15 Configuring Listening Channels

A listening channel is used to send messages to Oracle B2B. A listening channel listens on an endpoint for messages. If a listening channel is marked as internal, then it can be used by any internal business application. If it is used as an external channel, then any trading partner can send a message to Oracle B2B using this channel.

This chapter contains the following topics:

Section 15.1, "Adding a Listening Channel and Protocol"
Section 15.2, "Using Transport Protocols"
Section 15.3, "Adding Listening Channel Details"
Section 15.4, "Configuring a Listening Channel"
Section 15.5, "Configuring Document Sequencing"

15.1 Adding a Listening Channel and Protocol

Listening channels are used globally. You do not need to select a listening delivery channel in an agreement. Listening channels are used for any trading partner to send inbound messages to Oracle B2B or for any back-end business application to send outbound messages to Oracle B2B.

When you add a listening channel, you also specify the protocol that the channel uses, as shown in Figure 15-1.

Figure 15-1 Adding a Protocol for a Listening Channel

Description of "Figure 15-1 Adding a Protocol for a Listening Channel"

By using a global listening channel, you can keep all messages in one directory from which Oracle B2B pulls. This approach is useful for File, FTP, and SFTP (SSH FTP) exchanges.

Table 15-1 describes the listening channel protocols supported by Oracle B2B.

Table 15-1 Listening Channel Protocols

Protocol	Description
AS1-1.0	Applicability Statement 1 (AS1) provides S/MIME and uses SMTP to transmit data using e-mail. Security, authentication, message integrity, and privacy are assured by the use of encryption and digital signatures. Use nonrepudiation to make it impossible for the intended recipient of a message to deny having received it. AS1 works with almost any type of data.
Generic File-1.0, Generic AQ-1.0, Generic FTP-1.0, Generic SFTP-1.0, Generic JMS-1.0, Generic Email-1.0	Using the Generic options, you can send messages with or without security. The Generic exchange protocol supports MIME and S/MIME, including S/MIME 3.0-based signing and encryption. There is no receipt acknowledgment support with the Generic protocols (the acknowledgment mode must be set to None).

15.2 Using Transport Protocols

The transport protocol used to send the message is determined by the listening channel you select, as shown in the Channel Details area in Figure 15-2.

Figure 15-2 Channel Details: The Transport Protocol

Description of "Figure 15-2 Channel Details: The Transport Protocol"

Table 15-2 describes the transport protocols available in Oracle B2B.

Table 15-2 Transport Protocols Available in Oracle B2B

Protocol	Description
Email	Use Email for AS1 and Email listening channels.
File	The File transport enables files to be picked up from a shared file directory.
AQ	Oracle AQ provides secure, bidirectional, asynchronous communication. The location of the application location is transparent, using any number of Oracle connectivity options, including OCI, JDBC, or PL/SQL. Both XML and non-XML message payloads are supported.
FTP	FTP enables files to be passed with FTP between applications. FTP runs on default port 21. To change to another port, provide the value in the Control Port field. To enable SSL, use the Channel Mask field. The default is None (no SSL).
SFTP	SFTP enables files to be passed using SSH FTP. SFTP runs on default port 22, which can be changed to another port. SFTP supports two modes of authentication, password authentication and public key authentication. To use password authentication, provide a password, which is used for authentication. To use public key authentication, provide the private key file location. You may also need to provide a pass phrase if the private key file is pass-phrase protected.
JMS	JMS enables applications to send and receive messages to and from the queues and topics administered by any Java Message Service (JMS) provider, including Oracle WebLogic JMS and non-Oracle providers such as MQSeries JMS (IBM). If a user name and password are not provided, the local JNDI is used, including in a clustered environment, provided that the destinations are distributed. Oracle B2B does not support `javax.jms.ObjectMessage`.

15.3 Adding Listening Channel Details

Listening channel details include transport protocol parameters, channel attributes, exchange protocol parameters, and security specifications.

