Micro Focus EnterpriseLink® Integration Server

 

Our green-screen application was more than a decade old, and we were looking to simplify and modernize it quickly and cost-effectively, Micro Focus helped us Web-enable our internal mainframe application with EnterpriseLink to give our sales executives the ability to track the status of customer contracts from input to completion via any Web browser.

 

John DeLoi
Director of Systems Engineering
ABC-TV National TV Sales, Inc.

 

OVERVIEW

 

Some of the most powerful and productive assets a company has are the existing business rules, data and processes embodied in its mainframe applications. You can leverage your existing enterprise legacy assets and put them to work in the e-business world with Micro Focus — the industry-standard for legacy application development, transformation and integration — providing three methods or paths to e-enable your company:

 

Presentation Integration

Presentation Integration products that provide a noninvasive process to transform character-based presentation formats into graphic presentations through Windows or Java GUI and browser-based clients.  With EnterpriseLink®, you can apply a new interface to an existing enterprise application, without host changes. Presentation Integration is the most cost-effective method of creating an e-business from legacy applications. As no host changes are required, there is minimal risk involved.

 

Legacy Modernization

Legacy Modernization products include the planning and implementation of new business processes and enabling technologies that represent an evolution or transformation of existing systems. EnterpriseLink allows you to re-use existing enterprise application logic and business processes and extend them into new e-business applications by accessing your mainframe transactions through COM or Java components. More importantly, it offers this ability without host code changes.

 

Programmatic Integration

Programmatic Integration products provide a mechanism to package defined sequences of character-based data into programmatic representations, such as COM, Java or XML, to supply legacy information to new composite applications.  Move your legacy business systems forward by encapsulating business rules in Web services frameworks, without modifying the original systems.  You or your partners construct Web services client applications that connect to EnterpriseLink Integration Server to securely access your legacy data.

 

 


HIGHLIGHTS

 

MICRO FOCUS ENTERPRISELINK INTEGRATION SERVER

EnterpriseLink Integration Server helps you leverage your IT assets.  EnterpriseLink provides Presentation Integration by transliterating character-based legacy applications into a set of easy-to-use web pages, adding graphics, data selection and extended input checking.  Use this to reduce the training time of your Intranet call-center personnel as they come up to speed on your application.  Or, provide web access to your legacy inventory application to your suppliers or partners through a secure firewall.  EnterpriseLink ensures that these Extranet users only see the portion of the application you wish them to see and only restricted operations can be performed.  Finally, EnterpriseLink’s presentation integration can deploy portions of your application directly to Internet customers if you choose

 

EnterpriseLink Integration Server allows you to integrate and extend your mainframe applications using Legacy Modernization techniques without having to undertake a major programming effort and without making changes to existing production systems.  Without moving the business rules off the mainframe, they can be accessed from within Java or Microsoft COM-compliant applications and services.  Application Servers such as IBM WebSphere, BEA Weblogics, Microsoft .NET can assimilate the legacy data without having to employ complicated connector technology, as the EnterpriseLink solution allows a business analyst to assemble the information in a form acceptable to those systems.

 

EnterpriseLink Integration Server can act as a Programmatic Integration server itself, without the need of an Application Server.  It will access relational databases, local Unix and PC applications and generate a single integrated application to end-users, downstream application servers or external subsystems via Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) that powers Web services

 

With this powerful tool you can:

  • Capture host screens and their relationships and how your applications experts use them
  • Quickly map these to new COM or Java objects, Web pages, XML files, or SOAP-based Web Services
  • Construct professional, dynamic Web pages using drag-and-drop assembly
  • Ensure optimal performance and 24x7 availability with load-balancing, fail-over support and non-hierarchical clustering
  • Web enable your CICS applications running under Micro Focus Enterprise Server with MTO™ as easily as you access your host applications
  • Map Internet-based security protocols such as Digital IDs, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to mainframe security protocols such as IBM RACF and CA ACF2.
  • Use the security rules inherent in your legacy applications to drive security rules in web and non-web applications using the EnterpriseLink Security Policy Manager

 

