Info*Engine Architecture
In order to understand the operation of Info*Engine adapters, you must first understand how adapters work within the Info*Engine architecture. The following sections describe each component of the Info*Engine architecture and details how those components work in concert.
Identifying the Info*Engine Components
The following components make up the Info*Engine architecture:
Info*Engine Servlets
Info*Engine servlets provide an interface between the web server and Info*Engine.
Info*Engine Server
The Info*Engine server provides a mechanism for retrieving and manipulating the data that users or custom applications want to view or receive.
Naming Service
The Naming Service is the software that supports the operation of Info*Engine components. In the Info*Engine Naming Service, you can identify the LDAP directory servers where entries for the network addresses of Info*Engine components and entries for configuration properties reside.
Info*Engine Service Access Kit (SAK)
The Info*Engine Service Access Kit (SAK) is an application program interface (API) that facilitates the development of Java applications, including JSP pages, that directly utilize the functions and features of Info*Engine. For example, high-level Info*Engine components such as the IE servlet and the Info*Engine server use the SAK to invoke tasks and individual webjects.
Native Adapters
The native adapters provide a direct interface between Info*Engine and information systems.
Non-Native Adapters
The non-native adapters provide an indirect interface between Info*Engine and information systems. These adapters use a different protocol from the protocol used by Info*Engine and therefore cannot connect directly to Info*Engine.
Gateways
Gateways provide an interface between Info*Engine and non-native adapters.
Info*Engine SOAP Servlets
The Info*Engine SOAP servlets catch and process Info*Engine SOAP requests that are made over the web. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a lightweight protocol that can be used by third-party applications. By using this protocol, third-party applications can send requests to execute Info*Engine code and return the output that is generated.
The remaining sections describe the relationships among the components.