NXTware Evolution Server solves Mainframe Connectivity issues

The NXTware CICS Evolution Adapter enables mainframe connectivity for CICS transactions to interoperate in real-time with J2EE, .NET, Web Server, ERP, SOAP or Java VM based application.

Working in conjunction with the NXTware Evolution Server, the mainframe connectivity adapter makes possible the systematic evolution of legacy business logic to contemporary platforms, as well as the participation of CICS business logic in service-oriented architectures. Using NXTware and the CICS Evolution Adapter, CICS can provide and consume data with other applications transparently. In this way, a service consumer can be directed at runtime to use legacy versions of CICS business logic via mainframe connectivity or new/evolved re-hosted versions – with no impact on end users.

NXTware and the CICS Evolution Adapter provide an abstract layer that enables companies to establish legacy mainframe connectivity with contemporary interoperability and manage transitional complexity during the evolution of CICS systems.

Meta Data View

The key to the Evolution Adapter’s functionality is the design-time use of CICS metadata. This metadata includes information about business processes and how they are implemented. It is graphically displayed in a Web browser, where subject matter experts can select the COBOL Copybooks that represent the transactions they want to target for evolution or interoperability (mainframe connectivity).

Based on these copybooks, the CICS Evolution Adapter generates XML schemas that are used and referred to at run-time. There is no need to manually map the data between the participating applications manually. The newly automated mainframe connectivity interfaces to these CICS transactions are available as Java Objects or J2EE components.

A Virtual Layer

NXTware Evolution Server, in its role as a virtual layer in an enterprise evolution, enables business logic to transparently exist as CICS transactions or to reside on other mid-tier platforms. At runtime, it can be determined which version of these services are to be exposed as Web services, Servlets, or Java objects (for non-XML environments).

Mainframe Connectivity Requirements

Any version of CICS that supports Transaction Gateway (CTG) from IBM can leverage the CICS Evolution Adapter, connect and create Evolution Components that interoperate with CICS.

The NXTware Evolution Server and its components are designed to be highly flexible and portable to support mainframe connectivity,n-tier and mainframe applications.

NXTware is Java-based, and runs in a standard stand-alone Java-VM or with J2EE applications server 1.3 and above.

Mainframe Connectivity Functionality

In the NXTware and its evolution mainframe connectivity components, application business functions are dynamically deployed as methods that are available to client applications.

These methods can be defined by XML schemas generated at design-time.

To support enterprise scale usage, NXTware automatically instantiates, manages and brokers multi-thread components that can execute function requests from multiple target applications. It also creates connection pools for faster performance of the mainframe connectivity.

Evolution Server with Mainframe Connectivity

NXTware enables an abstract layer between business, data access and presentation logic that transparently supports legacy or contemporary solutions. In this way, it simplifies the process of systematically modernizing legacy systems or discontinuing obsolescent technologies.

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