A Comprehensive Guide to IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5

2 IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5

1.1 Introduction

IBM Host Publisher is a set of tools that provides a Web-to-host solution

designed to address the unique characteristics of the Internet. Host Publisher

Version 3.5 enables Web integration with existing 3270, 5250, VT, JDBC, and

Java applications, without requiring any changes to those existing applications

and using industry-standard HTML Web pages to support end users running

non-Java browsers.

Figure 1-1 Integration of existing legacy applications with the World Wide Web

IBM WebSphere Host Publisher allows you to create and use reusable

integration objects. Integration Objects created with Host Publisher encapsulate

the interaction and data retrieval with host applications. The created Integration

Objects can also be reused by other Host Publisher applications as well as Java

applications developed outside of Host Publisher.

IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5 offers additional platform support

and provides run-time solutions for OS/400, AIX, Windows 2000, Windows NT,

and Sun Solaris operating environments.

Chapter 1. Overview 3

Note: Host Publisher Version 3.5 is not available for z/OS or OS/390. However,

Host Publisher Version 2.2.1 CSD provides WebSphere Application Server

Version 3.5 Standard Edition support for OS/390.

In addition, WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5 for iSeries is available within

WebSphere Host Integration Solution and iSeries Access for Web products.

As illustrated in Figure 1-2, there are two major components in IBM WebSphere

Host Publisher:

򐂰 Host Publisher Studio, which provides easy-to-use tools to assist in the

creation of Web-to-host integration projects. It is available for Windows 95,

Windows 98, Windows NT and Windows 2000.

򐂰 Host Publisher Server, which consists of IBM WebSphere Application Server

(WAS) and Host Publisher runtime components. It provides the runtime

environment for executing Web applications created with the Host Publisher

Studio.

Figure 1-2 IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5 components

Host Publisher Server for AIX, Sun Solaris, Windows NT and Windows 2000

requires IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) Version 3.5 Advanced

Edition with PTF 3, which is not provided with Host Publisher. However, a

WebSphere Advanced Edition Version 3.5 for Windows NT and Windows 2000

CD ROM is included, but for development purposes only.

Note: Host Publisher Server for iSeries requires IBM WebSphere Application

Server (WAS) Version 3.5 Standard or Advanced Editions, which are not

provided with Host Publisher.

4 IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5

Figure 1-3 Host Publisher component relationship (studio and server)

The most important features included in IBM WebSphere Host Publisher are:

򐂰 Support for multiple platforms.

򐂰 Ability to create host Integration Objects that can be reused within Java

development tools.

򐂰 Load balancing and hot backup: can be provided by IBM eNetwork

Dispatcher, which provides enterprise-class load balancing and hot backup of

Host Publisher servers.

Note: The IBM eNetwork Dispatcher product is no longer bundled with IBM

WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5.

򐂰 Fully customizable Web pages: this product generates fully customizable

HTML pages that the application builder can enhance using his or her favorite

HTML editor.

򐂰 Back-end data sources: this product supports the integration of applications

from 3270, 5250, Java, and JDBC-compliant databases.

Chapter 1. Overview 5

򐂰 Connection pools: user-defined connection pools are used during runtime to

cache connected, logged-on, and ready connections to improve response

time.

򐂰 Integration Object chaining: enables you to break the application into steps to

provide greater flexibility and performance.

򐂰 IBM Host Publisher integrates multiple data sources, including host and

database applications, into a single Web page on a client's browser, making

host access transparent to the user.

򐂰 XML Legacy Gateway: it makes existing host application data available to

customer or Business Partner Java applications in an XML format. It includes

a 3270/5250 HTML Mapper that provides a load-and-go entry-level HTML

emulator within a Web browser window.

򐂰 Remote Integration Objects (RIO): it allows Integration Objects running on the

Host Publisher server to be accessed from Web clients such as Web

browsers, Java programs and XML applications written in Java, Perl, C++ and

other languages.

򐂰 National Language Support (NLS).

Figure 1-4 Internet Host Integration with Host Publisher

IBM WebSphere Host Publisher Version 3.5 is designed for enterprises that need

to deliver host information via HTML to standard Web browsers. It is Java-based

and supports OS/400, AIX, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Sun Solaris

operating systems.

Host Publisher Version 3 Release 5 includes the following new function and

features:

򐂰 Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) support. Host Publisher delivery of EJB support

provides those who are building EJB-based applications a locatable, scalable,

CS/390

AS/400

UNIX

Web Server and

Host Publisher

Internet

SNA / TCPIP

Web Browser

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