3 Using Services Gatekeeper with REST Services

This chapter describes how Oracle Communications Services Gatekeeper can be used with existing RESTFul Application Services.

Basic Concepts

Service providers may have existing third-party or proprietary applications or platforms that communicate using REST web services. Services Gatekeeper functionality can be integrated with existing applications that support REST interfaces by creating a RESTFul communication service.

Services Gatekeeper supports two types of RESTFul communication services. A REST2REST service exposes an existing REST API allowing communication between RESTFul interfaces. A REST Exposure or empty service is an application bound, network-facing service used when RESTFul requests are sent to a custom network implementation for translation and processing.

Services Gatekeeper mediates traffic between users and existing REST infrastructure allowing the application of service level agreements, policy enforcement, security, alarms and statistics for more control over communication services.

For more information on communication services, see Communication Service Guide.

About the Eclipse Wizard

The Eclipse wizard is a plug-in that enables an Eclipse user to create Services Gatekeeper communication services. The extension projects are created using wizards that customize the project depending on which type of extension is being developed.

The Eclipse wizard generates REST communication services from Web Application Description Language (WADL) files representing RESTFul web application services. Services Gatekeeper then uses the generated service to handle RESTFul communications between two platforms.

The Eclipse wizard is used to create both REST2REST and REST Exposure services.

For more information on using the Eclipse wizard see the configuration procedure in Platform Development Studio Developer's Guide.

Generating a REST2REST Communication Service

Generating a REST2REST communication service follows a similar process as other communication services. The Eclipse wizard is used to create a REST2REST communication service.

Generating a Communication Service Project

A REST2REST communication service project is based on a WADL file and a set of attributes given when you run the Communication Service Project wizard.

To generate a REST2REST communication service project:

1. In Eclipse, choose New Project from the File menu.

   This opens the New Project window.

2. Expand OCSG Platform Development Studio.

3. Select RESTFul Communication Service Project.

4. Click Next to proceed.

   You may cancel the wizard at any time by clicking Cancel. You may go back to a previous window by clicking Back.

5. Enter a Project Name and choose a location for your project.

6. Click Next to continue.

   The Define the RESTFul communication Service window is displayed.

7. Click the Add button for each WADL file that includes the service definition to be implemented by the new Communication Service.

8. Browse to the WADL file, select it, and click OK. To select all WADL files in a directory use *.wadl

9. For each WADL file that includes the callback service definition to be used by the new Communication Service in sending information to the service provider's application:

   Click the second Add button, browse the callback WADL file, select it and click OK.

10. Define the RESTful Communication Service Properties:

    • Company: Set your company name, to be used in META-INF/MANIFEST.MF.

    • Version: Set the version, to be used in META-INF/MANIFEST.MF.

    • Identifier: Create an identifier to tie together a collection of Web Services. Will be a part of the names of the generated war and jar files and the service type for the Communication Service:

      communication_service_identifier.war and communication service identifier_callback.jar

    • Service Type: Set the service type. Used in EDRs, statistics, etc. For example: Rest2RestXsi_Actions

    • Java Class Package Name: Set the package names to be used. For example: oracle.ocsg.rest2rest

    • Web Services Context path: Set the context path for the Web Service.For example: /xsi_actions

    • REST to REST: Check this box to generate a Rest2Rest Communication Service.

11. Click Finish to create the project.

Adding and Removing Plug-ins to a RESTFul Communication Service Project

For information on managing plug-ins in a RESTFul Communication Service Project see the discussion on adding and removing plug-ins in Platform Development Studio Developer's Guide.

Generating a REST Exposure Communication Service

Generating a REST Exposure communication service follows a similar process as REST2REST communication services. Use the Eclipse wizard to create a REST Exposure communication service.

To generate a REST Exposure communication service, follow the procedure in "Generating a Communication Service Project" without checking the REST to REST box. An empty plugin can be added to the REST Exposure service during communication service creation.