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developerworks > My developerWorks >  Dashboard > Bobby Woolf: WebSphere SOA and J2EE in Practice > ... > WebSphere Business Process Management > WebSphere DataPower > Information > Page Comparison
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Version 25 by bwoolf
on Mar 07, 2007 11:53.

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 h1. WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances
  
 [WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances|http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/datapower/], part of the [WebSphere Business Process Management] suite of products, is part of [WebSphere], in the [Application Connectivity (MOM)|http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/sw-bycategory/subcategory/SW910.html] subcategory of products.
  
 The [DataPower products|#DPProducts] are network appliances. Like an IP router or hub, it's a box; the entire interface is four Eathernet ports and a serial port (and a power jack). It's rack-mountable; its size is 1U, or about the size of a large pizza box. The software is all firmware, with flash memory for configuration settings. There's really nothing to install; you unpack it from the shipping container, plug it into the network, and start using it. You do need to enable it, and you need to configure it, which is a little like programming, but much simpler than a traditional software server like a database or a J2EE app server.
  
 [!http://www.ibm.com/jp/press/20060914001c.gif!|http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/datapower/xi50/|DataPower XI50 XML Integration Appliance]
 *WebSphere DataPower Integration Appliance XI50*
  
 Interestingly, even though DataPower is effectively a hardware device, it's grouped as part of the [IBM WebSphere Brand|WebSphere]. This is kind of an odd choice, since Systems Group is the part of IBM that makes hardware. Software Group's products come on CDs or can be downloaded, and are installed on host computers. But DataPower was added to Software Group, and specifically the WebSphere brand, because the appliances have really great synergy with our enterprise service bus (ESB) products.
  Interestingly, even though DataPower is effectively a hardware device, it's grouped as part of the [IBM WebSphere Brand|WebSphere]. This is kind of an odd choice, since Systems Group is the part of IBM that makes hardware. Software Group's products come on CDs or can be downloaded, and are installed on host computers. But DataPower was added to Software Group, and specifically the WebSphere brand, because the appliances have really great synergy with our enterprise service bus (ESB) products. Heck, the XI50 even is an ESB.
  
 The DataPower products come from a company called DataPower, which [IBM acquired in 2005|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/woolf?entry=ibm_acquires_datapower_aon_vendor].
  
 (Original blog posting: [DataPower|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/woolf?entry=datapower])
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 h2. Product Overview
  
 [Kyle Brown|http://www.kyle-brown.com] posted this very helpful overview as a [comment|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/woolf?entry=datapower#comments] on my blog:
  
 {quote}The DataPower boxes are useful for a number of reasons. First of all, they are great at handling tasks like XML/Web Services security faster than can be done on general purpose hardware/software, and the setup of security on them is easier than it is in J2EE app servers. What's more the XS40 (the yellow security box) and XI50 (the blue integration box, which is pictured above) handle a number of specific XML threats that aren't generally covered by J2EE app servers.
  
 Second, the Blue box (the XI50) is very adept at handling integration tasks that involve converting from one protocol (like HTTP or MQ) to another. It also handles any-to-any data format conversion so it can convert say, COBOL copybook formats to XML.{quote}
  
 h2.{anchor:DPProducts} DataPower Products
  
 There are currently three currently three [DataPower products|http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/datapower/].
 | [!http://www.ibm.com/jp/press/20060914001b.gif!|DataPower XA35|DataPower XA35 XML Accelerator] | *WebSphere DataPower [XML Accelerator XA35|DataPower XA35]*\\
  _aka The Green Box_\\
  The XA35 validates XML documents against schemas you provide and converts XML documents using XSL transforms you provide. |
 | [!http://www.ibm.com/jp/press/20060914001a.gif!|http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/datapower/xs40/|DataPower XS40 XML Security Gateway] | *WebSphere DataPower [XML Security Gateway XS40|DataPower XS40]*\\
  _aka The Yellow Box_\\
  Acts as an [XML firewall|XML Firewall] to inspect traffic and reject bad traffic, and excells at WS-Security encryption and decryption. |
 | [!http://www.ibm.com/jp/press/20060914001c.gif!|http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/datapower/xi50/|DataPower XI50 Integration Appliance] | *WebSphere DataPower [Integration Appliance XI50|DataPower XI50]*\\
  _aka The Blue Box_\\
  Handles binary, text, EDI, and other non-XML formats and can convert between them. Also has a built-in WebSphere MQ client, great for converting between HTTP and WMQ traffic. |
 The products are downward compatible, so the XI50 does everything the XS40 does, which does everything the XA35 does. So if, for example, you need WS-Security and WMQ conversion, you can do both with the XI50 (but only the WS-Security part with the XS40).
  
 The DataPower boxes are [super secure|DataPower Device Security]. It processes XML so fast, it does so at what we call [wire speed|DataPower Wire Speed].
  
 h2. Where You Can Learn More
  
 * Articles
 ** "[The (XML) threat is out there...|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/techjournal/0603_col_hines/0603_col_hines.html]"
 ** "[Leveraging SOA appliances and application connectivity|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/podcast/websphere/ws-soa2006-10.html]" (podcast)
 ** "[Leveraging SOA Appliances to Optimize Architectural Benefits|http://www.bulldogsolutions.net/IBMWebSphere/IBW06212006/index.aspx?bdls=4534]" (podcast)
  ** "[Leveraging SOA Appliances to Optimize Architectural Benefits|http://www.bulldogsolutions.net/IBMWebSphere/IBW06212006/index.aspx?bdls=4534]" (webcast)
 ** "[Web services security with WebSphere Application Server V6, Part 5: DataPower as a gateway device|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/techjournal/0612_cowan/0612_cowan.html]"
 ** "[Enable XML awareness in WebSphere Extended Deployment with WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/library/techarticles/0607_callaway/0607_callaway.html]"
 * Support
 ** [Contacting IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliance Support|http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21236322]
 ** [IBM WebSphere DataPower Support Lifecycle|http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21246298]
 ** [WebSphere DataPower Extended Maintenance and Support Services|http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=2362&uid=swg21254180]
 ** [Firmware updates, product documentation, and Release Notes for WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliance transitioning to ibm.com|http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=2362&uid=swg21252389]
 ** [Troubleshooting IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances, an introduction|http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=2362&uid=swg21239595]
 * Training
 ** [WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances Education Roadmap|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/education/enablement/roadmaps/#datapower]
 ** [WebSphere DataPower Training Paths|http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c/services/learning/ites.wss/us/en?pageType=page&c=a0012127]
  
 h2. Add-ons
  
 [alphaWorks] has a tool for administering DataPower appliances from the [WAS|WebSphere Application Server] admin console:
 * [Integrated DataPower Management for WebSphere Application Server]

 
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