With the popularity of WebSphere and similar Web application servers many organizations use Java to access CICS data. WebTek simplifies this access with Pipeline for Java.

How Pipeline for Java works

Pipeline for Java provides direct HTTP access to CICS data from any Java program (servlet, application, or applet). This direct access eliminates the hardware and software requirements of other access methods such as IBM's CICS Transaction Gateway (CTG).

For Java developers

Java developers download Pipeline for Java from the WebTek interface and drop it into IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer (WSAD) or any other IDE where they can quickly begin adding Pipeline functionality to EJBs and servlets. The classes of Pipeline for Java provide easy-to-use methods for requesting and receiving data from CICS applications, variables for session and state management, and signon/signoff controls to leverage mainframe security. Java developers collaborate with their CICS application developer counterparts only to agree on a format in which to pass data, such as XML.

For CICS application developers

On the backend, CICS application developers adapt CICS applications to receive and respond to HTTP requests from Java programs using familiar EXEC CICS commands within IBM's CICS Web Support (CWS). Using WebTek and CWS, developers can adapt legacy programs to generate XML or any other common format used to pass data.

WebTek provides the Doctemplate utility to simplify uploading and managing of templates by developers. Developers can secure access to CICS using the URL Control Table (UCT). The UCT manages all the URLs used by Java programs to access CICS and allows developers to simplify and customize access based on application requirements.