15.3.1 Transport Protocol Parameters

A transport protocol defines the properties specific to a given use of a protocol endpoint. The transport is responsible for message delivery using the selected transport protocol, mode (synchronous or asynchronous), server, and protocol endpoint address (the trading partner address, such as a URI). Table 15-3 describes the transport protocol parameters and lists the protocols to which the parameters apply.

Table 15-3 Transport Protocol Parameters

Protocol/Parameter	Description	Protocol Used With
Archival Directory	B2B channels move the processed files to this directory. By default, it is a destructive read—processed files are deleted from the endpoint. In this case, files are moved to the path provided.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Cache Connections	If enabled, file listing and processing of the file occur in the same session (contrary to the default, in which listing and processing occur in different sessions).	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Channel mask	To enable SSL for FTP, enter one of the following: `Control`—Encrypts the control channel `Data`—Encrypts the data channel `Both`—Encrypts both the data and control channels The default is None (no SSL).	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Cipher suites	Sets of ciphers defined in SSL.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Connection factory	The JNDI location or Java class name for the connection factory, as in `jms/b2b/B2BQueueConnectionFactory`.	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Consumer	The client that receives the message.	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional)
Content type	The content type of the payload being sent over e-mail. The default content type is `text/plain`; other examples include `application/xml` and `application/edi`. This value is used only for the delivery channel (to send e-mail) and not for the listening channel. On the listening channel side, intelligence is built into the transport adapter to deal with different content types, so no configuration is required.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Control port	Provide a value to change the default FTP port value (21)	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Data port	For active FTP connections, use this option to configure the static/fixed data port of the FTP server.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Datasource	The JNDI name of the JDBC data source to access AQ queues.	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional)
Destination name	The JMS destination name.	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Destination Provider	Enables B2B to connect to JMS queues or topics available on remote servers. JNDI properties required to connected to the target server are expected as the value. Use `;` (semicolon) as the separator for each key/value pair.	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Email ID	The e-mail address to which messages are delivered (similar to specifying the path for a file channel or queues in AQ or JMS).	AS1-1.0 (required) Generic Email-1.0 (required)
Email Server	Select IMAP or POP3.	AS1-1.0 (required) Generic Email-1.0 (required)
Enable CCC	Enables B2B to authenticate in an SSL session and do the rest of the file transfer commands on a plain socket.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Enable Marker	If enabled, creates a zero-byte file with the same name as the source, indicating completion of reading or writing. The file carries the same name as the source, but with the extension `marker`.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)-1.0 Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Encoding	The encoding used in B2B to convert the contents of the inbound files.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Filename format^Foot 1	The following filename formats can be used: %FROM_PARTY% %TO_PARTY% %DOCTYPE_NAME% %DOCTYPE_REVISION% %MSG_ID% %TIMESTAMP% This filename format can be used for ebMS documents only: %ACTIONNAME% These formats can be used in any combination; for example, %TO_PARTY%_%DOCTYPE_NAME%_%DOCTYPE_REVISION%.dat produces something like `Acme_4010_850.dat`. Any file extension is allowed. See footnote below.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Folder	An absolute directory path is recommended.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Folder name	An absolute directory path is recommended.	Generic File-1.0 (required) Generic FTP-1.0 (required)
Host name	The trading partner's transport or e-mail server exchanging messages.	AS1-1.0 (required) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (required) Generic SFTP-1.0 (required) Generic Email-1.0 (required)
Is Binary	Treats the message as binary content, with no translation or validation. Agreements are identified based on the file naming convention.	This parameter is not available with Generic File-1.0, Generic FTP-1.0, and Generic SFTP-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for these protocols.
Is Map Payload Alone	Indicates that the payload is sent alone as part of a JMS message of type j`avax.jms.MapMessage`	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Is topic	Select to indicate that JMS is communicating with a topic (not a queue).	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Is Van Mailbox	If enabled, B2B treats the endpoint as a VAN Mailbox and operates accordingly.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Message type	Select a JMS messages type: BYTES, TEXT, or MAP.	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Minimum Age	Files arriving at the endpoint are processed after the time interval entered, in milliseconds.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Pass phrase and Confirm pass phrase	If you enter a private key file location, and if the private key file is pass-phrase protected, then enter the pass phrase.	Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Password and Confirm Password	To use password authentication, provide a key store password, which is used for authentication.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Path	The absolute directory path where messages are sent from or received.	Generic SFTP-1.0 (required)
Polling interval	The time interval in seconds during which Oracle B2B polls the server for inbound messages.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Port number	AQ runs on default port 1521. SFTP runs on default port 22, which can be changed to another port. FTP runs on default port 21, which is not displayed. See the description of Control Port for how to change this port number.	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (required)
Preserve Filename	Retains the file name.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Private key	To use public key authentication, provide the private key file location. You may also need to provide a pass phrase if the private key file is pass-phrase protected.	Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
Queue name	The AQ queue name.	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional)
Recipient	The value used when delivering a message to the AQ queue. For example, if you set the recipient to `testuser`, then the message can be consumed only by the consumer with the name `testuser` (in other words, the recipient is on the sending side and the consumer is on the listening side).	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional)
Send as attachment	If enabled, the message (payload) is sent as an e-mail attachment instead of the typical delivery in which the payload is the message body.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0 and Generic Email-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for these protocols.
SID	System ID to identify an Oracle database.	Generic AQ-1.0 (optional)
Subject	The subject header of the e-mail message.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0 and Generic Email-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for these protocols.
Subscriber ID	The JMS subscriber ID is required if JMS is communicating with a topic.	Generic JMS-1.0
Transfer Type	Select binary or ascii for the file transfer mode.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional)
Use JMS ID	Uses the JMS message ID as the B2B message ID. This facilitates correlation at the JMS level.	Generic JMS-1.0 (optional)
Use proxy	Select this option if a proxy server is used.	Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional)
User name	The user name (login name) to connect to the target servers. This value is optional for AQ and JMS because B2B can use the configured JNDI data sources to connect to queues.	AS1-1.0 (required) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (required) Generic SFTP-1.0 (required) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (required)

