Socket Connect Service (V5.2.3 or later)
The Socket Connect service starts a Transmission Control Protocol session with an external trading partner for exchanging business data.
The following table provides an overview of the Socket Connect service:
System name | Socket Connect Service |
Graphical Process Modeler (GPM) categories | All Services |
Description | This service starts a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) session with an external trading partner for the purpose of exchanging business data. |
Business usage | A business user uses this service to establish a session with a trading partner's TCP and the socket server. |
Usage example | A Sterling B2B Integrator business process is executed that translates a document that must be sent to a trading partner. After the translation, Sterling B2B Integrator uses the Socket Connect service to establish a session with the trading partner's TCP server. The Socket Connect service is invoked through an instance of the Socket Client adapter. |
Preconfigured? | No |
Requires third-party files? | No |
Platform availability | All supported Sterling B2B Integrator platforms. |
Related services | Related services:
|
Application requirements | A TCP server at the external trading partner location is required. Information about this TCP server must be configured in the Socket Connect service. |
Initiates business processes? | No |
Invocation | This service is invoked from a business process. |
Business process context considerations | A business process using the Socket Connect service should not be configured to automatically resume. The Socket Connect service requires an established session which will not exist if the business process is set to automatically resume. |
Returned status values | Returned status values:
|
Restrictions | None |
Persistence level | System Default |
Testing considerations | The debug information for this service is located in the Socket Client adapter and Socket Connect service log files. |
Implementing the Socket Connect Service
To implement the Socket Connect
service, complete the following tasks:
- Configure the Socket Connect service. For information, see Configuring the Socket Connect Service below.
- Use the Socket Connect service in a business process.
Configuring the Socket Connect Service
To edit the configuration of the predefined the Socket Connect service, you must specify field settings in the user interface service configuration:
Field | Description |
---|---|
Name | Name for the service in Sterling B2B Integrator. Required. |
Description | Description of the service. Required. |
Select a Group | Selection or creation of the group for this service. Optional. |
Output from Service to Business Process
The following table contains the Graphical Process Modeler (GPM) parameter passed from the Socket Connect service to the business process:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
SessionToken | Identifier for the session established between the Socket Client adapter and the TCP server. Required. |
Output from Business Process to Service
The following table contains the Graphical Process Modeler (GPM) parameters passed from the business process to the Socket Connect service:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
CACertificateId | List of trusted certificate authority public certificates. In process data, this parameter is displayed as an object identifier. Optional. |
Encoding | Format used to encode all outgoing and incoming data. Encoding will not be used if it is not specified. Optional. |
CipherStrength | Level of encryption to be applied to the data. Optional. |
ConnectionRetries | Number of times the service will try to connect to the trading partner system. Optional. |
ResponseTimeout | Maximum number of seconds it can take for the trading partner system to respond before it terminates. The number of seconds cannot be less than 30. Optional. |
SocketClientAdapter | Name of the Socket Client adapter that the service will use to connect to the TCP server. Required. |
RemoteHost | IP address or DNS name for the external trading partner host system. Required. |
RemotePort | Port number for the external trading partner. Required. |
RetryDelay | Delay in seconds for the Socket Client adapter to wait before retrying a connection. Optional. |
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) | Flag that determines SSL socket negotiations. Valid
values are:
|
SystemCertificateId | List of PrivateKeys and PublicCertificates that are signed by the trading partner trusted certificate authority. In process data, this parameter is displayed as an object identifier. Optional. |
Business Process Example
The following example business process illustrates using the Socket Connect service:
<process name = "DemoSocketClient">
<sequence>
<operation name="SocketConnectServiceType">
<participant name="SocketConnectService"/>
<output message="SocketConnectServiceTypeInputMessage">
<assign to="." from="*"></assign>
<assign to="ConnectionRetries">3</assign>
<assign to="RemoteHost">localhost</assign>
<assign to="RemotePort">18330</assign>
<assign to="SocketClientAdapter">SocketClientAdapter</assign>
<assign to="SSL">false</assign>
</output>
<input message="inmsg">
<assign to="." from="*"></assign>
</input>
</operation>
//Close the session here