehensive view of the business process status, providing a single point where the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool can find modeling metadata and profile data

• Event type instances, role type instances, a business process instance, and all other data created at runtime

Components that use the runtime repository include:

• The runtime system (through use of the integration manager) to execute the integration metadata

• The adapter framework for data transfers between parties

• The B2B adapter to customize the RosettaNet B2B protocol standard

• Status tools for monitoring performance

• Administration tools to change values in the runtime configuration, such as parameters settings for logging levels, security, number of role threads, trading partner properties, and so on

• Report tools for gathering business intelligence data created by the runtime repository

The runtime repository provides the following additional features:

• Performance optimization capabilities

  For example, if you use a single pass-through step in each role running from the native role to the business role, you can use a single role thread instead of five role threads for processing.

• Persistent state management

  Runtime data is persistent and transactionally stored

• History

  Logging, auditing, and tracking history for runtime operations

  See Also: "Executing the Adapter Framework: Overview" "Managing the Integration: Overview" "Create Integration Reports: Overview"

Executing Runtime System Components: Overview

The runtime system retrieves the configuration with its modeling metadata and profile data from the runtime repository and accesses and stores runtime instance data within it. The runtime system includes two major subcomponents:

• An integration manager

  Coordinates the various integration processes and invokes a set of services in the execution of an integration. This enables tasks essential to a deployed configuration to be performed, such as enabling events to be created, role instances to be initiated, translations to be performed, and transformations to be performed.

• An adapter framework

  Communicates between the runtime system and various adapters of parties to send and receive data in the form of native events. The adapter framework picks up outbound native events processed by the runtime system and delivers them to appropriate adapters. In addition, the adapter framework raises inbound native events initiated by adapters.

The runtime system executes the following integration processes and components:

• Business process of the integration

• Application adapters to transfer data between applications

• The B2B adapter, if the integration is using the RosettaNet B2B protocol standard

  See Also: "Executing the Adapter Framework: Overview" for a detailed description of the adapter framework Chapter 18, "System Management with Oracle Enterprise Manager" for integration manager and adapter framework management tasks

Executing the Adapter Framework: Overview

Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect provides a series of adapters that enable technology and third party applications with their own data formats and interfaces to communicate and take part in integrations. The adapter framework communicates between the runtime system and various adapters to perform the following tasks:

• Pick up outbound native events processed by the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect runtime system and deliver them to appropriate adapters built in accordance with the J2EE Connector Architecture (JCA) 1.0 specification.

• Raise inbound native events initiated by applications participating in the integration and still in native format. Inbound events pass through adapters that deliver to the adapter framework the details required to identify and raise appropriate native events.

You can also specify that all or a specific group of applications use an adapter framework instance. This is useful for load balancing. For example, single integration manager and adapter framework instances can communicate with multiple Oracle Database adapters. Each adapter also communicates with a specific database. By separating the adapter framework from the integration manager and the adapters, Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect enables you to load balance requests across different adapter instances and integration manager instances for scalability.

Figure 4-2 provides a high-level overview of the adapter framework communicating between the runtime system and the B2B adapter in an integration between enterprises.

Figure 4-2 Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect Technology Adapter Overview

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See Also: http://java.sun.com/j2ee/connector for additional details on JCA standards

Managing the Integration: Overview

Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect enables you to manage, improve performance, and troubleshoot various aspects of your integrations with two different tools:

• Oracle Enterprise Manager System Administration

  These are administration tasks that are systemwide such as configuring an integration manager or adapter framework instance, starting up or shutting down the integration manager, or setting configuration parameters. These tasks are performed from within Oracle Enterprise Manager.

• Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect User Interface Tool Administration

  These are administration tasks associated with specific integrations, such as adding adapters, updating the adapter framework to work with only specific applications to improve performance, exporting and importing the contents of the design time repository, and other details specific to a particular integration.

Oracle Enterprise Manager System Administration

You can monitor and administer integrations from the Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Server Control. The Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Server Control enables you to perform the following local monitoring and administration tasks:

• Start and stop the integration manager, adapter framework, and Oracle Application Server Containers for J2EE (OC4J) components as required for maintenance

• View the current running status (started or stopped) and memory and CPU consumption for the integration manager, adapter framework, and OC4J

• View and edit the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect configuration parameters to improve and troubleshoot performance

• View graphics describing integration manager and adapter framework performance

• View integration manager and adapter framework log files to identify problem areas

• Access the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool for designing and deploying integrations

  See Also: Chapter 18, "System Management with Oracle Enterprise Manager" Chapter 19, "Performance Tuning" Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect online Help included in Oracle Enterprise Manager for configuration parameter settings

Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect User Interface Tool Administration

The Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool enables you to perform various administration tasks. For example, you can:

• Export and import an integration to and from another Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect design repository

• View installed adapters, supported business protocols, collaborations, digital envelopes, and digital signatures

• Administer application types, contact types, native formats, translators, and trading partner identification types

  See Also: "Administration Tab Overview" for a list of administration tasks Chapter 17, "Administering Integrations with the User Interface Tool" for additional details and descriptions of the features you can administer

Create Integration Reports: Overview

You can use the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect user interface tool for complete business activity monitoring of an integration. This enables you to create the following types of reports:

• Process Monitoring Reports

  Process monitoring reports monitor the current state of an integration object (for example, an event instance).

• Activity Monitoring Reports

  Activity monitoring reports analyze specific business activities across integration objects (for example, the total number of event instances sent by a specific party during this quarter).

• Process Optimization Reports

  Process optimization reports monitor business process efficiency (for example, the response time for orders placed by a specific party during the last month).

  See Also: "Reports Tab Overview" for a list of report tasks Chapter 23, "Creating Reports"

Chapter Summary

This chapter provides an overview of the Oracle Application Server ProcessConnect architecture through the following integration cycle:

• Design and storage of modeling metadata and profile data in the design-time repository

• Creation and deployment of a configuration of validated modeling metadata and profile data

• Storage of the deployed configuration in the runtime repository

• Execution of the deployed configuration in the runtime system

• Administration and monitoring of the deployed configuration