ENTERPRISELINK INTEGRATION SERVER FEATURES

EnterpriseLink Integration Server integrates existing application business logic with HTML or XML pages without making any changes to the existing application.  EnterpriseLink Integration Server is an application server that provides a universal interface layer for new and existing applications.  It provides a number of critical functions on the fly (at run time) for application integration and delivery. These functions include:

 

  • Automated Conversion Environment – Provides instant 100% web front ends to your existing legacy application with no programming.  EnterpriseLink provides instant web interface conversion for your terminal driven systems (TN3270 or TN5250).  The Integration Server dynamically generates HTML or XML for delivery via HTTP from your existing TN3270 or TN5250 application
  • Transformation and Integration – The business analyst or author constructs customized EnterpriseLink projects that deliver restricted views of the original legacy application to a specific web audience.  Alternative views of the same application may provide different levels of capabilities to different groups, or provide a specific access point from a certain protocol, device or application environment.  EnterpriseLink’s object repository contains the transformation rules specified by the author during the development phase.  The Integration Server will ensure these rules are followed at deployment time
  • Inter-application Communication – EnterpriseLink enables bi-directional communication between enterprise applications. For example, data from a terminal driven system can be extracted to update a relational database or vice versa, or data from a terminal driven system can be downloaded to a standard PDF form for local printing and viewing
  • HTML Delivery – EnterpriseLink can deliver a unified web browser view of integrated enterprise applications to web browsers supporting any level of HTML.  In fact, EnterpriseLink detects the HTML level supported by the browser as it connects and generates the web page specifically for it.
  • XML Delivery – EnterpriseLink can deliver information via XML.  XML parsers such as JAXP for Java or SAX for C++ can parse the information delievered over HTTP.  Tools that leverage XSL style sheets can further transform the XML into specific X-Schemas or Document Type Definitions (DTDs) formats required by an industry group.
  • Web Service Delivery – EnterpriseLink can deliver information via XML wrappered in Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) over HTTP.  EnterpriseLink makes its Web Services Definition Language (WSDL) available to Web Service client application builders such as Micro Focus Net Express and Microsoft .NET Visual Studio.  These application generators will construct services or desktop applications that can interact with any EnterpriseLink project.
  • Object Delivery – Using SmartCOM, EnterpriseLink-defined web pages and their objects can be delivered as COM components to C++, Visual Basic, VBScript, ASPs, or other COM-compliant subsystems.
  • Java Access – Using SmartJ, information integrated by EnterpriseLink is accessible to Java applications, Java applets, Java Server Pages through a Java programming interface.
  • Wireless Delivery – EnterpriseLink can be combined with Novarra’s WirelessWeb server technology to automatically transform the HTML delivered by EnterpriseLink into a format specifically optimized for the requesting wireless device
  • Business Rule Extension - EnterpriseLink SmartScript™ extends the power of Integration Server to provide integration with other enterprise applications
  • Web-based System Administration – All major EnterpriseLink System Administration functions can be performed from a web browser, enabling remote access and preventing scheduled downtime

 

ENTERPRISELINK TOOLS AND COMPONENTS

The following tools and components are part of the EnterpriseLink Integration Server toolset.

 

EnterpriseLink Loader

Loader provides a quick and easy method for capturing and converting host screens and their relationships to each other. During this automated capture process, Loader populates its repository with an object representation of the host system, its fields, attributes, and transitions and users workflow.  In this way, an expert’s knowledge is captured along with the layout of the application.  This is important later as multiple screens (or elements of screens) are combined into one page or the author creates hyperlinks to quickly navigate through the completed web application.  The original expert’s knowledge will be used to drive the legacy application to the appropriate location.

 

EnterpriseLink Builder

A 100% Java Application, Builder provides everything a web developer needs to rapidly construct professional, dynamic web pages from the object representation of the host function captured during the Loader phase. Builder uses a drag-and-drop object assembly metaphor for building web page templates that are automatically populated with live data when the application is running. Builder is the first Legacy presentation integration tool that can run on Solaris and AIX, giving your UNIX developers the tools they need to integrate to mainframe applications.

