Migrating Applications to the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API

 

The following sections describe how to migrate applications from the C-Enabler API (for WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01) to the Messaging API (for WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0):

• Introduction

• Importing XOCP Applications

• Updating the Terminology

• Supporting the WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.0.1 C-Enabler API

• WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.0.1 C-Enabler API Implementation

 

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Introduction

Note: If you are migrating a Java messaging application that was written using the WebLogic Collaborate C-Enabler API to WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, the migrated application must be run in a separate JVM in nonpersistent mode.

XOCP is the default protocol used by WebLogic Collaborate for exchanging business messages. In WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01, XOCP messaging applications were written using the public XOCP C-Enabler application program interface (API). A message was packaged in an XOCP message envelope and associated with various message headers that specified how to deliver and process the message. In WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, the c-enabler and c-hub entities have been integrated. The integrated product is known simply as WebLogic Collaborate.

The WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API now supports the C-Enabler functionality, but continues to reflect the C-Enabler API run-time terminology so that XOCP applications developed using previous versions of the software will continue to work without additional customization.

The WebLogic Process Integrator Studio gives developers a seamless, reliable method of defining and managing the messaging protocols used during WebLogic Collaborate business message exchanges. As a result, programming requirements can be reduced considerably. However, the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API is provided for developers who want to maintain their installations using a Java program as the interface. See Programming BEA WebLogic Collaborate Messaging Applications.

WebLogic Collaborate uses the XOCP protocol to manage distributed business processes that are being passed back and forth in conversations between trading partners. When appropriately configured, a WebLogic Collaborate installation verifies business roles and security, providing a central management point for the collaborative conversations that are taking place.

When a business process initiates a specific task (for example, issuing a request for a quote), a central management point is created for the collaborative conversations between the trading partners, and business roles and security are verified before a message exchange takes place.

 

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Importing XOCP Applications

The WebLogic Collaborate C-Enabler API does not support the new functionality available in WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0. However, the C-Enabler terminology has been mapped to WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0 functions, and XOCP functions continue to be available from the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API. For a complete terminology mapping, see the table titled Terminology Mappings from WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.01 to WebLogic Collaborate 2.0 in the following section.

The WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API updates the C-Enabler API primarily in the following areas:

• C-enabler configuration

• Conversation management

• JavaDoc

XOCP applications that are being migrated to WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0 must have:

• Database support

• All collaboration agreements defined in the repository

 

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Updating the Terminology

Understanding the new terminology used in WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0 is important when mapping the functionality in WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01 XOCP applications for migration purposes. The configuration characteristics of your WebLogic Collaborate installation will determine whether functionality previously associated with the c-enabler or the c-hub is invoked. The following table summarizes how the functionality is mapped.

Table 3-1 Terminology Mappings from WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.01 to WebLogic Collaborate 2.0

1.0 and 1.01 Term	2.0 Term	Definitions
Attachment	Attachment	Non XML payload part of a business message, for example, a GIF file.
Business Document	Business Document	XML-based payload part of the business message.
Business Message	Business Message	A multi part MIME message, consisting of one or more payload parts. A part can be an XML document (a Business Document) or non XML file (an Attachment).
Business Protocol Definition	Business Protocol Definition	The definition of a business transaction protocol, for example, Name=XOCP.
Collaborator	Trading Partner Session	In WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01, a collaborator is a trading partner that participates in a single c-space (delivery channel). In WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, a trading partner session is created to communicate with each trading partner, and its scope is bounded by a delivery channel.
Conversation	Conversation	A series of message exchanges between trading partners.
Conversation Definition	Conversation Definition	A set of roles and document definitions, for example, a purchase order.
Conversation Type	Not applicable	There is no corresponding term for conversation type in WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0. In WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01, conversation type defined a conversation for a trading partner. It consisted of the following properties: Conversation name (for example, purchase order) Version Role of a trading partner in that conversation (for example, buyer or seller)
C-Space	Delivery Channel	A grouping of Trading Partner, Subscription, and Business Protocol.
C-enabler Node	Spoke	A trading partner communicates with others with the help of a hub (intermediary).
C-enabler API	WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API	XOCP applications that used the C-enabler API can be migrated to use the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API. The C-enabler API was the interface between the XOCP application and WebLogic Collaborate AT run time. This API was used, for example, to start c-enabler sessions, create and participate in conversations, and send and receive business messages.
C-enabler Session	Trading Partner Session	In WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01, a c-enabler session is a logical session between a c-enabler node and one c-hub for one particular c-space. In WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, a trading partner session occurs in the delivery channel.
C-hub	Intermediary	A hub is a WebLogic Server running a set of shared services. For example: Repository Administration Conversation coordination, message routing, and mediation
Message	Message	A data entity that is used to communicate between hubs and spokes. It is a multi part MIME message.
Role	Role	Each conversation has two or more roles, for example, buyer and seller. A role is defined in terms of the documents that can be sent or received by a collaborator who has assumed that role in the conversation.
Send(Publish)-Side filter	Send(Publish)-Side filter	When sending a document, this filter (X-Path) is specified by an application to determine the list of recipient trading partners. For example: //trading partner[@name= "Bea"
Trading Partner	Trading Partner	A representation of an entity, such as a company, that wants to participate in one or more delivery channels.

