This chapter introduced the major components of the IBM WebSphere
InterChange Server system. The key points to remember are:
- Collaborations interact with connectors and with the Server Access
Interface to create distributed business processes. Collaborations
contain the business process logic; connectors bridge the IBM WebSphere
InterChange Server system and the application environment to help implement
the business process logic across applications. The Server Access
Interface and the XML Connector let you extend the business process logic
across the Internet.
- All interactions involving a collaboration take place through the exchange
of business objects. When the Server Access Interface receives a call,
or when a connector receives information about an application event, a
business object is created and sent to the collaboration.
- A business object is generic or application-specific.
Collaborations process generic business objects, and connectors process
application-specific business objects.
- InterChange Server is the center of collaboration execution. It
includes a repository, connector controllers, the event management service,
the database connectivity service, and the transaction service.
- System Manager displays, configures, and controls the execution of the
objects stored at each InterChange Server.
- Components are distributed. The collaboration/connector protocol,
messaging, and the ORB provide the glue between components.
- Messages in InterChange Server can be secured using end-to-end
privacy. InterChange Server can be secured using role-based access
control.
The next chapter takes a closer look at collaborations.
