Franz KonradFranz Konrad

Integrating CICS applications into SOAIntegrating CICS applications into SOA

Agenda

• CICS Applications and SOA

• SOA Options– Transaction Server native options– Indirect options

• Contrasting options to needs

Session Overview:

Integrating CICS applications into SOA

Market Forces - IT Challenges

• Service Oriented Architecture is maturing

• Adoption of SOA increasing throughout IT– Move to service-enable applications– Infrastructure for composition– Extend use of applications

• Legacy applications need to participate– Minimize risk Atomic-Level

Service Components(Granular)

Composite Services(Integrated / more business

context)

CICS Applications and SOA

• CICS applications generally pre-date SOA architectural guidelines– Typically CICS applications are monolithic– UI and logic have no clear separation– Even when separated, use of components are not

assumed asynchronous

• SOA is an architecture that assumes– Applications are built from distributed ‘remote’ services– Service use is asynchronous– Services are composable

SOA Options

At a high level

– Migrate to new architecture (platform)

• Involves rewrite of application• Re-hosting is not a solution to architecture

– Evolve applications (break them into services)• Available with new Transaction Server additions• Indirect access through appended infrastructure

z Series

Three Evolutionary Options

TS 3.1Integrated

Web services

TS 3.1Integrated

Web services

CICSBridge Exit or

UI Access

CICSBridge Exit or

UI Access

CICS COMMAREA

Access

CICS COMMAREA

Access

CICS TSCOBOL

App

Extended SOANetwork

• Native technology to current CICS platform• Leverage existing CICS tools

Factors to Consider

• SOA strategy– 2 tier versus 3 tier– Technology direction

• Skill-sets– Skills for implementation– Long-term skill requirements

• Mainframe capacity• Impact to existing infrastructure• Impact to existing applications

– Invasive vs. non-invasive approach

Transaction Server Web Services

• Native technology to current CICS platform• Leverage existing CICS tools

IntegratedWeb services

IntegratedWeb services

CICS TS 3.1Cobol App

CICS Integrated Web Services

Business Logic

CICS/Web Services Assistance

Language

Structure

ConversionPipeline

IDE Tools

Service Requester

CICS Web Services

CICS TS 3.1

WSDL

Application Manager Find / Learn app language Structure -- copybook

Generate WSBIND and WSDL

System Programmer• Process it with the Web Services Assistant to populate

Unix System Service (HFS) files (WSDL & WSBIND)• Configure CICS URI Mapping, WebService and Pipeline

resource definitions• Make the WSDL available to the programmer to build the

Web Service client (service Requester)

URIDef

WS Bind

File

HFSConfig

WS Bind

WSDL

Attributes of Native Approach

• High availability– Available with provider

application– QoS of CICS extended

to services

• Inherit performance characteristics of platform• 2-Tier approach reduces security exposure

• Extends CICS Skill-sets to service layer

Factors

• Needs application level interactions– Legacy CICS applications may need modifications– Logic separate from UI– SOAP service needs to be invoked directly

• Puts processing burden on the mainframe– Legacy system provides service

• Leverages, but necessitates CICS skill-sets– For service creation– For on-going alignment with business processes– Base services built w/ CICS skills, composite services with mid-

tier skills

Appropriate Use

• Good when a standards based approach is desired– This direct SOAP approach is open standards based and

fully integrated into CICS Transaction Server and uses open standards based

• This is a useful approach for:– Enterprise modernization (legacy modernization)– New MF application development needs– Business integration in a robust CICS shop – Web services implementation

Best for new development

Indirect Approach

• COMMAREA – Uses a proxy or gateway to aggregate transactions for

use in services– Proxy or gateway can reside on or off mainframe, but is a

logical middle-tier regardless

• CICS 3270 Bridge support– Uses bridge exits available in recent CICS Transaction

Server versions– Does not require a middle-tier other than for convenience

COMMAREA Access

• Gateway or proxy access to API• Use of API access to transactions

CICSDPL Access

CICSDPL Access

CICS TS

ECI, EXCI, RPC, CWS

Cobol App

CICS DPL Access

CICS DPL Access

CICS DPL Services

IPListener

Application Manager • Find / Learn app language structure -- copybook• Describe operations for service• Create Service• Publish Service (WS, EJB, .NET Class…)

copybookDesign StudioSystem Programmer

• Install listener (optional)

Service OperationHost TransactionCOPYBOOK

Cobol App

Attributes of Gateway / Proxy

• Non-invasive to host or application– Links to existing transactions – Leverage existing APIs (ECI, EXCI,...)

• High performance characteristics • 3-Tier approach

– Reduces MF processing– Transaction service can reside on any platform,– Or can reside in zOS, a CICS, or linux region– Service can be made native to service consumer: Web

service, J2EE, .NET, etc...

DPLAccess

Factors with Gateway / Proxy

• Needs transaction level interactions– Only works with CICS logic– Logic must be separate from UI

• Loses process logic in UI– UI typically contains business processes– Need knowledge of the CICS application’s constraints

• No control over granularity– Legacy system provides transaction as base service– Orchestration/ BPM assumed for building services with

business context

DPLAccess

CICS 3270 Bridge Access

• BMS or terminal access to CICS applications• Appended infrastructure within CICS

CICS 3270Bridge

CICS 3270Bridge

ClientI/F

Cobol App

CICS 3270 Bridge AccessSystem Programmer• Install Verastream Bridge EngineMid-Tier Admin• Load Client Interface on Server

Application Manager • Learn application business processes• Describe operations for service• Create Service• Publish Service (WS, EJB, .NET Class…)

TCP/IP

Cobol App

CICS TS 2.2 (+)BridgeEngine

Design Studio

ClientI/F

Attributes with CICS 3270 Bridge

• High availability– Available with provider application– Inherit performance characteristics of platform

• 2-Tier approach reduces security exposure• Abstracts CICS Skill-sets from service layer • Has access to full CICS application details

– BMS maps, terminal controls, invoked transactions– Retains process logic embedded in UI

• Full control over granularity (business context) of services

Factors with CICS 3270 Bridge

• Needs 3270 application UI– Does not see stand-alone transactions– Works with symbolic names if on BMS map– 3270 app must be within CICS

• May put processing overhead on the mainframe– CICS region provides service– Removes VTAM from process overhead

'This can be a net benefit'

Appropriate Use

• Transactions are not separate from UI• Useful approach for:

– Enterprise modernization (legacy modernization)– Integration projects that need CICS application use– Web services implementation

• Best when tight integration needs are combined with low CICS skill requirements– This is a non-invasive application approach that uses a

CICS resident access method– Services are typically built with only terminal or systems

analyst application level knowledge

General Mainframe Integration

• Encapsulate data and logic via the screen interface

(UI Data Stream)SupportedInterfaces:

3270VT420

AS/400HP700/92HP2392A

z Series

CICS Options Summary

• Useful for new development

TS 3.1Integrated

Web services

TS 3.1Integrated

Web services

CICSBridge Exit or

UI Access

CICSBridge Exit or

UI Access

CICS COMMAREA

Access

CICS COMMAREA

Access

CICS TS

• Great for logic mixed with UI • Low impact to host and host application

COBOLApp

Extended SOANetwork

SummaryAccess Low

Host Skills

Low Host

impact

Mixed Logic

2-Tier Products

TS Web Services x

COMMAREA access

x x

Bridge Access x x x x

General Access x x x

Transaction Integrator

Transaction Integrator

Bridge IntegratorBridge

Integrator

Host IntegratorHost Integrator