GVB Subrahmanyam

During the past few years enterprise services have been leveraging cloud-based technologies for several reasons including scalability and automated provisioning capabilities [1, 2]. In a development / design environment, cloud platforms provide dynamic and repeatable processes for creating environments that help reduce lead times and provide cost-effective optimizing infrastructure apart from eliminating manual intervention and minimizing rework due to environment defects. In a deployment environment, the cloud leverages virtualization, distributed applications and grid-based architecture patterns. In this article, I discuss creating a reference architecture and designing financial supply chain applications so they can be enabled for cloud environments [3]. Some of the challenges faced by the financial supply chain applications include lots of integrations, innova... (more)

Reference Architecture for Securing Web Services in a Heterogeneous Environment

Web Services have played a key role in integrating heterogeneous applications, particularly in cross domains. As part of identity management, Security Token Services are used for request and response tokens. However, we need multiple communication channels among Security Token Services when multiple applications in different domains try to reach other Web Services. In this article we have proposed a Master Security Token Service (MSTS) that can act as a broker for all security authorization without duplicating the effort at every domain. In a world of heterogeneous systems where ... (more)

Enterprise Cloud Services Architecture

Enterprise services are built on applications that are running within the enterprises to fulfill the business demands. In the recent past, the concept of services in a cloud environment gained significance with services being hosted in a common cloud environment within the enterprise or outside the enterprise. In this article, I described the various steps involved in moving services from an enterprise level to cloud-based environment as part of a cloud implementation. Traditionally an organization's Enterprise Services Architectures are considered in terms of Business Architect... (more)

Migrating from WebLogic 6.1 to 8.1

BEA's name is synonymous with the application server. Most applications running on Unix in North America run on BEA's WebLogic server, particularly financial apps. The current stable WebLogic 8.1 version does a lot more than earlier versions. Migrating to new versions is always challenging and risky, but is done for efficiency and new capabilities, and to stay current with a vendor's products and support. Most applications developed on the WebLogic 6.1 used JDK 1.3 or earlier. A move from WebLogic 6.1 to 8.1 means making our applications compatible with JDK 1.4.1 or higher since... (more)

Developing a CICS-Based Web Service

Web services have opened opportunities to integrate the applications at an enterprise level irrespective of the technology they have been implemented in. IBM's CICS transaction server for z/OS v3.1 can support web services. It can help expose existing applications as web services or develop new functionality to invoke web services. One of the commonly used protocols for CICS web services is SOAP for CICS. It enables the communication of applications through XML. It supports as a service provider and service consumer independent of platform and language. SOAP for CICS enables CIC... (more)