IBM AS/400 data queue sender adapter for PI?

[Former Member]

Hello,

within our IBM AS/400 systems we use data queues for asynchronous communication. In the past we have been using webMethods as an integration middleware, which provides an AS/400 adapter including so called "data queue listeners". I am looking for such an "data queue sender adapter" for SAP PI, which is able to receive events from AS/400 data queues, but could not find anything while searching the web. Did anyone connect an AS/400 data queue to PI and how did you do it?

Best regards,

Ulf

[Former Member]

Conceptually, there are probably a few options.

Option 1: Use IBM's Java API (toolbox for Java) to write a custom component to interact with the data queues.

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iadthelp/v8r0/topic/com.ibm.etools.iseries.toolbox.doc/dqco...

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/i/software/toolbox/

I'm not aware of any similar provisions in ABAP or for PI but you can check with SAP to see if PI has native provisions to interact with Data Queues.

Option 2: Use MQ (instead of data queues) on the AS400 with a mediator like Websphere Message broker to either invoke RFC/BAPIs

Option 3: Use a non-queue-based interaction. 

(a) Use Database Integration instead of Queue-based Integration: AS400 "files" (not text files) can be accessed as databases (e.g. via JDBC) from the 'outside' world.  If your AS400 writes to its files instead of data queues, you could use PI to read from those files periodically.

(b) Use Text file integration instead of Queue-based integration: Have AS400 write a text file with the data and have PI transform and load the file.  (may require you to have an IFS or to use FTP et al).

Hope those help.  May not be a comprehensive list but they are options.

[Former Member]

If option 2 is available (MQ Series) then PI can listen to the queue constantly and call RFC's immediately when data arrives. You can use an RFC Sender approach to get from SAP back to MQ Series. You can use the message content conversion bean to match the layout of your datatypes in the PI JMS adapter.

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/XI/FAQ++J2EE+JMS+Adapter

Maybe advanced use cases require an extra message broker, but we are very happy using JMS / MQ Series to transfer data to/from our mainframe (I know this is different than AS/400)

[former_member223322]

You have the below options.

1) JDBC  : for which only thing u need to do Deploy the following possible drivers :

There are two types of DB2 JDBC Drivers are available.

1.The "Native" JDBC driver. Driver: com.ibm.db2.jdbc.app.DB2Driver

Sub protocol: db2Ex.jdbc: db2: localhost/COLLECTIONNAME

2.The "Toolbox" JDBC driver. Driver: com.ibm.as400.access.AS400JDBCDriver

Sub protocol: as400

Ex.jdbc: as400://MACHINENAME/COLLECTIONNAME

JdbcUrl=jdbc: db2://hostadres: portno/databasename

If you want to download the driver for DB2, then I think you can do it from these links,

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/downloads/jcc/

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/0203zikopoulos/0203zikopoulos.html

2) JMS : For which we require JMS provider.But advantage of it is :

JMS provides a robust way of Transporting XML data

   Supports Asynchronous and Synchronous messaging

    If application is busy the messages gets queued up on JMS server

    Supports  Multiple Senders and Multiple Receivers

3) Third Party iway Adapter for iseries (AS400)

~Srini

[Former Member]

Hello,

1) We are not looking to access database tables via JDBC. We need to read data from so called "data queues", which can not be accessed via JDBC (but Java APIs are included in the Java toolbox driver). Therefore the JDBC and the JDBC adapter can not be used.

2) Do you think the JMS adapter can be connected to AS/400 data queues? Do you have any experience doing this?

3) I did not find a generic iway adapter for iseries (AS/400)

Thank you,

Ulf

[nabendu_sen]

Hi Ulf,

Best approach would be JDBC communication for AS400. Otherwise you can also go for File or JMS. For JMS one issue could be if the message is written in RPG, not sure whether PI would be able to handle that. For File, they can write the file within PI file system and you can use NFS to pick up the file.