WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.0.x
Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows
Learning about service integration buses
Use these topics to understand how you can use service integration
buses to allow applications to exchange messages:
Why and when to perform this task
Service integration buses
A service integration bus supports applications using message-based and service-oriented architectures. A bus is a group of one or more interconnected servers or server clusters that are members of the bus. Applications connect to a bus at one of the messaging engines associated with its bus members.
Bus members
The members of a service integration bus are application servers and server clusters that have been added as members of the bus. A messaging engine is created for a bus member when it is added, which can be used to transfer messages to and from the bus. Members of a bus are seen as one logical unit when transferring messages.
Messaging engines
A messaging engine is a server component that provides the core messaging function of a service integration bus. A messaging engine manages bus resources and allows applications to communicate with the bus.
Bus destinations
A bus destination is a virtual location within a service integration bus, to which applications attach as producers, consumers, or both to exchange messages.
Message reliability levels
Messages have a quality of service attribute that you can use to specify how reliable message delivery will be. When configuring reliability levels you must take your system requirements into account, for example, you can set assured delivery if you want messages to be delivered under any circumstances, and you can specify how the system will handle a large amount of transactions.
Message ordering
Messages produced by a single producer to a single destination will be seen by a consumer in that destination in the same order as they were produced. However, certain events, such as system failures, can disrupt this order. Message ordering allows you to prevent this order being changed.
Bus topologies
You can connect buses in different ways depending on your requirements. For example, you can link messaging engines to distribute message workload, and to provide system availability in the event of system failure.
Security considerations for service integration buses
There are a number of considerations that apply to service integration buses. Messaging security ensures that users are authenticated, resources are protected by security checks and messages are secure when they are in transit.
Custom properties
Custom properties are used to set internal system configuration properties.
Dynamic reloading of configuration files
With dynamic reloading of configuration files, any updates to the configuration information are dynamically passed to the server, and therefore made available to messaging engines whether or not they are started.