Creating web service repository connections

You create a Web service repository connection to set up the information that will enable you to connect to a shared repository through the QMF for WebSphere® web services API using a HTTP or HTTPS connection.

About this task

You can used web-based connectivity to access a shared repository without the need for direct database connectivity from the workstation. By using this method to connect to repositories you consolidate data access at a central server, thus removing the need to distribute JDBC drivers across each desktop running QMF for Workstation.

Web-based connectivity is provided by the QMF for WebSphere built-in repository web service. To enable this facility, you must have QMF for WebSphere deployed to a WebSphere Application Server (WAS) instance. In addition, you must have repository connection information available to this version of QMF for WebSphere. QMF for Workstation users connect to the repository using the URL and port to the QMF for WebSphere server.

Note: When you create a web repository connection in QMF for Workstation (client) the version of web repository service (server) must be at the same release levels. If the release levels (between the client and server) do not match, web repository connections will not work.

To complete the creation of a web service repository connection:

Procedure

  1. Deploy QMF for WebSphere to a WebSphere Application Server (WAS) instance; configure one or more shared repositories, and set up shared repository connection information for each repository.
  2. Open the second page of the Create New repository Connection wizard.
  3. Specify a name for the repository connection in the Connection name field. This name will be used to identify the connection as it appears in the Repository Connections view. You can enter any name but it is recommended that the name identifies the repository for which this connection information applies.
  4. Select the Connect immediately check box to connect to the web service repository immediately. If this box is clear, the connection information will be created, saved and displayed in the Repository Connections view, but you will not be immediately connected to the repository.
  5. In the Web Server URL field, specify the URL to launch the instance of QMF for WebSphere whose web services API will be used for this connection. This is the URL address that was created when the instance of QMF for WebSphere was deployed.
  6. Click Refresh. The available repository connections that have been defined for the instance of QMF for WebSphere that you specified in the Web Server URL field are retrieved. Select the repository connection that you want to use from the list of available connections.
  7. Click Finish.

    The repository connection that you have just created will appear in the Repository Connections view. If you have QMF Registry configured for your QMF client, select Local from the Server list in the Repository Connections view.

    If you selected the Connect immediately check box, you are connected to this repository. This repository connection information is entered in the connections settings file.

Results

Currently, when the QMF for WebSphere client opens, it connects to the last accessed repository. An additional connection URL parameter has been added to control which repository connection should be used when the QMF for WebSphere client opens.
For example: 
http://host:port/QMF/user?repository=MyConnection

If the connection parameter points to an invalid connection, then the system opens open the Switch Repository window. You can pass logon information for secured repository connections using the user and password parameters.

For example: 
http://host:port/QMF/
user?repository=MyConnection&user=userLogin&password=userPassword

.