Conditional Routing

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If you have a native API that is hosted at two or more endpoints, you can use the condition-based protocol to route specific types of messages to specific endpoints. The requests are routed according to the condition-based routing rules you create. For example, if your entry protocol is HTTP or HTTPS, you can select conditional routing specifying HTTP or HTTPS. A routing rule specifies where requests should be routed to, and the criteria to use to route. You may also specify how to authenticate requests.

Note: The context-based routing policy is renamed and it's capabilities are included in conditional routing policy. You can use this policy to configure to route the requests conditionally based on variable types.

The following table provides the existing options of routing till webMethods API Gateway version 10.5 and their corresponding variable syntax to choose the same option in webMethods API Gateway version 10.7.

10.5 Conditional Variable 10.5 Condition Operator 10.7 Transformation Variable 10.7 Transformation Condition Operator
Consumer ${request.application.id} Equals
Date Before

After

${date} Lesser than

Greater than

Time Before

After

${time} Lesser than

Greater than

Predefined System Context Variables
User

Inbound HTTP Method

Routing Method

Inbound Content Type

Inbound Accept

Inbound Protocol

Inbound Request URI

Inbound IP

Gateway Hostname

Gateway IP

Operation Name

Equal to

Not equal to

${user}

${inboundHttpMethod}

${routingMethod}

${inboundContentType}

${inboundAccept}

${inboundProtocol}

${inboundRequestURI}

${inboundIP

${gatewayHostname}

${gatewayIP}

${operationName}

Equals

Not equals

Custom Context Variables
mx:var1

PROTOCOL_HEADERS[KEY]

SOAP_HEADERS[INDEX]

Equal to

Not equal to

Lesser than

Greater than

${var1}

${request.headers.KEY}

${soapHeaders[INDEX}

Equals

Not Equals

Lesser than

Greater than

IPV4 - ${inboundIP} Range
IPV6 - ${inboundIP} Range
The table lists the properties that you can specify for this policy:
Property Description
Route To. Specifies the URLs of two or more native services in a pool to which the requests are routed.
Endpoint URI Specifies the URI of the native API endpoint to route the request to in case all routing rules evaluate to False. Service registries that have been added to the webMethods API Gateway instance are also included in the list.

If you choose a service registry, webMethods API Gateway sends a request to the service registry to discover the IP address and port at which the native service is running. webMethods API Gateway replaces the service registry alias in the Endpoint URI with the IP address and port returned by the service registry.

For example, if your service is hosted at the URL: http://host:port/abc/, you need to configure the Endpoint URI as: http://${ServiceRegistryName}/abc/.

As this property supports variable framework, you can make use of the available variables. For example, you can configure the endpoint URI using hard coded URL, simple alias, endpoint alias, and variable syntax or any of these combination. If you define the endpoint URI as http://${myAliasHost}:${request.headers.nativeport}/${sys:resource-path}, where the ${myAliasHost} variable syntax is used to define the simple alias and the ${request.headers.nativeport} variable syntax is used to define the native port based on the request.

For details about the variables available in webMethods API Gateway, see Variables Available in API Gateway.

Note: If you use endpoint alias, make sure the endpoint alias is created before you define it in the policy. For example, if you define ${alias} syntax in the policy before creating the alias as endpoint alias, webMethods API Gateway considers ${alias} as custom variable or simple alias and tries to resolve against those. So in that case, after creating endpoint alias you have to edit and save the API or policy to associate ${alias} syntax with the endpoint alias.
HTTP Method This is applicable to REST-based APIs.

Specifies the available routing methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and CUSTOM (default).

When CUSTOM is selected, the HTTP method in the incoming request is sent to the native service. When other methods are selected, the selected method is used in the request sent to the native service.

Note: It is recommended to use Request Transformation > Method Transformation to achieve this as other transformations can also be done under the same policy.
SOAP Optimization Method This is applicable for SOAP-based APIs.

Specifies the optimization methods that webMethods API Gateway can use to parse SOAP requests to the native API.

Select one of the following options:

  • MTOM.webMethods API Gateway uses the Message Transmission Optimization Mechanism (MTOM) to parse SOAP requests to the API.
  • SwA. webMethods API Gateway uses the SOAP with Attachment (SwA) technique to parse SOAP requests to the API.
  • None. webMethods API Gateway does not use any optimization method to parse the SOAP requests to the API. This is selected by default.
HTTP Connection Timeout (seconds) Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which a connection attempt times out.

