WebSphere Business Integration Express for Item Synchronization utilizes the following types of components:
A connector provides the interface for interacting with an application that is involved in data exchange. Your implementation will include a connector for interacting with your UCCnet trading partner, and one or more connectors for interacting with your ERP application, as well as a connector that enables email for message handling.
Connectors are the primary component of adapters. Adapters are copied to your system when you run the Installer. However, adapters do not become functional until you configure the connector object for each adapter, as described later in this guide. Where appropriate, adapters also include components called object discovery agents (ODAs). ODAs are used for creating business objects that are used with the connector objects of each specific adapter.
Business objects are the message units that contain the data that is exchanged by connectors. There are application-specific business objects, which carry data to and from applications, and generic business objects, which are used in the business processes performed by collaborations.
A collaboration object contains the business logic for performing operations using the data contained in the business objects. You will create collaboration objects from the provided collaboration templates, as described later in this Guide.
Maps are used to move data between the application-specific business objects handled by connectors and their applications, and the generic business objects used by the collaboration.