Web services server adapter processing

Stabilized feature: Service Flow Runtime and Service Flow Modeler capability in IBM Developer for z/OS 14.2.3 are stabilized. Consider exposing and orchestrating applications as API services by using z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition or CICS® web services, or by writing web applications in Java™ or Node.js. See also Stabilization notices and discontinued functions.

The Web service server adapter is called DFHMASWS and runs by default under the CMAO transaction. You must define a suitable PIPELINE and WEBSERVICE resource in the CICS region, so that DFHMASWS can send outbound web service requests.

When this server adapter is invoked during request processing, the details of the Web service request and data are passed in BTS data-containers from the generated Adapter Navigator to DFHMASWS. DFHMASWS uses this data to send the Web service request by issuing the EXEC CICS INVOKE WEBSERVICE command. This request is processed in a requester mode pipeline and sends a SOAP message to the designated Web service provider. The Web service provider might be on another CICS system or an external provider.

When a response message is received, the pipeline processes it and returns it to the Web service adapter in one or more containers. The Web service server adapter then passes the response message data back to the Adapter Navigator using a data-container.

This process is shown in the diagram.

The data-containers that are passed to DFHMASWS store the data that is specified by service flow project tools when the web service request is modeled. The COMMAND.INPUT data-container contains the data to be sent to the Web service provider. The WEBSERVICE.DATA data-container stores the information regarding the target Web Service.

When a response is received from the Web service provider, DFHMASWS updates the WEBSERVICE.DATA data-container to specify whether the response was successful or a SOAP fault was received.

  • If a successful response is received, DFHMASWS returns it in the COMMAND.OUTPUT data-container.
  • If a SOAP fault is received, the details are placed in the WEBSERVICE.DATA data-container and the DFHMASWS server adapter takes the action that was modeled in the service flow.