The precedence of the Connection Timeout configuration is as follows:

  1. If you specify a value for the Connection timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Connection timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 for the Connection timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Connection timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Read Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Connection timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.connectionTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.connectionTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway uses the default value of 30 seconds.
Read Timeout (seconds) Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which a socket read attempt times out.

The precedence of the Read Timeout configuration is as follows:

  1. If you specify a value for the Read timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Read timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 for the Read timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Read Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Read Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Read timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.readTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.readTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway uses the default value of 30 seconds.
Native Service Timeout (seconds)

Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which an HTTP connection attempt when calling the Integration Server HTTP backend service pub.client:http for REST APIs times out.

The precedence of the Native Service Timeout configuration is as follows.

  1. If you specify a value for the Native Service Timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Native Service Timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 or blank for the Native Service Timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Native Service Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Native Service Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Native Service Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.nativeServiceTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.nativeServiceTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway disables the native service timeout.

When a native service timeout is defined for an API, both the connection timeout and the read timeout values are set to the value of the native service timeout during the connection process to the native service.
Pass WS-Security Headers This is applicable for SOAP-based APIs.

Selecting this indicates that webMethods API Gateway should pass the WS-Security headers of the incoming requests to the native API.

SSL Configuration. Configures keystore, key alias, and truststore for securing connections to native APIs.
Keystore Alias Specifies the keystore alias configured in webMethods API Gateway. This value (along with the value of Client Certificate Alias) is used for performing SSL client authentication.

Lists all available keystores. If you have not configured any keystore, the list is empty.

Key Alias Specifies the alias for the private key, which must be stored in the keystore specified by the keystore alias.
Truststore Alias Specifies the alias for the truststore that contains the list of CA certificates that webMethods API Gateway uses to validate the trust relationship with the native API.

If you do not configure any truststore alias, it implies that webMethods API Gateway does not validate the certificates provided by native APIs.

Service Registry Configuration
Service Discovery Endpoint Parameter Values required for constructing the discovery service URI.
  • Parameter: An alias that you have included in the discovery service URI while adding the service registry to webMethods API Gateway.
  • Value: Specifies a value with a syntax. The alias specified in Path Parameter is substituted with this value when invoking the discovery service.

For example: if the service registry configuration of the service registry that you have selected in Endpoint URI has Service discovery path set to /catalog/service/{serviceName} (and the {serviceName} alias is intended for passing the service name), you must enter {serviceName} as Parameter and the name of the service as Value.

As the Value field supports variable framework, you can make use of the available variables as path parameters.

For example, if you provide a parameter as {serviceName}( in Service discovery path while you define a service register) and the corresponding values for the path parameter as ${request.header.var1}, the value in var 1 retrieved from the request header will substitute the service name.

For details about the variables available in webMethods API Gateway, see Variables Available in API Gateway.

Rule. Defines the routing decisions based on one of the following routing options.
Name Provide a name for the rule.
Condition Operator Specifies the condition operator to be used.

Select one of the following operators:

  • OR. Specifies that one of the set conditions should be applied.
  • AND. Specifies all the set conditions should be applied.
Add Condition Specify the context variables for processing client requests.
  • Variable: Specifies the variable type.
  • Operator: Specifies the operator to use to relate variable and the value. You can select one of the following:
    • Equals
    • Equals ignore case
    • Not equals
    • Not equals ignore case
    • Contains
    • Not Contains
    • Exists
    • Not Exists
    • Range
    • Greater Than
    • Less Than
  • Value: Specifies a plain value or value with a syntax.

For details about the variables available in webMethods API Gateway, see Variables Available in API Gateway.

Route To. Specifies the endpoint URI of native services in a pool to which the requests are routed.
Endpoint URI Specifies the URI of the native API endpoint to route the request to. You can use service registries in a similar manner as described in the main Endpoint URI above.

As this property supports variable framework, you can make use of the available variables. For example, you can configure the endpoint URI using hard coded URL, simple alias, endpoint alias, and variable syntax or any of these combination. If you define the endpoint URI as http://${myAliasHost}:${request.headers.nativeport}/${sys:resource-path}, where the ${myAliasHost} variable syntax is used to define the simple alias and the ${request.headers.nativeport} variable syntax is used to define the native port based on the request.

For details about the variables available in webMethods API Gateway, see Variables Available in API Gateway.

