WebSphere Adapters

A WebSphere Adapter (or JCA Adapter, or J2C Adapter) is an IBM system-level software technology, used for creating drivers that a Java application uses to connect to an Enterprise Information System (EIS) WebSphere Adapters conform to version 1.5 of the JCA specification. They can be technology (e.g. COM and CORBA adapters) or application adapters. As of 2007, 25 WebSphere Adapters exist.

A WebSphere Adapter plugs into an application server and provides connectivity between the EIS, the application server, and the enterprise application. An application server vendor extends its system once to support the J2EE Connector Architecture (JCA) and is then assured of seamless connectivity to multiple EISs. Likewise, an EIS vendor provides one standard WebSphere Adapter with the capability to plug into any application server that supports the connector architecture.

WebSphere Process Server provides the WebSphere Relational Resource Adapter (RRA) implementation. This WebSphere Adapter provides data access through JDBC calls to access the database dynamically. The connection management is based on the JCA connection management architecture. It provides connection pooling, transaction, and security support.

The WebSphere Adapters are available with the 6.1 release of the WebSphere platform. This is WebSphere Integration Developer V6.1 (and associated engines), and WebSphere Message Broker V6.1.

Adapters for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, Oracle E-Business Suite, Siebel, SAP, and PeopleSoft are included with those tools. They are free for unit test only, to connect to a test or a production system hosting they require a license for the adapter.

WebSphere Process Server version 6.0 supports JCA version 1.5. The WebSphere Adapter technology is recommended for use instead of old WebSphere Business Integration Adapters.

External links

* [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/ WebSphere Adapters page]
* [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/tech/ Technology adapters]
* [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/apps/ Application adapters]