In a world where product lifespans are often measured in months, the IBM® Transaction Processing Facility has remained relevant for more than four decades by continuing to process high volumes of transactions quickly and reliably. As the title of this book suggests, the z/TPF system uses open, standard interfaces to create services. Integration of new applications with existing z/TPF functions is a key factor in extending application capabilities. The ability for service data objects (SDO) to access the z/TPF Database Facility (z/TPFDF) provides a framework for data application program development that includes an architecture and application programming interfaces (APIs). SDO access to z/TPFDF provides remote client applications with access to z/TPF traditional data.

In the simplest terms, service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a means by which like, or unlike, systems can communicate with one another despite differences between each system's heritage. SOA can neutralize the differences between systems so that they understand one another. SOA support for z/TPF is a means by which z/TPF can interact with other systems that also support SOA. This book discusses various aspects of SOA in the z/TPF system, including explanations and examples to help z/TPF users implement SOA. IBM WebSphere® Application Server was chosen as the partner system as a means of demonstrating how a world class transaction server and a world class application server can work together. This book shows you how you can exploit z/TPF as a transaction server, participating in a SOA structure alongside WebSphere Application Server.

This IBM Redbooks® publication provides an introduction to z/TPF and the technologies critical to SOA. z/TPF is positioned as a provider or consumer in an SOA by supporting SOAP processing, communication bindings, and Extensible Markup Language (XML). An example is used to show how z/TPF can be used both as a Web service provider and as a consumer. A second example shows how to use WebSphere Operational Decision Management to apply business rules. A third example shows how business event processing can be incorporated in z/TPF applications. An example is also used to discuss security aspects, including z/TPF XML encryption and the z/TPF WS-Security wrapper. The main part of the book concludes with a discussion of z/TPF in an open systems environment, including examples of lightweight implementations to fit z/TPF, such as the HTTP server for the z/TPF system. The appendixes include information and examples using TPF Toolkit, sample code, and workarounds (with yes, more examples).

Part 1. Overview

Chapter 1. An introduction to z/TPF and its role in a service-oriented architecture

Chapter 2. Technologies

Part 2. z/TPF as a provider in a service-oriented architecture

Chapter 3. z/TPF SOAP processing

Chapter 4. The z/TPF communications bindings

Chapter 5. XML on z/TPF

Part 3. z/TPF as a Web service provider and consumer

Chapter 6. z/TPF application as a Web service provider

Chapter 7. Accessing z/TPFDF databases through SDO

Chapter 8. z/TPF SOAP consumer processing

Chapter 9. Using a z/TPF application as a Web service SOAP consumer

Part 4. SOA consumer

Chapter 10. Using WebSphere Operational Decision Management to apply business rules

Chapter 11. Business event processing

Part 5. Security

Chapter 12. z/TPF XML encryption

Chapter 13. z/TPF WS-Security wrapper

Part 6. z/TPF in open systems

Chapter 14. Porting open system applications to a z/TPF system

Chapter 15. z/TPF Internet mail server

Chapter 16. z/TPF HTTP client support

Chapter 17. Additional examples of z/TPF in an SOA environment

Appendix A. Using the IBM TPF Toolkit to build projects

and load them to the runtime system

Appendix B. Using the IBM TPF Toolkit web services tooling

to create and deploy a web service

Appendix C. The IBM TPF Toolkit and z/TPF Debugger Tools

Appendix D. IBM TPF Toolkit wizards for WebSphere Operational Decision Management and WebSphere Business Events

Appendix E. XML file for SDO examples

Appendix F. Workarounds