Note: If you use endpoint alias, make sure the endpoint alias is created before you define it in the policy. For example, if you define ${alias} syntax in the policy before creating the alias as endpoint alias, webMethods API Gateway considers ${alias} as custom variable or simple alias and tries to resolve against those. So in that case, after creating endpoint alias you have to edit and save the API or policy to associate ${alias} syntax with the endpoint alias.
HTTP Method This is applicable for REST-based APIs.

Specifies the available routing methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and CUSTOM (default).

When CUSTOM is selected, the HTTP method in the incoming request is sent to the native service. When other methods are selected, the selected method is used in the request sent to the native service.

Soap Optimization Method This is applicable for SOAP-based APIs.

Specifies values to enable SSL authentication for SOAP APIs.

Select one of the following options:

  • MTOM. webMethods API Gateway uses the Message Transmission Optimization Mechanism (MTOM) to parse SOAP requests to the API.
  • SwA. webMethods API Gateway uses the SOAP with Attachment (SwA) technique to parse SOAP requests to the API.
  • None. webMethods API Gateway does not use any optimization method to parse the SOAP requests to the API. This is selected by default.
HTTP Connection Timeout (seconds) Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which a connection attempt times out.

The precedence of the Connection Timeout configuration is as follows:

  1. If you specify a value for the Connection timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Connection timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 for the Connection timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Connection timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Read Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Connection timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.connectionTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.connectionTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway uses the default value of 30 seconds.
Read Timeout (seconds) Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which a socket read attempt times out.

The precedence of the Read Timeout configuration is as follows:

  1. If you specify a value for the Read timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Read timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 for the Read timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Read Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Read Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Read timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.readTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.readTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway uses the default value of 30 seconds.
Native Service Timeout (seconds)

Specifies the time interval (in seconds) after which an HTTP connection attempt when calling the Integration Server HTTP backend service pub.client:http for REST APIs times out.

The precedence of the Native Service Timeout configuration is as follows.

  1. If you specify a value for the Native Service Timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then the Native Service Timeout value specified in the Endpoint alias section takes precedence over the timeout values defined at the API level and the global level.
  2. If you specify a value 0 or blank for the Native Service Timeout field in routing endpoint alias, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in the Native Service Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step of an API. The Native Service Timeout value specified at an API level takes precedence over the global configuration.
  3. If you specify a value 0 or do not specify a value for the Native Service Timeout field in the routing protocol processing step at the API level or specify a value 0 at an alias level, then webMethods API Gateway uses the value specified in this pg.endpoint.nativeServiceTimeout property.
  4. If you do not specify any value for pg.endpoint.nativeServiceTimeout, then webMethods API Gateway disables the native service timeout.

When a native service timeout is defined for an API, both the connection timeout and the read timeout values are set to the value of the native service timeout during the connection process to the native service.
Pass WS-Security Headers This is applicable for SOAP-based APIs.

Selecting this indicates that webMethods API Gateway should pass the WS-Security headers of the incoming requests to the native API.

SSL Configuration Configures keystore, key alias, and truststore for securing connections to native APIs.

Provide the following information:

  • Keystore Alias. Specifies the keystore alias configured in webMethods API Gateway. This value (along with the value of Client Certificate Alias) is used for performing SSL client authentication.

    Lists all available keystores. If you have not configured any keystore, the list is empty.

  • Key Alias. Specifies the alias for the private key, which must be stored in the keystore specified by the keystore alias.
  • Truststore Alias. Specifies the alias for the truststore that contains the list of CA certificates that webMethods API Gateway uses to validate the trust relationship with the native API.

    If you do not configure any truststore alias, it implies that webMethods API Gateway does not validate the certificates provided by native APIs.

Service Registry Configuration
Service Discovery Endpoint Parameter Values required for constructing the discovery service URI.
  • Parameter: An alias that you have included in the discovery service URI while adding the service registry to webMethods API Gateway.
  • Value: Specifies a value with a syntax. The alias specified in Path Parameter is substituted with this value when invoking the discovery service.

For example: if the service registry configuration of the service registry that you have selected in Endpoint URI has Service discovery path set to /catalog/service/{serviceName} (and the {serviceName} alias is intended for passing the service name), you must enter {serviceName} as Parameter and the name of the service as Value.

As the Value field supports variable framework, you can make use of the available variables as path parameters.

For example, if you provide a parameter as {serviceName}( in Service discovery path while you define a service register) and the corresponding values for the path parameter as ${request.header.var1}, the value in var 1 retrieved from the request header will substitute the service name.

For details about the variables available in webMethods API Gateway, see Variables Available in API Gateway.