Re: Run a program on iSeries from the web

So Walden...what tools are available on iSeries for web services? I've seen
some stuff about Axis on Tomcat, but I'm wondering about a Websphere shop.
Are the tools built in? How much code is needed to actually do the work? In
other words, does Websphere have 'stuff' that takes the incoming web service
call, parses out the salient data items, call the (RPG) program on the
iSeries, then take the returned data (stream file, user space contents, ?),
dress it up with the appropriate XML, and send it back?

On 9/25/06, Walden H. Leverich <WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Shannon,

>to have a web app (browser) run a command on iSeries.

You say "web app" and then say "browser". Who/What is actually trying to
run the command? The end-user out there some where running IE or
Firefox, or tomcat doing something on bahalf of the end-user?

>The Tomcat server that front ends the web app uses
>java servlets and is on a PC outside the dmz. (i think).

"Outside" the DMZ? Or "in" the DMZ? I would imagine that it's in the DMZ
and not outside it. Unless it's hosted at a hosting facility, in which
case it's less like a DMZ and more like a embassy, it's in their
country, but it's on your soil. <G>

>However, the iseries can ping the outside world so communication is
possible.

Not necessarily. Just because you can ping out, doesn't mean something
outside can connect in. eg, I can ping www.midrange.com from my pc all
day long, but there's no way David can ping my pc, even if I told him my
IP (10.100.10.52) Network Address Translation (NAT) is often used to
allow multiple internal boxes outbound access w/out allowing the
reverse.

>Or is there a better way?

Um... This screams for web services! Simply implement a web service on
your iSeries that does what you need it to. Then the developers on the
webapp can simple consume your webservice. Inter-machine calls is what
webservices was designed to do! You may have to make some adjustments on
the firewall to allow the PC running tomcat to access your iSeries, but
that's trivial enough, and relatively secure since you'd only be mapping
traffic from the tomcat PC to your iSeries on a specific port to a
specific port.

-Walden

--
Walden H Leverich III
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x3051
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)


--
This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing
list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.