Understanding the data flow

In the business integration system, data flow--the movement and processing of data sent from one application or entity to another-- can occur either as an asynchronous or a synchronous exchange between applications over the network.

For instance, an application might need to exchange data with another application to obtain data or to communicate changes in its data store. WebSphere Business Integration adapters facilitate this flow by exchanging data between the integration server and adapter in the form of business objects (described in detail below).

Business objects are an abstraction of application data structures and their associated operations, and they encapsulate and transmit business data for several purposes. For instance, they may convey new or changed data, a request for data, or data returned in response to a request or operation. Furthermore, either the integration server or the adapter may originate business objects.

A business object can report the occurrence of an EIS event, an operation that affected a data entity in an EIS. The EIS event might be the creation, deletion, or change in value of that collection of data. For example, an adapter might poll an application for new employee entities on behalf of the integration server. If the EIS creates a new employee entity, the adapter sends an event business object to the integration server.

In an EIS-initiated request, the EIS invokes the adapter synchronously through a call-back mechanism, and the adapter sends a business object to the integration server to represent the operation. The adapter takes the corresponding response business object from the integration server, and provides a synchronous response to the EIS. For example, an application may issue a real-time pricing look-up to the integration infrastructure.

In addition to such interactions for the exchange of business data, the adapter and integration server may also exchange administrative messages, such as status changes and administrative operations.

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