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Using EDI

Architecture

The following sections describe the architecture of EDI Integration, including information about the BEA WebLogic Adapter for Power.Enterprise!, the Power.Enterprise! software, and VAN/network connectivity:

- EDI Integration Architecture

- Power.Enterprise! Architecture

- VAN and Network Connectivity

EDI Integration Architecture

BEA provides optional EDI support through two components: the BEA WebLogic Adapter for Power.Enterprise! (delivered with BEA WebLogic Platform) and BEA EDI Connect for WebLogic Integration (purchased separately as Power.Enterprise!).

Note: The BEA WebLogic Adapter for Power.Enterprise! supports both the 3.0 and 3.1 versions of Power.Enterprise!.

Figure 2-1 shows how the BEA WebLogic Adapter for Power.Enterprise! and Power.Enterprise! combine to put WebLogic Integration to work with your trading partners' EDI systems.

Figure 2-1 BEA EDI Integration Architecture

The EDI Adapter uses application integration to allow WebLogic Integration to exchange XML documents with Power.Enterprise!, using RMI message passing.

The Power.Server! component of Power.Enterprise! provides EDI Integration with capabilities for transforming, transmitting, and receiving EDI messages. Power.Enterprise! provides run-time, management, and mapping tools to resolve all EDI transactions with individual trading partners in real time.

Power.Enterprise! Architecture

Power.Enterprise! provides a unified, Java-based working environment in which you can map your outgoing document transmissions to appropriate EDI documents and manage your relationships with trading partners. This environment comprises three components:

- Power.Server!: This Java-based run-time server provides dispatch and receive services for your EDI message traffic. It executes transactions with trading partners defined using Power.Manager!. Incoming and outgoing messages are transformed in accordance with the definitions you establish using Power.Map!.

- Power.Manager!: This application allows you to manage multiple Power.Server! instances across multiple machines by defining trading partner relationships and connection information for all your trading partners.

- Power.Map!: This application enables you to load, create, and store maps between the various data formats you use and common EDI data structures. By using Power.Map! you can create simple mapping rules for elementary conversions, or use formulas or JavaScript for more complex and sophisticated conversions.

Feature Overview

Power.Enterprise! provides a complete solution for the transformation and delivery of messages:

- Power.Server! provides a real-time data-transformation engine, with support for ANSI X12, UN/EDIFACT, and TRADACOMS data formats.

- Power.Map! is an extensible mapping tool that provides drag-and-drop functionality for your mapping. It also allows you to use formulas or JavaScript code for more complex conversions.

- Power.Manager! is the configuration and management tool, which allows you to configure trading partner relationships and single-direction connections.

Power.Enterprise! is also equipped with IP-level connectivity to the Get2Connect VAN, and it supports a variety of standard network connection protocols.

Supported Standards

Power.Enterprise! supports the following EDI and data standards:

- X12

- EDIFACT

- TRADACOMS

- XML

- Flat file

Limitations

Currently the Power!Enterprise suite is available on the following systems:

- Power.Server! is available for Windows NT/2000, Solaris, HPUX, and AIX systems.

- Power.Enterprise! requires an SQL database to function. It supports Oracle 8i (8.1.7 or later), Microsoft SQLServer 7.0 or 2000, and IBM DB2 databases.

- Power.Map! and Power.Manager! are available only for Windows NT/2000 systems.

Power.Map!

Power.Map! is a tool that defines the data format-mapping capabilities available in Power.Enterprise!. It supports conversion of data into and out of EDI formats, allowing you to choose any document structure standard supported by Power.Map!, while maintaining your ability to interoperate with a variety of standard and trading partner-specific EDI formats.

Power.Map! requires three items:

- Data definition for the source document

- Data definition for the target document

- Map of links between data in the source document and data in the target document

You must provide separate data definitions, such as DTDs or XSDs, for any data format not already defined in Power.Map!. With Power.Map! you can build XML data structures within an application, or you can import DTDs and schemas that are externally created. Once those documents are imported into Power.Map!, you can define a map for them.

Although Power.Map! supports the import of XML DTDs and schemas for data definitions, it does not provide a data format export capability; document formats may only be imported. For this reason, you should design your data interchange documents outside Power.Map!, then import a copy to Power.Map! to create a map.

