Overview of the Adapter
About the Adapter
The IBM webMethods Adapter for AS/400 is an add-on to the IBM webMethods Integration Server that enables you to exchange data with an IBM AS/400 server through the use of IBM ToolBox for Java. The adapter provides seamless and real-time communication with the AS/400 server.
Using the Adapter for AS/400, webMethods clients can create and run services that execute commands and programs, and read and write data from the data queues on the AS/400 server.
To use all the IBM ToolBox for Java classes, use the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE). You should also review the OS/400 requirements for running the IBM ToolBox for Java.
Architecture and Components
The Adapter for AS/400 is installed on the IBM webMethods Integration Server. The Adapter for AS/400 enables Integration Server to connect to, and perform operations on the AS/400 server using the IBM ToolBox for Java classes. You must install the supported IBM ToolBox for Java on Integration Server and make sure the classes are loaded when the server starts.
The Adapter for AS/400 enables you to configure the following components:
- Adapter Connections: Enable Integration Server to connect to the AS/400 systems at run time.
- Adapter Services: Perform operations on the AS/400 resources using the built-in services provided with the Adapter for AS/400.
- Data Queue Listeners: Monitor a data queue and notify the resources when an entry is written to the queue.
The following diagram illustrates how the Integration Server uses these components to interact with the AS/400 server.
Adapter Connections
Adapter for AS/400 connections enable Integration Server to connect to the AS/400 systems at run time.
You can configure one or more Adapter for AS/400 connections for integrations. The number of connections and the type of connections that you create depends on your integration needs. For example, if you have a test system and a production system, you can create a connection for each system. Additionally, you could configure multiple connections to the same server.
The Adapter for AS/400 connections contain parameters that Integration Server uses to manage connections to the AS/400 server. You configure connections using the Integration Server Administrator.
For more information on configuring and managing Adapter for AS/400 connections, see Managing Adapter Connections.
Adapter Services
The Adapter for AS/400 provides a set of built-in services that enable you to create and submit requests to an AS/400 server. The built-in adapter services require connecting only the DATAQUEUE and COMMAND connection types. For a complete list of built-in adapter services, see Built-in Services.
Data Queue Listeners
A Data Queue Listener monitors a specified data queue and notifies the application when an entry is written to the data queue.
When you create a Data Queue Listener, you assign it an adapter connection that you configured earlier. For more information on Adapter for AS/400 connections, see Managing Adapter Connections. After you create a Listener you must enable it. You use the Integration Server Administrator to accomplish these tasks. See Managing Data Queue Listeners, for instructions.
After you enable a Listener, Integration Server invokes the notification node every time an entry is written to the data queue and places the data queue entry in the pipeline of the service.
Controlling Pagination
About this task
When using the adapter on Integration Server 8.0 and later, you can control the number of items that are displayed on the adapter Connections screen. By default, 10 items are displayed per page. Click Next and Previous to move through the pages, or click a page number to go directly to a page.
To change the number of items displayed per page, set the watt.art.page.size property and specify a different number of items.
To set the number of items per page