Dynamic invocation with a target import

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Dynamic invocation of endpoints can be enhanced using the Target@import attribute within the SMO header.

Dynamic invocation with a target import allows the configuration and protocol used to call a service to be dynamically selected at run time by identifying a supported import binding. The import and its binding must already be available within the module and is selected at run time according to information contained in the message.

You can use Integration Designer to create a mediation module that selects the target service dynamically at run time. The target services might use different protocols, different formats or different quality-of-service values. Each combination must be known at the time the mediation module is developed. This means that for each combination of protocol, format, and quality-of-service value, Integration Designer includes an import in the mediation module with an appropriate configuration.

For example a financial services company that provides an interactive web-based stock market service to its customers, has introduced tiered levels of service for Gold and Standard customers:
  • Gold customers receive a reliable real-time stock quote, which is mapped within the mediation flow component using a JMS binding.
  • Standard customers receive a delayed stock quote, which is mapped with a WebServices binding.
Figure 1. Dynamic invocation with a target import

This image shows a mediation flow component, with an endpoint lookup mediation primitive. There is a JMS import and a Web Services import
As shown in Figure 1, two imports are needed in the mediation module for the two different bindings. During development of the mediation module, an import might be wired to another component or might be left unwired. If the module is unwired, a connection must be created at run time by specifying a target import and creating the connection dynamically.

In addition to dynamically selecting an import, a new target address can also be set using the incoming message content and routing information. The mediation flow component sets the new address by changing the SMO values using the Endpoint Lookup mediation primitive, and registering the Gold and Standard Services in WSRR. The choice between the target service destinations is made dynamically at run time using available metadata provided by the message or by WSRR. The name of the target import is placed in the SMO Header by the Endpoint Lookup mediation primitive. If an import is targeted that does not support the target endpoint, a ServiceRuntimeException will occur.