Power.Map! includes built-in definitions for most standard EDI messages, including support for X12, EDIFACT, and TRADACOMS messages.

Creating and Maintaining Maps

Power.Map! allows you to create, maintain, and test maps off-line, that is, without any connections to a server. These maps are based on document definitions that you may import, EDI document definitions supplied with Power.Map!, and custom definitions that you may define. Power.Map! allows you to export a map that you have defined, or import a map created elsewhere.

Creating and Maintaining Documents

Document definitions that you intend to use with Power.Server! should be maintained separately. Power.Map! supports only the import of XML DTDs and XSDs. These documents cannot be used outside Power.Map! (for example, they cannot be used in WebLogic Integration) unless they are created outside Power.Map!.

In addition, you should verify the EDI document standards that you will be using. While a variety of standards and versions are supported within Power.Enterprise!, the specific transaction, standard, and version that you are using may not be supported. If you are using an unsupported transaction, standard, or version, contact BEA Customer Support.

Power.Manager!

Power.Manager! is used to maintain and manage your servers and trading partner relationships. Power.Manager! allows you to manage multiple instances of Power.Server! from a single, remote location.

Trading Partner Maintenance

Power.Manager! provides facilities for maintaining trading partner definitions and the data associated with them. These trading partner definitions are specific to EDI Integration; they are not shared with or available to any other components of the BEA WebLogic Integration system.

Connections

Power.Manager! allows you to maintain multiple simultaneous connections. Each connection defines a flow of information in one direction, either to or from the Power.Server! Thus, a single connection might define the RMI transfer of documents from Power.Server! to the EDI Adapter. A second connection might define the reception, by Power.Server!, of EDI documents sent by a trading partner via the Get2Connect VAN.

Exchange Profiles

Power.Manager! allows you to define multiple exchange profiles to manage the flow of documents with your trading partners. Each exchange profile manages a single set of documents that:

- Flows in one direction, from a source to a destination

- Contains two connections

- Contains a map

An exchange profile, for example, may contain a connection that governs the reception of an EDI document from a trading partner via the Get2Connect VAN, a map that transforms that EDI document into an XML document, and a second connection definition that sends the resulting XML document to the EDI Adapter via RMI.

Document Tracking

Power.Manager! provides tools for logging, reporting, and tracking so you can monitor your documents in real time.

Administration

Power.Manager! allows you to manage multiple servers. You can manage documents, view and configure logging, and establish error-handling procedures on the server from a single remote application.

VAN and Network Connectivity

EDI transactions are often executed through one or more proprietary networks, called Value-Added Networks (VANs). VANs are created and customized for a specific vertical or horizontal industry segment, such as the following:

- General Electric Global Exchange Services (GE GXS) is one of the largest VANs in the world. GXS provides wide-ranging VAN services throughout the world, with over 100,000 trading partners exchanging $1 trillion in goods and services each year.

- Telefonica Servicios Avanzados de Informacion (TSAI) is an example of a horizontal-industry segment VAN. It is the primary Spanish-language VAN, serving a variety of industries. Approximately $1.25 billion in business is handled by the TSAI VAN each year, which accounts for 60 percent of Spain's EDI business.

- PaperVan, an example of a vertical-industry segment VAN, is a VAN for the paper products industry. In addition to networking services, it provides consulting and implementation support.

- WalMart has established a proprietary VAN as part of its EDI strategy, aimed at managing the acquisition and distribution of products. To implement this strategy, WalMart provides its suppliers with a comprehensive standard for connecting with their implementation of EDI and their VAN.

Many companies implementing EDI are also experimenting with direct transaction handling, either over proprietary networks or via the Internet. The field trials of these implementations indicate that security over the Internet is not an issue.

Power.Enterprise! supports all the communication options described here. You may perform transactions with a partner using any of the following connection methods:

- Over a proprietary VAN, using the Cleo A+ software

- Via a direct network connection

- Via the Internet (HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP connections are all supported)

- Using the Get2Connect VAN (with built-in support)

Power.Enterprise! provides connectivity to a generic VAN called Get2Connect.net which is not targeted to a specific industry.

To connect to other VANs, Power.Enterprise! also includes the use of a trial license for Cleo A+, which is a communication package for Windows systems that allows you to exchange files with other micro, mini, and mainframe computers that support asynchronous communications.