^Footnote 1In File/FTP channels, if the filename format is set then the directory name format is ignored.

15.3.2 Channel Attributes

The channel is the communication interface between the host trading partner's host application and its installation. Table 15-4 describes the channel attributes and lists the protocols to which the attributes apply.

Table 15-4 Channel Attributes

Protocol/Parameter	Description	Protocol Used With
Ack Mode	Select Sync, Async, or None for the mode in which the trading partner receives messages. Select None for all generic exchanges.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.
Description	Provide an optional description.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Enable/Disable Channel	The channel is the communication interface between the host trading partner's host application and its installation.	AS1-1.0 (required) Generic File-1.0 (required) Generic AQ-1.0 (required) Generic FTP-1.0 (required) Generic SFTP-1.0 (required) Generic JMS-1.0 (required) Generic Email-1.0 (Required)
Internal	Select this option if the channel is internal to the host trading partner's enterprise. This feature is disabled for AS1.	Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)
Response Mode	Select Sync, Async, or None,	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocols.
Retry Count	The number of times that Oracle B2B retries sending the message.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, Generic File-1.0, Generic AQ-1.0, Generic FTP-1.0, Generic SFTP-1.0, Generic JMS-1.0, and Generic Email-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for these protocols.
Retry Interval	The time interval in seconds during which Oracle B2B attempts to resend the message. A time interval of 2 minutes increments the HH:MM:SS timestamp as follows: If the sent timestamp is 3:42:58, then 42 minutes is incremented by 2 minutes and the retry is sent at 3:44:00. The seconds are dropped in the retry increment. Subsequent retries are at 2 minute intervals. For protocols with acknowledgments, B2B waits for the acknowledgment (formerly called the Time to Acknowledge parameter). If it is not received, the retry interval setting causes B2B to retry	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, Generic File-1.0, Generic AQ-1.0, Generic FTP-1.0, Generic SFTP-1.0, Generic JMS-1.0, and Generic Email-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for these protocols.
Transport Callout	For the inbound message, B2B invokes the transport callout immediately after it receives a message from the transport. For the outbound message, B2B invokes the transport callout immediately before it sends a message to the transport.	AS1-1.0 (optional) Generic File-1.0 (optional) Generic AQ-1.0 (optional) Generic FTP-1.0 (optional) Generic SFTP-1.0 (optional) Generic JMS-1.0 (optional) Generic Email-1.0 (optional)

