Developer Guide to BPEL Designer: The BPEL Runtime
Last Updated: 23 October 2006
Contributed and maintained by
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The BPEL Runtime refers to the deployment, testing, and debugging of a Composite Application. To accomplish these tasks, a BPEL project must be added as a JBI (Java Business Integration) module to a Composite Application project.
A Composite Application project is used to create a Service Assembly that can be deployed to the Java Business Integration (JBI) server. Within the Composite Application project, you can:
Assemble an application that uses multiple project types (for example, BPEL).
Configure external/edge access protocols (SOAP, JMS, SMTP, and others).
Build JBI deployment packages.
Deploy the application image to the target JBI server.
Monitor the status of JBI server components and applications.
The JBI (Java Business Integration) server can contain different service engines. One service engine is the BPEL Service Engine.
To deploy a Composite Application to the BPEL SE runtime, it must include a JBI module created from a BPEL Module project. Within a Composite Application Project that includes a JBI module, you can also create and execute test cases that can then be run against the deployed BPEL processes.
The pop-up menu of a Composite Application project contains major actions you can run on this type of projects, such as:
Add JBI Module. Adds a BPEL Module project to the Composite Application project. You must do this to deploy and test-run your business application.
Clean and Build Project. Cleans and builds the project.
Deploy Project. Compiles the Composite Application project and deploys it to the BPEL Service Engine.
Test Project. Runs test cases against this Composite Application project.
For more information on testing, refer to the Testing a BPEL Process section.
Set Main Project. Sets the Composite Application Project as main project.
Delete Project. Deletes the project.
You can also configure project properties. Properties include the project location in the filesystem, descriptions of the Assembly Unit and Application Sub Assembly, target engine, binding, and deployment components, and the server to which the project is deployed. To configure project properties, right-click the project's node and choose Properties.
Properties of a Composite Application Project
You open the Properties dialog box for a Composite Application project by right-clicking the Composite Application project node and choosing Properties. The tree in the left pane shows that you have access to three pages:
General
(Build) > Packaging Project
(Run) > Running Project
The General page allows you to view the path of the folder containing the project's files and to supply aliases and descriptions for the project's Service Assembly and Service Unit.
The Packaging Project page allows you to:
View or modify the filename of the application .jar file to be deployed.
View and update the resources (binding components and service engines) that are targeted.
View, add, or remove the artifacts (JBI modules) to be deployed in the service assembly.
The Running Project page allows you to view or modify the server that is running the project. (If only one server available, the drop-down list contains only one item.)
The BPEL Service Engine (SE) is a JBI engine component that provides
services for executing business processes.
The BPEL Service Engine is a standard JBI 1.0 service engine component.
It supports business processes that conform to the Web Services Business
Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL) 2.0 specification. It provisions
and consumes web services described in WSDL1.1 and exchanges messages
in JBI-defined XML document format for wrapped WSDL 1.1 message parts.
Provides and consumes web services defined by using WSDL 1.1
Exchanges messages in JBI-defined XML document format for wrapped
WSDL 1.1 message parts
Can be configured in three modes: static, deployment, and runtime
Static: parameter values can only be changed by re-installing the
engine.
Deployment: parameter values can be changed without re-installation,
but only until the engine is started/restarted. The parameter values remain in effect
throughout business process execution.
Runtime: parameter values can be changed while the engine is running.
Implements endpoint status monitoring
Supports multiple-thread execution
Engine Properties
Once the application server is started, the BPEL SE runtime properties
can be accessed.
In the Runtime window, expand the Sun Java System Application Server node, and then expand
the JBI > Service Engines nodes.
Right-click com.sun.bpelse-1.0.2, and choose Properties.
The Properties window appears.
The following table includes descriptions for the BPEL Service Engine properties.
Property Name
Description
Default Value
DB_JNDIName
Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) used for directory-enabled applications.
jdbc/__default
DB_Password
The database password.
pass2
DB_Type
A style of driver that allows a direct call from the client machine to the DBMS server and providing a practical solution for intranet access.
In the Runtime window, click Sun Java System Application Server and expand JBI.
Here you see all installed or deployed JBI components.
Node
Description
Service Engines
A folder containing all JBI Service Engines currently installed to this server.
The context menu of each Service Engine subnode allows you to start, stop, shut down, or uninstall it.
Binding Components
A folder containing all JBI Binding Components that are currently installed to this server. A Binding Component is the JBI component type that connects to external systems.
The context menu of each Binding Component subnode allows you to start, stop, shut down, or uninstall it.
Shared Libraries
The location for shared code.
The context menu of each Shared Library subnode allows you to uninstall it.
Service Assemblies
A service assembly is a single standard document describing the routing, artifacts, and services that make up an SOA application. You can think of a service assembly as an SOA "super .jar file" that packages together the individual service units, modules, and configurations into a single deployable entity.
The context menu of each Service Assembly subnode allows you to start, stop, shut down, or undeploy it.
