Service Oriented Architecture Solution Advances with Release of ChainBuilder ESB 1.1

August 8, 2007; 02:47 AM
Bostech Corporation today announced the general availability of ChainBuilder ESB 1.1, advancing the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) solution in several strategic areas. The flagship feature set of this release is a custom component framework for creating, customizing and deploying service components built using the Java Business Integration (JBI) specification. The release also adds critical HL7 Healthcare message support and the capability to create solutions that leverage disparate applications which use TCP/IP, POP3, IMAP and SMTP protocols. For a free open source download of ChainBuilder ESB 1.1, visit http://www.chainforge.net

New Custom Component Framework Speeds JBI-Compliant Development

JBI is an open specification for vendors to create freely interchangeable service and communication components for use in a vendor-independent Enterprise Service Bus. Bostech Corporation has constructed the unique capability for developers to leverage the exceptional runtime advantages of this vendor specification through the easy creation of new components without having intricate knowledge of the underlying specification. Bostech's ChainBuilder ESB Custom Component Framework gives developers a way to quickly create JBI-compliant custom components through a graphical Eclipse-based interface and an easy to use wizard.

David Bourke, CEO of Bostech Corporation comments on the importance of adding the Custom Component Framework functionality into the ChainBuilder 1.1 release. "Bostech consistently focuses product enhancements toward three key areas: improving ease of use, rapid deployment of solutions, and the use of open standards," says Bourke. "This could not be more clearly shown with the addition of the Custom Component Framework in the ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 release. The custom components created through ChainBuilder ESB's new easy to use wizard can be plugged into the JBI-compliant Enterprise Service Bus, just like vendor-created components. This results in strategic rapid development of JBI components without having to dig deeply into the JBI specification."

ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 includes the following new custom component functionality:

• Custom Component Framework : The plug-in framework allows developers to create JBI-compliant components and manipulate them into the ChainBuilder ESB Component Flow Editor, significantly reducing the complexity of developing and deploying a JBI compliant solution. Bostech has added custom component examples, including Echo and an X12 message splitter, in the product download to demonstrate the functionality.
• Custom Component Project Wizard : A project wizard has been introduced to create new JBI compliant Binding Components and Service Engines. Most of the "plumbing" for the component is generated automatically, leaving the developer to concentrate on the core logic.

HL7 Healthcare Standard Message Support

ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 includes message support for the Healthcare Open Standard HL7. "Healthcare has always been a key vertical for Bostech," says Mark Preston, a healthcare integration industry expert and a Bostech Product Architect since 2004. "Although message support for standards like HL7 and X12 are not generally considered in the initial releases of open source products, I knew that Bostech would not go into the second version without including these critical enterprise standards."

ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 includes the following new HL7 functionality:

• Health Level 7 (HL7) Message Transformation : This release includes support for parsing and transforming HL7 messages. The HL7 editor provides the ability to establish modified definitions, commonly known as "variant" definitions, based on the standard HL7 definition. The Map Editor allow for the transformation between a standard or variant HL7 message and any other supported format like XML, X12 and custom formats as defined in the Message Format Editor. The Map Editor also includes a tester to verify HL7 messages are parsed as expected before going into production.
• Routing HL7 Messages : The ChainBuilder ESB Content Based Router now provides the ability to route HL7 messages based on the type and trigger event of message.
• TCP/IP Binding Component: The TCP/IP component provides a handler framework which includes the ability to implement application-level protocols, such as HL7 minimum lower level protocol (MLLP).

More Protocol Support

Rapid deployment means that pre-built components should simplify the integration of existing disparate applications, from the availability of extensive message support to a solid selection of protocols. ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 expanded the set of protocol-related Binding Components. "This release includes new Binding Components for TCP/IP and Email-related POP3, IMAP and SMTP protocols." says Eric Lu, CTO Bostech Corporation. "Our R&D team also broadened the functionality of existing binding components to include some critical security and scheduling functionality."

ChainBuilder ESB 1.1 includes the following new protocol-related functionality:

• TCP/IP Binding Component : A new TCP/IP Binding Component can provide server or client functionality. This component supports SSL connections (anonymous, client and/or server authentication).
• Email Binding Component : The new Email Binding Component supports POP3, IMAP and SMTP protocols. Attachments can be handled as files on the local file system, or as attachments in a Normalized Message.
• Scheduling Support for the File, FTP, Email and Script Components : In the Consumer role, components that operate on a polling interval can now be scheduled using a cron-like schedule. A special "Auto-Retry" type of schedule is available to trigger a job at a specific time, and to automatically retry the job until it completes successfully or the end time is reached. The schedules also support Holiday schedules where the normal process is suspended on the specified days.
• SSL Support for the HTTP Component: The HTTP Component now supports SSL configuration settings for both Server and Client modes.
• IDE Certificate Manager Wizard : In support of Binding Component configuration, Key Stores and Trust Stores are created in the IDE using a new Certificate Manager Wizard. The wizard guides users through the common scenarios of anonymous, self-signed, and certificate authority (CA) signed certificate.

About Bostech Corporation

Bostech Corporation consists of a team of pioneers in the business integration software market place. Bostech's core technology has been deployed in more than 2,000 companies around the globe including Amazon.com and Aventine Renewable Energy and is embedded by many leading software vendors including CommercialWare, Configure One, and Radley Corporation. With sales and development operations in the United States and China, Bostech Corporation was founded by Brad Bostic and is privately owned. For more information, visit Bostech's corporate site at http://www.bostechcorp.com or download an open source license of ChainBuilder ESB at: http://www.chainforge.net