GlassFish Java EE Service Engine

GlassFish Server 3.1 provides the GlassFish Java EE Service Engine, a JSR 208 compliant Java Business Integration (JBI) runtime component that connects Java EE web services to JBI components. The Java EE Service Engine is installed as an add-on component using the Update Tool. Look for the JBI component named Java EE Service Engine. A JBI runtime is not installed with or integrated into GlassFish Server 3.1 and must be obtained separately. For more information about using the Update Tool to obtain the Java EE Service Engine and other add-on components, see Update Tool in Oracle GlassFish Server 3.1 Administration Guide.

The Java EE Service Engine acts as a bridge between the Java EE and JBI runtime environments for web service providers and web service consumers. The Java EE Service Engine provides better performance than a SOAP over HTTP binding component due to in-process communication between components and additional protocols provided by JBI binding components such as JMS, SMTP, and File.

The JSR 208 specification allows transactions to be propagated to other components using a message exchange property specified in the JTA_TRANSACTION_PROPERTY_NAME field. The Java EE Service Engine uses this property to set and get a transaction object from the JBI message exchange. It then uses the transaction object to take part in a transaction. This means a Java EE application or module can take part in a transaction started by a JBI application. Conversely, a JBI application can take part in a transaction started by a Java EE application or module.

Similarly, the JSR 208 specification allows a security subject to be propagated as a message exchange property named javax.jbi.security.subject. Thus a security subject can be propagated from a Java EE application or module to a JBI application or the reverse.

To deploy a Java EE application or module as a JBI service unit, use the asadmin deploy command, or autodeployment. For more information about the asadmin deploy command, see the Oracle GlassFish Server 3.1-3.1.1 Reference Manual. For more information about autodeployment, see To Deploy an Application or Module Automatically in Oracle GlassFish Server 3.1 Application Deployment Guide.

Using the jbi.xml File

Section 6.3.1 of the JSR 208 specification describes the jbi.xml file. This is a deployment descriptor, located in the META-INF directory. To deploy a Java EE application or module as a JBI service unit, you need only specify a small subset of elements in the jbi.xml file. Here is an example provider:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<jbi version="1.0" xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/jbi" xmlns:ns0="http://ejbws.jbi.misc/">
  <services binding-component="false">
    <provides endpoint-name="MiscPort" interface-name="ns0:Misc" service-name="ns0:MiscService"/>
  </services>
</jbi>

Here is an example consumer:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<jbi version="1.0" xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/jbi" xmlns:ns0="http://message.hello.jbi/">
  <services binding-component="false">
    <consumes endpoint-name="MsgPort" interface-name="ns0:Msg" service-name="ns0:MsgService"/>
  </services>
</jbi>

The Java EE Service Engine enables the endpoints described in the provides section of the jbi.xml file in the JBI runtime. Similarly, the Java EE Service Engine routes invocations of the endpoints described in the consumes section from the Java EE web service consumer to the JBI runtime.