WebSphere Application Server Version 6.1 Feature Pack for Web Services
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Web services scenario: Static inquiry on supplier

In this scenario, an online supply retailer turns an application into a Web service for checking the inventory of its main supplier.

Plants by WebSphere is an Internet storefront that sells plants and gardening supplies. The company realizes that its existing Web application can be "wrapped" with Web services programming interfaces. For example, the BackOrderStock session bean can be turned into a SOAP Web services client that interacts with a Supplier Web services application located at the supplier. Specifically, the BackOrderStock session bean functionality is turned into a Web services for Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) client and a Java API for XML-based remote procedure call (JAX-RPC) client.

Scenario involving static inquiry on supplier
New or updated for this feature pack Supported configurations: The Feature Pack for Web Services does not support Java Message Service (JMS) transports or enterprise beans. This product only supports an HTTP transport and hosting JavaBeans endpoints within the Web container for JAX-WS Web services applications. To develop enterprise beans hosted as Web services, you must use the JAX-RPC programming model. This product does allow JAX-WS clients to issue requests from any of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) containers along with the client Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) environment.sptcfg

Plants by WebSphere could support JavaBeans endpoints within the Web container by installing the Feature Pack for Web Services on top of the V6.1 product. The Feature Pack for Web Services is based on a new programming model called Java API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS). JAX-RPC client applications and JAX-WS client applications can be used in the same module.

Installing the Feature Pack for Web Services release not only supports JavaBeans endpoints, but a wealth of other new specifications, standards and components that simplify Web services development and implementation. For a complete list of supported and non-supported application-level features, see "What is new in the Version 6.1 Feature Pack for Web Services." For a complete list of specifications and standards that are supported, see the topic "Specifications and API documentation."

The Feature Pack for Web Services product makes it easy to configure and reuse configurations, so you can seamlessly incorporate new Web services profiles. And, the new standards support interoperable and reliable Web services applications. The online retailer can send messages asynchronously, which means that the messages can communicate reliably even if one of the parties is temporarily offline, busy, or not available. By using these new technologies, the online retailer can be confident that its communication is reliable and reaches its destination while interoperating with other vendors.

How out of stock items are handled

The following events happen when a customer on the Plants by WebSphere site orders an item that is not available according to the Plants by WebSphere inventory:
  1. Plants by WebSphere checks its own inventory.

    The application powering the Web site checks the Plants by WebSphere inventory database. It discovers that the item is not in stock.

  2. Plants by WebSphere uses a Web service to check the supplier inventory.

    The application invokes a SOAP client that communicates with a SOAP server at the supplier site to ascertain whether the supplier has the item in stock. The supplier data is sent to Plants by WebSphere.

  3. Plants by WebSphere either obtains the out of stock item, or does not.

    If the supplier indicates that the item is in stock, the application powering Plants by WebSphere determines whether to order the item on behalf of the customer. The exchange of data can include checking a price threshold above which Plants by WebSphere will not order the wholesale item. It could also include decision-making information such as how long the supplier requires to deliver the item, or a date that the manufacturer plans to discontinue the item.

  4. Plants by WebSphere notifies its customer of the outcome, as soon as possible.

    If the supplier can be consulted quickly enough, Plants by WebSphere does not have to bother its customer with concerns about availability. It simply confirms that the item is available, as though the item is in stock at Plants by WebSphere. If the supplier inventory temporary lacks the item, or Plants by WebSphere opted not to order the item from the supplier, Plants by WebSphere can issue an appropriate response to the customer.

See the Samples Gallery for details about the GreenhouseByWebSphere application, a business to business (B2B) application that uses a message-driven bean (MDB), a stateless session bean, and Java message service (JMS).

Web services technologies used in this scenario

This scenario uses the following Web services technologies.
XML (Extensible Markup Language)
XML is used to standardize the exchange of data between Plants by WebSphere and its supplier.
Web Services for J2EE
Web Services for J2EE, also known as JSR-109, defines how J2EE applications create and access Web services.
JAX-RPC
JAX-RPC, also known as JSR-101, defines how Java applications access Web services.
JAX-WS
JAX-WS is supported in this scenario only if the online retailer installed the Feature Pack for Web Services.
WSDL (Web Services Description Language)
WSDL is used to turn the existing application into a Web service, by acting as the interface between the underlying application and other Web-enabled applications.
SOAP
SOAP is the protocol by which the Web service communicates with the supplier over the Internet.



Related concepts
Overview: Online garden retailer Web services scenarios
Web services scenario: Dynamic inquiry on supplier
Web services scenario: Cross supplier inquiry
Related tasks
Task overview: Implementing Web services applications
Related reference
What is new in the Version 6.1 Feature Pack for Web Services
Specifications and API documentation
Related information
Samples page on IBM site
Concept topic    

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Last updated: Nov 25, 2008 2:35:59 AM CST
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