Method and apparatus for generating service frameworks

• US 20060294526A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hambrick, Geoffrey Martin, Yaegashi, Seiki, Hasumi, Ryuta, Horiuchi, Kenichi, Tarusawa, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions for generating service frameworks are provided by aspects of the present invention. One aspect of the present invention provides a system library, which includes strongly typed classes that enterprise applications may use in order to obtain code assist and compile time checking from IDE tools typically used by enterprise application developers. Another aspect of the present invention provides the ability to define platform independent models that enable service use cases in order to determine what basic services are needed by the enterprise application. Yet another aspect of the present invention includes an integrated generator that generates the strongly typed components and skeleton code from the platform independent models by applying best practice pattern usage for the target platform currently used with the system library functions.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for generating service frameworks, the method comprising:

providing a system library comprising a set of components for the service frameworks;

identifying a subset of components from the set of components based on a set of platform independent models; and

generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components, wherein the set of code components includes object components and service components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of platform independent models is defined by a user using a set of application definitions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the object components are fully generated by an integrated generator and wherein the service components are edited by a user to implement service functions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying a different subset of components for the service framework based on a different platform independent model in the set of platform independent models.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of code components is generated based on a best practice pattern usage for a target platform of the service framework.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting a definition of a service in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components,

generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition; and

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of application, generating an application context for storing parameters and return values for business transactions between the client and the service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the before and after logic includes checking for service availability, retrieving a transaction identifier, starting a trace, and handling exceptions.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of server in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve server properties from a data class; and

generating the data class in the object components to read server properties from a property file and cache the server properties at a server start up, wherein the data class includes get methods for accessing property values of the server properties, and wherein the data class includes a reload method to reload server properties from the property file if the property file is updated without a server restart.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the generating step further comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of request in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve shared data from a data class, wherein the manager class retrieves the shared data from a work area if the shared data is absent in the data class, and wherein the shared data is transient data shared between the business delegate and the application faç

ade; and

generating the data class in the object components to cache the shared data and hold transaction statistics data.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of cell in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve persistent shared data from a data class;

generating a container managed persistent bean in the object components to retrieve the persistent shared data from a shared table in a database via a shared table instance; and

generating the data class in the object components to cache the retrieved persistent shared data, wherein the manager class reloads the persistent shared data from the shared table in the database to update the data class responsive to an update of the persistent shared data by an operator.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising an access element in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to handle client side before and after logic, format a message from client parameters, send the message to a servlet class, received a message from the servlet class, and unformat the message;

generating a servlet class in the object components to demarshal the message into server parameters, invoke a service method on a local stateless session bean, marshal a message from server parameters, and send the marshaled message to the access class; and

generating the local stateless session bean to handle server side before and after logic, invoke the service method on a service, and return a result to the servlet class.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of exception in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components;

generating a log class to log an exception when the exception is thrown by the service method; and

returning the exception to a client, wherein the access class retries calling the service method when the exception is thrown by the service method.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a performance statistics element in an application definition, generating a command script to dispatch commands to a plurality of server instances;

responsive to detecting a request for a list of server properties, dispatching the commands to the plurality of server instances;

collecting results from the plurality of server instances; and

aggregating the results and returning to the operator.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a command element in an application definition, generating a command client to invoke a command received from a command script and delegate the command to a command faç

ade; and

generating the command faç

ade to invoke an mbean on each server to retrieve server properties of each server and return status of each command from each server to the command client.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprises:

responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of startup in an application definition, generating a startup bean to invoke an initialize method to launch each component in the set of code components in order, and invoke a terminal method to shutdown each component in order.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step comprises:

responsive to detecting a definition of a scope of exception in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service component; and

generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition, wherein the access class retries to invoke a service method when an exception is thrown by the service method and returns an unchecked exception to a client.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the client provides user code to pack the unchecked exception in a checked exception, throw the checked exception to the service, unpack the unchecked exception from the checked exception, throw the unchecked exception to the application faç

ade, and catch the unchecked exception via the application faç

ade and the business delegate.

18. A method for performing an analysis of financial service parameters to device a solution meeting the financial service parameters, the method comprising:

receiving the financial service parameters;

identifying services needed for the particular service framework using the financial service parameters to form a set of identified services;

analyzing a set of platform independent models using the set of identified services

selecting a set of components from a plurality of components for a service framework using the set of identified services and the set of platform independent models; and

generating a solution deliverable to a client, wherein the solution includes computer usable program code for the particular service framework using the set of components, wherein the computer usable program code includes object components and service components.

19. A data processing system comprising:

a client tier comprising at least one client channel;

a server tier comprising an application server and a database, wherein the at least one client channel directly access the server tier or indirectly access the server tier via at least one of an access hub and a legacy system gateway, wherein the application server comprises;

a system library comprising a set of components for service frameworks;

set of platform independent models, wherein a subset of components embodied in a plurality of application definitions is identified from the set of components based on the set of platform independent models; and

an integrated generator for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components, wherein the set of code components includes object components and service components.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate responsive to detecting a definition of a service in an application definition;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components,

generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition; and

generating an application context for storing parameters and return values for business transactions between the client and the service responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of application.

21. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of server in an application definition;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve server properties from a data class; and

generating the data class in the object components to read server properties from a property file and cache the server properties at a server start up, wherein the data class includes get methods for accessing property values of the server properties, and wherein the data class includes a reload method to reload server properties from the property file if the property file is updated without a server restart.

22. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of request in an application definition;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve shared data from a data class, wherein the manager class retrieves the shared data from a work area if the shared data is absent in the data class, and wherein the shared data is transient data shared between the business delegate and the application faç

ade; and

generating the data class in the object components to cache the shared data and hold transaction statistics data.

23. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of cell in an application definition;

generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve persistent shared data from a data class;

generating a container managed persistent bean in the object components to retrieve the persistent shared data from a shared table in a database via a shared table instance; and

generating the data class in the object components to cache the retrieved persistent shared data, wherein the manager class reloads the persistent shared data from the shared table in the database to update the data class responsive to an update of the persistent shared data by an operator.

24. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to handle client side before and after logic, format a message from client parameters, send the message to a servlet class, received a message from the servlet class, and unformat the message responsive to detecting an object definition comprising an access element in an application definition;

generating a servlet class in the object components to demarshal the message into server parameters, invoke a service method on a local stateless session bean, marshal a message from server parameters, and send the marshaled message to the access class; and

generating the local stateless session bean to handle server side before and after logic, invoke the service method on a service, and return a result to the servlet class.

25. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of exception in an application definition;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components;

generating a log class to log an exception when the exception is thrown by the service method; and

returning the exception to a client, wherein the access class retries calling the service method when the exception is thrown by the service method.

26. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator further generates a command script to dispatch commands to a plurality of server instances responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a performance statistics element in an application definition, and wherein the data processing system further comprises:

a command script for dispatching the commands to the plurality of server instances responsive to detecting a request for a list of server properties, collects results from the plurality of server instances, and aggregates the results and returning to the operator.

27. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator further generates a command client to invoke a command received from a command script and delegate the command to a command faç

ade responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a command element in an application definition; and

generates the command faç

ade to invoke an mbean on each server to retrieve server properties of each server and return status of each command from each server to the command client.

28. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator further generates a startup bean to invoke an initialize method to launch each component in the set of code components in order, and invoke a terminal method to shutdown each component in order responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of startup in an application definition.

29. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the integrated generator generates the set of code components includes:

responsive to detecting a definition of a scope of exception in an application definition, generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate;

generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service component; and

generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition, wherein the access class retries to invoke a service method when an exception is thrown by the service method and returns an unchecked exception to a client.

30. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for generating service frameworks, the computer program product including;

computer usable program code for providing a system library comprising a set of components for the service frameworks;

computer usable program code for identifying a subset of components from the set of components based on a set of platform independent models; and

computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components, wherein the set of code components includes object components and service components.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate responsive to detecting a definition of a service in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components,

computer usage program code for generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition; and

computer usage program code for generating an application context for storing parameters and return values for business transactions between the client and the service responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of application.

32. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of server in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve server properties from a data class; and

computer usage program code for generating the data class in the object components to read server properties from a property file and cache the server properties at a server start up, wherein the data class includes get methods for accessing property values of the server properties, and wherein the data class includes a reload method to reload server properties from the property file if the property file is updated without a server restart.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of request in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve shared data from a data class, wherein the manager class retrieves the shared data from a work area if the shared data is absent in the data class, and wherein the shared data is transient data shared between the business delegate and the application faç

ade; and

computer usage program code for generating the data class in the object components to cache the shared data and hold transaction statistics data.

34. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a manager class responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of cell in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating the manager class in the object components to retrieve persistent shared data from a data class;

computer usage program code for generating a container managed persistent bean in the object components to retrieve the persistent shared data from a shared table in a database via a shared table instance; and

computer usage program code for generating the data class in the object components to cache the retrieved persistent shared data, wherein the manager class reloads the persistent shared data from the shared table in the database to update the data class responsive to an update of the persistent shared data by an operator.

35. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to handle client side before and after logic, format a message from client parameters, send the message to a servlet class, received a message from the servlet class, and unformat the message responsive to detecting an object definition comprising an access element in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating a servlet class in the object components to demarshal the message into server parameters, invoke a service method on a local stateless session bean, marshal a message from server parameters, and send the marshaled message to the access class; and

computer usage program code for generating the local stateless session bean to handle server side before and after logic, invoke the service method on a service, and return a result to the servlet class.

36. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a set of code components for a service framework using the subset of components further comprises:

computer usage program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of exception in an application definition;

computer usage program code for generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service components;

computer usage program code for generating a log class to log an exception when the exception is thrown by the service method; and

computer usage program code for returning the exception to a client, wherein the access class retries calling the service method when the exception is thrown by the service method.

37. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer program product further includes:

computer usable program code for generating a command script to dispatch commands to a plurality of server instances responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a performance statistics element in an application definition;

computer usable program code for dispatching the commands to the plurality of server instances responsive to detecting a request for a list of server properties;

computer usable program code for collecting results from the plurality of server instances; and

computer usable program code for aggregating the results and returning to the operator.

38. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer program product further includes:

computer usable program code for generating a command client to invoke a command received from a command script and delegate the command to a command faç

ade responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a command element in an application definition; and

computer usable program code for generating the command faç

ade to invoke an mbean on each server to retrieve server properties of each server and return status of each command from each server to the command client.

39. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer program product further includes:

computer usable program code for generating a startup bean to invoke an initialize method to launch each component in the set of code components in order, and invoke a terminal method to shutdown each component in order responsive to detecting an object definition comprising a scope of startup in an application definition.

40. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer program product further includes:

computer usable program code for generating an access class in the object components to retrieve a business delegate responsive to detecting a definition of a scope of exception in an application definition;

computer usable program code for generating the business delegate in the object components, wherein the business delegate is used by a client to invoke a service method of a service represented by one of the service component; and

computer usable program code for generating an application faç

ade in the object components to handle server side before and after logic as defined in the application definition, wherein the access class retries to invoke a service method when an exception is thrown by the service method and returns an unchecked exception to a client.