 

Builder infers the transformation rules from the author’s drag-and-drop actions, freeing the author from manually programming the behavior of each screen element and every screen transition. It can combine many application and data elements: host screens (one or more screens on a single web page), tables from a host database, data from a relational database outside the host system and even entire Java Applets or ActiveX plugins. The application author can also add special-purpose JavaScript or VBScript to the web page. 

 

EnterpriseLink Integration Server

The runtime component manages hundreds of concurrent connections to the host application and transforms the live data to the protocol requested by the end-user, device or downstream Web Services client application.  It carries out the transformation rules specified by the author during the authoring process.  EnterpriseLink Integration Server will access local PC or Unix applications and/or SQL databases as directed by the author.  It will consolidate performance metrics making them available to the Windows Performance Monitor or as web page accessible through the EnterpriseLink Administrators Web Site.  The Integration Server contains patented algorithms designed to reduce or eliminate the need for “double maintenance”.  Should a screen or transaction change on the legacy application, the screens need not be captured and recustomized, within certain administrator-defined thresholds.

 

Cluster Server

Cluster Server works with multiple Integration Servers to deliver 24x7 application availability with non-hierarchical clustering and no single point of failure. Additionally, it provides scaling to thousands of users and optimizes performance even with unpredictable spikes in user traffic. It transparently provides load balancing and fail-over for as many servers as needed, to deliver 99.999% uptime for large-scale extranet and Internet applications.  The Cluster Server is also used during scheduled outages as subsystems are upgraded.  This will provide continuous operation throughout the servicing cycle.

 

Security Server

EnterpriseLink’s Security Policy Manager controls the levels of security to which users connect interactive host applications to the Internet. It allows you to:

 

·         Leverage a host mainframe Security Subsystem, such as IBM’s RACF, Computer Associates’ ACF2 or TopSecret to authenticate individuals before they access corporate resources

·         Define one or more Security Objects, which are made from the security rules, embedded in the applications

·         Interface with other standard security processes such as LDAP, SSL, Certificates and PDC’s

 

Authors Web Site

The web-based Authors Site component allows individual authors to invoke the Loader and test web-based applications.  It allows authoring teams to manage one or more EnterpriseLink projects in one or more repositories.  Authoring tools reduce or eliminate the need for double-maintenance and are accessible from this site.  Project Managers can promote projects from unit test to system test to production with facilities on this web site.

 

Administrators Web Site

The web-based Administrators Site component allows remote administration and configuration of all EnterpriseLink components.  Management of a pool of EnterpriseLink Integration Servers is possible from a single site.  A system operator can take over, view and diagnose a session as well as obtain server statistics.

 

 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 

Supported Development / Deployment Software Environments and Prerequisite Software

 

Pentium IV 1.0GHz or higher, 128MB RAM, 10GB disk with one of:

·         Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a

o        Web Server

§         Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0

o        Web Browser

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7 or

§         Internet Explorer 5.5

o        Database (optional)

§         Microsoft Access 4.0 or,

§         Microsoft SQL Server 7.0

·         Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2

o        Web Server

§         Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.0 or,

§         Apache HTTP Server 1.3 or 2.x or,

§         BEA Web Logic Web Server or,

§         IBM WebSphere Web Server or,

§         Oracle Application Server, or

§         Sun ONE (iPlanet) Enterprise Server 6.0,

o        Web Browser

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0

§         Internet Explorer 6.0, 6.1

o        Database (optional):

§         Microsoft Access 4.0 or,

§         Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or,

§         Oracle 8.15, 9i or,

§         MySQL Server 3.5, 4.0

·         Microsoft Windows 2003 Server

o        Web Server

§         Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.2 or,

§         Apache HTTP Server 1.3 or 2.x or,

§         BEA Web Logic Web Server or,

§         IBM WebSphere Web Server or,

§         Oracle Application Server, or

§         Sun ONE (iPlanet) Enterprise Server 6.0,

o        Web Browser

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0, or

§         Internet Explorer 6.0, 6.1

o        Database (optional):

§         Microsoft Access 4.0 or,

§         Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or,

§         Oracle 8.15, 9i or,

§         MySQL Server 3.5, 4.0

 

