Adapters for Host Systems Product Overview
Product Overview
Organizations are using Microsoft BizTalk Server to integrate and orchestrate composite solutions that span multiple systems and applications. The Microsoft BizTalk adapters for host systems offer efficient development tools and native runtime protocol engines that allow enterprise IT to connect BizTalk to existing line-of-business programs and data on IBM mainframe zSeries and midrange iSeries computers, preserving the integrity and performance of vital line-of-business systems, while extending those investments to new solutions.
The following is an overview of capabilities provided by the Microsoft BizTalk Server 2009 adapters for host systems.
BizTalk adapter for host applications is based on technology in transaction integrator, allowing enterprises to connect BizTalk solutions to existing IBM mainframe zSeries (CICS and IMS) or midrange iSeries (AS/400) server programs. The adapter offers an intuitive designer—including host COBOL and RPG source code import wizards—with which to generate XSD schemas for use in BizTalk projects. The administration tools are integrated with the BizTalk port configuration and deployment tools. Using the BizTalk adapter for host applications, IT professionals can efficiently extend host programs with new solutions based on BizTalk Server 2009.
BizTalk adapter for IBM DB2 connects BizTalk Server 2009 to vital data stored in IBM mainframe DB2 for z/OS, IBM midrange DB2/400, and IBM DB2 Universal Database for open platforms (AIX, Linux, Solaris, and Windows). The DB2 adapter is based on the Microsoft .NET framework data provider for DB2 and supports a broad range of functions, including static and dynamic send ports, receive ports, and distributed transactions across traditional SNA and open TCP/IP network connections. Using standard SQL commands defined within port configuration wizards built into the BizTalk Server administration tools, IT professionals can easily create solutions that securely and efficiently integrate DB2 databases without the need for custom programming.
Microsoft BizTalk Adapter for Host Files connects BizTalk Server 2009 to vital data stored in IBM mainframe zSeries VSAM datasets and IBM midrange iSeries AS/400 physical files. The host file adapter is based on the Microsoft .NET framework data provider for host files, offering built-in data conversions from host data types to XSD data types, including a broad set of EBCDIC and UNICODE string conversions. The adapter offers an intuitive designer—including host COBOL and RPG source code import wizards—with which to define metadata maps of the host records. The adapter configuration wizards are integrated into the BizTalk Server administration tools, allowing IT professionals to define static and dynamic send ports, solicit response receive ports, based on a simplified set of SQL commands.
BizTalk adapter for WebSphere MQ uses the IBM WebSphere MQ Base Client (non-transactional) or WebSphere MQ Transaction Extended Client APIs to communicate with remote MQSeries Queue Managers. This adapter enables BizTalk Server to communicate directly to MQSeries Queue Managers deployed on non-Windows operating systems, without needing to deploy and manage WebSphere MQ Server for Windows, to efficiently exchange messages with line-of-business applications across the enterprise.
Host Integration Technologies
Also, as part of the BizTalk Server 2009 adapters for host systems package, customers get the 2009 revisions of these host integration technologies, for use in extending BizTalk with direct-connect solutions where needed.