15.3.3 Exchange Protocol Parameters

The exchange protocol defines the headers, acknowledgments, and packaging that puts the headers and payload together (the message exchange mechanism). The exchange protocol also defines signing and compression. Table 15-5 describes the exchange protocol parameters and lists the protocols to which the parameters apply.

Table 15-5 Exchange Protocol Parameters

Protocol/Parameter	Description	Protocol Used With
Signed and Compressed	If selected, the message is first signed, and then compressed. If not selected, the message is first compressed, and then signed.	AS1-1.0 (optional)

15.3.4 Security Parameters

Security parameters are not available for any of the protocols, although the B2B interface displays security parameters for the AS1-1.0 protocol, as described in Table 15-6.

Table 15-6 Security Parameters: Not Available for Listening Channel Protocols

Protocol/Parameter	Description	Protocol Used With
Ack Signed	Select this option to ensure that the responder acknowledges receipt of the messages; nothing needs to be provided.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.
Digital Signature	If Message Signed is selected, then select one of the following: SMIME 3.0 with MD5 - RSA SMIME 3.0 with SHA1 - RSA	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.
Encryption	If Message Encrypted is selected, then select one of the following: SMIME 3.0 with DES SMIME 3.0 with 3DES SMIME 3.0 with RC2 - 40 SMIME 3.0 with RC2 - 64 SMIME 3.0 with RC2 - 128	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.
Message Encrypted	Select this option to enable message encryption. This option requires you to select an encryption schema in the Encryption field.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.
Message Signed	Select this option to provide one of the digital signatures in the Digital Signature field.	This parameter is not available with AS1-1.0, although it appears in the B2B interface for this protocol.

15.4 Configuring a Listening Channel

To configure a listening channel, add a listening channel protocol, and then transport protocol parameters, channel attributes, exchange protocol parameters, and security parameters, depending on the channel protocol you selected.

To add a listening channel protocol:

Click the Administration link.
Click the Listening Channel tab.
Click Add.
Provide a name for the listening channel.
Select a protocol.

Figure 15-3 shows the list of protocols.

Figure 15-3 Adding a Listening Channel Protocol

Description of "Figure 15-3 Adding a Listening Channel Protocol"

See Table 15-1 for a description of the protocols.

The transport protocol that appears under Channel Details is based on your protocol selection in Step 5.
Click Save.

To add transport protocol parameters:

Click the Transport Protocol Parameters tab.
Provide transport protocol parameters, depending on the channel/transport protocols.

Table 15-3 describes the transport protocol parameters (listed in alphabetical order) and the protocols to which the parameters apply.
Click Save.

To add channel attributes:

Click the Channel Attributes tab.
Provide channel attributes, depending on the channel/transport protocols selected.

Table 15-4 describes the channel attributes (listed in alphabetical order) and the protocols to which the attributes apply.
Click Save.

To add exchange protocol parameters:

Click the Exchange Protocol Parameters tab.
Provide exchange protocol parameters, depending on the channel/transport protocols selected.

Table 15-5 describes the exchange protocol parameters (listed in alphabetical order) and the protocols to which the attributes apply.
Click Save.

15.5 Configuring Document Sequencing

There are two options available to enable document sequencing for an AQ or JMS Trading Partner-facing listening channel.

The Trading Partner can send messages with sequence target if inbound message sequencing is desired.
The host Trading Partner can enable the sequencing option in the AQ or JMS Trading Partner-facing listening channel to sequence inbound messages. In this case select the queue name as the sequence target.

Note that if both sequencing options are enabled then first option takes precedence.

For a full discussion of sequencing on Trading Partner channels see Section 5.5.2, "Message Sequencing."