·         SuSE Linux AS 3.0 or Red Hat 8.x

o        Web Server

§         Apache HTTP Server 1.3 or 2.x or,

§         BEA Web Logic Web Server or,

§         IBM WebSphere Web Server or,

§         Oracle Application Server, or

o        Web Browser

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0, or

§         Mozilla

o        Database:

§         Oracle 8.15, 9i or,

§         MySQL Server 3.5, 4.0

 

·         Microsoft Windows XP Professional (development only)

o        Web Browser

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0, or

§         Internet Explorer 6.0, 6.1

Sun SPARC 360Mhz, 1GB of RAM, 10 GB or disk with:

·         Solaris 2.6, 2.7, 8, 9

o        Web Server:

§         Apache HTTP Server 1.3 or 2.x or,

§         BEA Web Logic Web Server or,

§         IBM WebSphere Web Server or,

§         Oracle Application Server, or

§         Sun ONE (iPlanet) Enterprise Server 6.0

o        Web Browser:

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0, or

§         Mozilla

o        Database:

§         MySQL 3.5, 4.0, or

§         Oracle 8.15, 9i, or

§         Sybase System 11

 

IBM RS6000 360Mhz, 1GB of RAM, 10 GB or disk with:

·         AIX 4.3.3

o        Web Server:

§         Apache HTTP Server 1.3 or 2.x or,

§         BEA Web Logic Web Server or,

§         IBM WebSphere Web Server or,

§         Oracle Application Server, or

§         Sun ONE (iPlanet) Enterprise Server 6.0

o        Web Browser:

§         Netscape Navigator 4.7, 6.0, 7.0, or

§         Mozilla

o        Database:

§         MySQL 3.5, 4.0, or

§         Oracle 8.15, 9i

§          

IBM S/390 100MIPS logical partition or higher with:

·         SuSE Linux AS 3.0

o        Web Server

§         Apache 1.3 or 2.x

o        Database:

§         MySQL 3.5, 4.0

 

Supported Application and Database Integration Sources

• Any 3270, 5250 or 6680 terminal-based application

• IBM CICS, IMS, VM, TPF

• CA Datacom/DC, IDMS/DC

Cincom Supra/DC

• Software AG Natural/Adabas

• IBM OS/400 RPG, PASE

• Fujitsu M-Series

• Tandem Non-Stop

• Unisys BS2000

• Micro Focus Mainframe Express

• Any SQL-Based Relational Database Management System

• Oracle 8.0, 8i, 9i

• IBM DB2

• Sybase System 11

• Microsoft SQL Server

• Microsoft Access

• Any PC or Unix application or dynamically linked library

• XML or Web Services data source or integration platform

 

 

Supported End-User Access Devices and Protocols

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher web browser

• Netscape 4.7 or higher web browser

• Opera 7 or higher web browser

• Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer 1.1 or higher PDA web browser

• XML 1.0 compliant device or application

• Web Services Client

• XML-RPC Client

• Phone.com WML browser for mobile phones (via Novarra WirelessWeb)

PalmNet browser for wireless PDAs (via Novarra WirelessWeb)

• Any Microsoft COM-compliant GUI application (via EnterpriseLink SmartCOM)

• Any Java-compliant GUI application (via EnterpriseLink SmartJ)

• Any Web Services-based client application

 

 

Find Out More About EnterpriseLink

Visit the EnterpriseLink Product Information Site at www.enterpriselink.com for more information, white papers, technical notes, frequently asked questions, demos and downloads.

 

About Micro Focus

Micro Focus is the industry leader in COBOL development solutions ranging from traditional maintenance and program understanding to business rule mining, Web-enablement and user-interface transformation.  Over 70,000 licensed users at more than 7,000 sites around the world use Micro Focus’ unsurpassed breadth of platform support, performance and scalability. Micro Focus offers the most comprehensive suite of development and integration environments to help customers succeed in taking full advantage of the power of their legacy systems.  Founded in 1976, Micro Focus is a global company that employs more than 450 people worldwide with principal offices in the United Kingdom and North America.  For more information, visit www.microfocus.com