Data-Driven Application Integration Adapters

Abstract

Software application integration, including constructing an application integration adapter where the constructing is carried out in dependence upon a profile. The profile includes data describing the adapter. Embodiments include communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter. Profiles include identifications of at least two communications transports, including configuration parameters for the data communications transports. In typical embodiments, constructing an application integration adapter includes creating the transports identified in the adapter profile, and configuring the transports in accordance with the configuration parameters.

1 . A method of application integration, the method comprising: 
 constructing an application integration adapter, wherein the constructing is carried out in dependence upon a profile comprising data describing the adapter; and    communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of at least two communications transports, including configuration parameters for the data communications transports;    wherein constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transports identified in the adapter profile; and    configuring the transports in accordance with the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein each transport comprises a parameterized factory method for creating a receiver and configuring the transports further comprises: 
 creating a receiver for each transport, carried out by a call to the parameterized factory method for creating a receiver with at least some of the configuration parameters;    registering a transport event listener with each receiver.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the application integration adapter comprises a transport event listener.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein each transport comprises a factory method for creating a sender, and configuring the transports further comprises creating a sender for each transport.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein: 
 providing an adapter profile further comprises providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of one or more data transfer managers, including configuration parameters for the data transfer managers, and    constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transfer managers identified in the profile; and    configuring the transfer managers in dependence upon the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter further comprises: 
 receiving from a source application an integration message having a source message format and a source data structure;    translating the integration message from the source message format to a destination message format useful to a destination application; and    sending the integration message to a destination application.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter further comprises: 
 receiving from a source application an integration message having a source message format and a source data structure;    translating the integration message from the source message format to an interim message format useful for internal processing within the adapter;    transforming the integration message from the source data structure to a destination data structure; and    sending the integration message to a destination application.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising translating the integration message from the interim message format to a destination message format useful to the destination application.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the transforming is carried out through a transfer manager.  
   
   
       11 . A system for application integration, the system comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of: 
 constructing an application integration adapter, wherein the constructing is carried out in dependence upon a profile comprising data describing the adapter; and    communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising computer program instructions capable of: 
 providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of at least two communications transports, including configuration parameters for the data communications transports;    wherein constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transports identified in the adapter profile; and    configuring the transports in accordance with the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein: 
 providing an adapter profile further comprises providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of one or more data transfer managers, including    configuration parameters for the data transfer managers, and    constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transfer managers identified in the profile; and    configuring the transfer managers in dependence upon the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein each transport comprises a parameterized factory method for creating a receiver and configuring the transports further comprises: 
 creating a receiver for each transport, carried out by a call to the parameterized factory method for creating a receiver with at least some of the configuration parameters; and    registering a transport event listener with each receiver.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter further comprises: 
 receiving from a source application an integration message having a source message format and a source data structure;    translating the integration message from the source message format to a destination message format useful to a destination application; and    sending the integration message to a destination application.    
   
   
       16 . A computer program product for application integration, the computer program product disposed upon a recording medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of: 
 constructing an application integration adapter, wherein the constructing is carried out in dependence upon a profile comprising data describing the adapter; and    communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter.    
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 16  further comprising computer program instructions capable of: 
 providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of at least two communications transports, including configuration parameters for the data communications transports;    wherein constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transports identified in the adapter profile; and    configuring the transports in accordance with the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 17  wherein: 
 providing an adapter profile further comprises providing an adapter profile comprising identifications of one or more data transfer managers, including configuration parameters for the data transfer managers, and    constructing an application integration adapter further comprises:    creating the transfer managers identified in the profile; and    configuring the transfer managers in dependence upon the configuration parameters.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 17  wherein each transport comprises a parameterized factory method for creating a receiver and configuring the transports further comprises: 
 creating a receiver for each transport, carried out by a call to the parameterized factory method for creating a receiver with at least some of the configuration parameters; and    registering a transport event listener with each receiver.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 16  wherein communicating integration messages among applications through the adapter further comprises: 
 receiving from a source application an integration message having a source message format and a source data structure;    translating the integration message from the source message format to a destination message format useful to a destination application; and    sending the integration message to a destination application.