Chapter 1   Basic Connector Concepts


This chapter describes the three-tiered, web-based computing model. It also summarizes the main functions of the enterprise connectors which enables communication between the web-based end user and a remote Enterprise Information System (EIS) data source.

The chapter discusses the following:

• About Three-Tiered Computing

• About UIF

• Tuxedo Connector Architecture

• Enterprise Connector Tools for Tuxedo

About Three-Tiered Computing

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The three-tiered application model consists of a web-based client, an application server, and a backend data source, as shown in the following illustration.

In addition to the enterprise connector, communication between the application server and the backend EIS is facilitated by the Unified Integration Framework (UIF) of Application Programming Interfaces (API). This layer of functionality resides as an added layer to the iPlanet Application Server and enables data communication between diverse backend EISs to be implemented in a seamless and uniform manner.

About UIF

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The iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo uses the UIF module of the iPlanet Application Server to communicate with Tuxedo and a number of other EIS data sources. For example, PeopleSoft, CICS, and R/3 are also supported by the UIF APIs with more planned for the future.

The UIF provides generic functions like data pooling and user mapping for the enterprise connectors to use. An enterprise connector takes generic calls into this UIF provided functionality and translates it into native functions specific to a particular backend EIS.

A generic data repository is also provided by UIF, which is used to hold metadata parameters and other information about the connector system. For example, this metadata describes the physical connection between systems, the available data, and the methods used to process data.

Since backend systems are implemented differently, the details of each EIS implementation differ. For the Tuxedo Enterprise Connector the client controls function out-of-process and use workers and daemons.

Tuxedo Connector Architecture

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Besides the UIF module that provides connector independent core services, the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo includes its own API that you can use to access data, and an implementation of the UIF repository which you use to mine data and specific data access services that are used to drive the connector.

The iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo allows you to build interactive web-based eBusiness applications, as well as analytical applications for human resource management, financial, distribution, manufacturing, and supply chain management within an enterprise system. Specifically, the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo allows you to retrieve, display, and manipulate data within a connector transaction that is initiated by an Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) or servlet and is served by the iPlanet Application Server.

The iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo stores data that defines the services available to an iPlanet Application Server servlet or EJB from a Tuxedo system in the UIF repository. UIF repository data includes two types of metadata definitions:

• Connector types
  These define connector specific characteristics, including the kinds of operations that are available (function object types) and the kinds of logical connections that are supported (service provider types).

• Data sources
  These define the logical data source that specifies data and business functions available on a specific backend system.

A set of enterprise tools provides graphic user interfaces to help you manipulate the enterprise connector-enabled Tuxedo functionality as shown in the following illustration:

Enterprise Connector Tools for Tuxedo

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A set of tools are used for data mining, user mapping, and general configuration with iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo include the:

• UIF Repository Browser

• Tuxedo Management Console

• Tuxedo Mining Tool

  UIF Repository Browser	The UIF Repository Browser allows you to view the contents of the UIF repository and to import and export XML files. You can: import nodes and subtrees export XML files with all subtrees under a node delete nodes import root nodes
  Tuxedo Management Console	The Tuxedo Management Console allows you to browse or change the connector configuration, and to monitor the Tuxedo system status. Refer to the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo Administrator's Guide for details. The iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for Tuxedo can retrieve XML files from remote computers and save them into the UIF repository. You can also: convert data to XML create new data sources edit existing data sources
  Tuxedo Mining Tool	The Tuxedo Mining Tool, which is part of the Management Console, allows you to determine the available transactions on the Tuxedo system and to load this metadata into the UIF repository.