You must have read about web services in our previous blog. Webservices are software services that are available over the internet for consumption. Webservices are now used in IBM AS400 modernization to extend basic interactions programs, such as users accessing different programs via browsers, to support program-to-program interactions. Furthermore, data from one website to another can be integrated, but sometimes the process involves tricky HTML coding or manually pasting the elements.
The Essence of Webservices in IBM iSeries AS400
Primarily web services are concerned with program-to-program interactions. For example, in IBM AS400 modernization, you can use web services to connect the backend processing system of organizations with markets. Or you can use this for order fulfillment and employee management.
Webservices also supports offerings between businesses and customers, the same as a browser-based internet model. Furthermore, web services also let companies manage daily tasks systematically. However, the selection of web services can be dynamic as per requirements.
Three Stages of Webservices Integration and Interactions
- An application outsourcing services provider develop a new web service and publish information about the interface.
- Companies use their sources to find application outsourcing services provider. Furthermore, companies check over various criteria to select a service.
- The companies then retrieve the information stored with the help of an IBM outsourcing company, and then the company bind to use the services.
Enabling Web services
Now, the big question is – how to enable web services?
Generally, several new technologies are used for developing web services. Also, developers may reasonably argue that web services can be developed without using any modern technology. But, web services are mainly written using these technologies:
- eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
- Web services Description Language (WSDL)
- Universal Discovery Description and Integration (UDDI)
If you want to “Enable Web services,” then you should know about these technologies.
XML
eXtensible Markup Language is an extensible tag language used to describe complex systems in a way that is easy to understand. Webservices rely on XML to a larger extent. XML makes use of textual records instead of binary records. Well, we know that binary records
are faster to process, but in order to set develop a standard in more than
decade, some standard has been defined for using binary records.
Since XML is textual data, the issue of using different hardware and language doesn’t occur generally. And such features make it platform independent. It takes minimal time for a CPU to create and parse XML data. And this adds up to significantly less processing time than necessary to convert software to a binary format.
Also, it would help if you weren’t concerned about XML praising time, as the more important
thing is – businesses should talk to each other. And XML enables this conversation.
SOAP
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is an XML protocol used for describing how a message is developed and sent between the parties included in web services. SOAP is a set of XML tags. With SOAP XML tags, you could outline a remote procedure call (RPC). The external tag is referred to as the SOAP envelope. The process has some parameters and includes return values that needed to be passed. XML tags in the SOAP envelope describe every parameter and the return value.
SOAP envelopes can be delivered through various communication channels. In the current specification of SOAP, it is mentioned that it is used for sending SOAP covers over HTTP (with or without the HTTP extension). Although, the specification makes it clear that other protocols can be integrated within the SOAP architecture. For example, you may send SOAP envelopes via email, i.e., Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), or over a messaging product.
WSDL
Web Services Description Language (WSDL) is a kind set of XML tags that can explain the interface to web services. Also, it can be used in IBM AS400 modernization. In terms of features, WSDL is like CORBA’s Interface Definition Language (IDL).)
When a web service is made available to an application outsourcing services provider, it includes the instructions about the parameters that need to be handed at the SOAP request and the parameters needed to be returned. IBM AS400 modernization web service toolkit consists of tools to develop WSDL from existing applications.
UDDI
Universal Discovery Description and Integration (UDDI) is a plan for designated web-based data registries of web services. UDDI is likewise a publicly approachable set of operations of the requirement that permit organizations to register data about web services. UDDI offers SOAP APIs that define the interface of an IBM application outsourcing services provider. You can seek a UDDI registry or look for a company providing certain types of services.
Prior to UDDI, there has been no easy way to gain info about the service offering of an IBM AS400 integrated organization. Also, there was no single point of access to let companies target all feasible buying and selling companions and their offerings. Without UDDI, web services outsourcing partners need to have more than one repository type.
Integrated Webservices for IBM AS400 Modernization
Integrated web services for IBM AS400 modernization enables ILE applications to adopt web services and SOA arena with determination, information, and necessary resources. The conjunction of web services and IBM AS400 technologies can help organizations release conventional business methods and make it easier to enhance, upgrade, and reuse applications and processes beyond the scope.
In today’s fast-paced technology world, APIs are becoming a synonym to the digital refection of an enterprise. You call it web API or web services but getting started with IBM AS400 modernization will be easier than ever with the IWS for IBMi. The bottom line is that today’s flexible businesses require flexible IT setup, and the path to this flexibility is Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).
Features and Benefits
The IBM consulting services provider integrates technologies that support the conversion of the data object into a suitable form and make them ready for export. IBM AS400 iSeries modernization services enable externalization of an ILE program object as web APIs and the consumption of services by an Integrated Language Environment (ILE) object. Such technologies are integrated web services servers for ILE.
But do you know the process of Integrated Web Services Server?
Integrated Web Services Server: The web service engine is integrated into IBM AS400 modernization and converted ILE data object into a service. This integration opens the IBM modernization technology to various implementations, like RPG, COBOL, .NET, Web 2.0, C, C++, and Java.
Features
Easy to Use
The web service server is easy to use as the GUI front end allows the companies to manage and monitor deployed web services.
Leading Edge
The web service server is developed on the powerful and lightweight, integrated application server and best-in-class technologies, SOAP, and REST support.
Small Footprint
Uses Integrated Language Environment (ILE) programming architecture for nominal utilization of IBM AS400 modernization resources.
Benefits
Get Started with No up-front Costs
The integrated web service server is a component of the OS, so companies can get services fast and running and show substantial results in real-time.
Focus on Core Capabilities
Companies don’t require additional hardware setup or skills to deploy their IBM AS400 set up to deploy web services. They can simultaneously focus on providing more value to the customers while the integration process goes on.
Web services Server Integration with Integrative Systems
The integrated web service server for IBM AS400 modernization generally simplifies conveying ILE business logic as a service through application outsourcing services for IBM AS400 services. The exposure of RPG programming in AS400 and COBOL as a service can also be streamlined as an administrative task on new IBMi technologies. The streamlined process is done by extracting the hidden complications of web services and stretching the ILE programming model. It permits the IBM AS/400 administrators to perform various ILE business tasks as services.
If you are also looking for a partner to integrate web services with your existing IBMi setup, feel free to connect with Integrative Systems. We at Integrative Systems have an experience of more than 20 years in application integration and modernization services and serving clients worldwide.
Share your requirements with us at [email protected], and someone from our team will connect with you soon.