 

 

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Supporting the WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.0.1 C-Enabler API

In WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, the configuration of a trading partner is predefined and entered in the system using the Administration Console. The trading partner retrieves a collaboration agreement from the WebLogic Collaborate repository.

To support migration to WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, a WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 or 1.01 C-Enabler application must have existing database support, and all of its trading partner collaboration agreements must be pre defined in the repository. In order to collaborate in business transactions using the XOCP protocol, the application must be aligned with the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API to achieve as much backward compatibility as possible. Changes are required in the following areas in order for the existing XOCP applications to migrate to the WebLogic Collaborate Messaging API:

• C-enabler configuration

• Repository

C-Enabler Configuration

In WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01, the c-enabler configuration is retrieved from an XML file that defines the following variables:

• session name

• c-space name—Name of the intermediary delivery channel in the collaboration agreement.

• hub-url—One or more endpoint URLs of the intermediary delivery channel.

• enabler-url—One or more endpoint URLs of the spoke delivery channel.

• security-info—Security information in the document exchange elements of the delivery channels of both the spoke and the intermediary.

  • trading partner name

  • certificate

  • role

Then the c-enabler creates (or participates in) and manages the conversations with other trading partners.

In WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, the identification and configuration of a trading partner is predefined and entered in the system using the Administration Console. The trading partner retrieves its collaboration agreement from the WebLogic Collaborate repository.

Repository

Existing XOCP applications will work with the WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0 repository with only one change: WebLogic Collaborate must have a repository, and all the trading partner collaboration agreements used by the XOCP applications must be predefined in the repository. To migrate WebLogic Collaborate Release 1.0 or 1.01 data repository to WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0, use the Bulk Migrator utility described in Migrating the Repository.

 

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WebLogic Collaborate 1.0 and 1.0.1 C-Enabler API Implementation

This section lists the WebLogic Collaborate Releases 1.0 and 1.01 public API packages, interfaces, and classes that must be reintegrated in the WebLogic Collaborate Release 2.0 run-time implementation in order to migrate XOCP applications.

Packages

com.bea.b2b
com.bea.b2b.enabler
com.bea.b2b.enabler.xocp
com.bea.b2b.protocol
com.bea.b2b.protocol.conversation
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.conversation.local
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.messaging

Interfaces

com.bea.b2b.EnablerSession
com.bea.b2b.enabler.xocp.XOCPEnablerSession
com.bea.b2b.protocol.PlugIn
com.bea.b2b.protocol.conversation.State
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.Message
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.PayloadPart
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.conversation.local.Conversation
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.conversation.local.ConversationHandler

Classes

com.bea.b2b.enabler Enabler
com.bea.b2b.protocol.conversation.ConversationType
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.Attachment
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.BusinessDocument
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.DeliveryStatus
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.MessageBase
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.MessageEnvelope
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.MessageToken
com.bea.b2b.protocol.messaging.MiniParser
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.messaging.Ping
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.messaging.QualityOfService
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.messaging.XOCPMessage
com.bea.b2b.protocol.xocp.messaging.XOCPMessageToken