Service Facade to WebSphere MQ: request-response pattern

Use the Service Facade to WebSphere MQ: request-response pattern to provide a web service facade to functions that are accessible only through WebSphere MQ. This pattern creates a bridge between the synchronous HTTP protocol, which is typically used with web services, and existing applications with WebSphere MQ interfaces that cannot easily be upgraded.

Use this pattern where provider applications provide an XML interface and client applications support calls to web services. The pattern can be extended with transforms to support a service facade to applications with non-XML interfaces over WebSphere MQ.

Solution

The solution is to implement a message flow that provides a service entry point. When a service request is received, the reply identifier is stored on an internal queue and the request is forwarded to the provider application. When the response is received from the provider application, the reply identifier is recovered and a web services reply, which contains the provider response, is returned to the requesting application.

A diagram showing the behavior of the pattern. Applications send service requests to the broker that fulfills these requests by using functions which do not provide a service interface.
Request flow
Response flow
Request Processing subflow
Error subflow
Log subflow
Tasks to complete before applying the pattern
Resources to get you started with the pattern
Parameters for the pattern
Tasks to complete after generating the pattern