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TECHNICAL PAPER

Contents Executive Summary ........................ 1

Web-enabling Legacy Applications

Introduction .................................... 2 Case Study ....................................... 2 The Process ...................................... 3 Design Phase ..................................... 3 Design Environment .......................... 4 Navigation ......................................... 4 Design, Test, and Debug .................... 4

Synapta Presentation Builder ™

Event Editor ....................................... 5 Themes ............................................. 5 Application Generation ..................... 5 Deployment Phase ............................. 5 Authentication and Authorization Phase ....................... 5 Execution Phase ................................ 6 Benefits of Presentation Builder’s Approach ......................... 6 How Presentation Builder Works ................................. 7 Presentation Designer ........................ 7 Runtime ............................................ 8 Components ..................................... 8 About Attachmate ........................ 10

Attachmate Corporation • November, 2004

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Executive Summary Attachmate® Synapta™ Presentation Builder provides a composite application approach to modernizing mainframe applications for the Web. Faster, easier and less expensive than traditional approaches, Presentation Builder enables developers to provide host-based composite applications tailored to the needs of specific user audiences without the risks inherent in altering mission-critical applications.

With Presentation Builder, developers can transform all or just parts of a host application, remove sensitive information, add business processes to extend the original application, rearrange the application flow to streamline operations, and present information in an easy-to-use format. Perfectly tailored applications are now accessible to business groups throughout an organization, and can be easily updated to meet changing business needs.

The advantages of Web-enabling legacy applications reach

• Realize fast ROI - Presentation Builder provides a rapid,

far beyond just the presentation. Web-enabling legacy

low-cost approach to transforming your legacy applications

applications enable businesses to:

for the Web. Synapta Presentation Builder gives your

• Save time and money – Presentation Builder transforms your host application into a Web application in days instead of weeks. Easily deploy Web applications to multiple locations over large geographic areas, thereby reducing installation and administration costs.

• Provide customized applications – Quickly customize application content to meet the requirements of specific

employees, partners, and customers customized Web applications based on your mission-critical applications – without making changes to the host code.

• Eliminate business disruption – Make small, iterative changes to the Web application to gradually introduce change without disrupting business.

• Enhance security – Presentation Builder enables you

user groups. Securely extend legacy data to those who

to comply with all security regulations, and safeguards

need it.

any host information that goes beyond your firewall.

• Lower training and operational costs – Presentation Builder enables you to develop intuitive, easy-to-use Web applications that combine information into one cohesive workflow, eliminating unnecessary steps with simplified navigation and content filtering. Intuitive applications lower costs associated with training.

• Increase user productivity – Match application flow to users’ workflow to reduce transaction times and keying errors. Eliminate redundant data entry while increasing overall output.

You can easily construct your Web application so that each business group sees only the host information it needs – confidential information is never physically sent to the client. This allows you to present host data to new users securely.

• Provide complete solutions – Presentation Builder enables you to combine information from many sources to give your audience a complete solution.

The robust UI consumes Web services and custom code to add functionality not present in the original host application.

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Introduction

Case Study

Many believe the Web is the universe of network-accessible

A large department store retailer wanted to provide store

information. Some even say the Web is the ‘embodiment of

managers and regional managers real-time access to daily

all human knowledge.’ If this is the case, then it is imperative

sales figures through their new portal. The retailer’s sales

for business enterprises to take advantage of the Web.

information is housed on an IBM mainframe located at

Information – trapped in legacy host applications – can now

their corporate headquarters. At the time the project was

be made accessible on the Web, quickly and easily. How?

initiated, the host information was only accessible to highly

With Synapta Presentation Builder.

Presentation Builder enables enterprises to quickly and easily

trained and trusted operators familiar with the retailer’s legacy applications.

tailor legacy host applications for the Web. With Presentation

To move forward with this project, the retailer needed a

Builder, developers can modernize all or just parts of a legacy

solution that could remodel and Web-enable the required

host application, remove sensitive information, add external

revenue information so it could be securely extended to their

services to extend the original application, rearrange the

store managers via the portal system, giving them the ability

application flow to streamline operations, and present

to monitor sales by individual store or in the case of the

information in an easy-to-use format. By simplifying workflows

regional managers, by sales area.

and creating more intuitive applications, businesses can significantly increase user productivity while decreasing the costs associated with training and deployment.

Using Synapta Presentation Builder, the retailer quickly mapped the host application and deployed customized HTML presentations to give each individual store manager

The advantages of Web-enabling legacy host applications

rights to view daily sales figures for their location. The new

reach far beyond just the presentation. Transforming legacy

Web applications - provided in real time - are managed and

applications to Web applications enable businesses to:

assigned by an administrator from a central location.

• Leverage the power of legacy host applications and adapt them to current business needs • Reach a broader spectrum of users – employees, partners, and customers

Presentation Builder provides users an intuitive HTML Web page that blends with the look and feel of the company portal system. By filtering the information and providing only what is required by the store managers, Presentation Builder eliminates the complexities associated with using

• Simplify deployment and ease administrative issues

legacy systems.

• Modify application workflow so that processes are

In addition to integrating the new Web application into

smoother, run faster, and users are more productive

their portal, the retailer also wanted to provide their managers flexibility as to how they request the sales data. Having a

• Deliver tailored Web applications to distinct user groups so that each group sees exactly what they need • Extend the original application with Web services and

mix of managers with varying degrees of experience with the mainframe, they decided to maintain the host function keys for those employees familiar with navigating host

Attachmate Synapta™ Services Builder tasks, leveraging

screens, and preferred to continue processing requests in

legacy data and business processes

the same manner.

• Eliminate expensive training by designing a simple, intuitive interface Presentation Builder is all about optimizing host applications - getting the right tools in the right hands at the right time.

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With the success of the portal project, the retailer is in the

Design Phase

process of developing a second Web application that allows their in-store customer service representatives to evaluate

Host

customers for instant store credit. This is accomplished with a Presentation Builder application that includes a Web service

Designer

Apps

Management & Control Services

to retrieve applicant credit ratings from an external financial reporting agency. The Web service incorporates this data directly into the presentation screen for instant approval/ Web services

disapproval, eliminating processing time. Both projects utilize Presentation Builder to meet the needs of their specific user audiences.

This Presentation Builder project has provided the company with an immediate ROI because it allows them to: • Empower the company to write new Web-based applications tailored to their user audiences • Streamline the host application to create customized, intuitive applications that don't require extensive training • Incorporate Web services to create comprehensive applications to enhance productivity • Add servicing and reporting capabilities not offered by the mainframe application

Synapta Services Builder Tasks

Apply theme, customize, test, debug

The Design phase creates a project and opens a live connection with the host application. Using the Presentation Designer, a graphical, drag-and-drop development tool, developers traverse the host application, selecting the input and output fields from the screens they want to use in the new Web application. The resulting screen with the selected fields is referred to as a form. At this point, developers have the opportunity to create a new application workflow without changing the host screens by: • Consolidating fields from multiple screens into a single form

• Integrate host applications into Websites and portal systems

• Skipping unnecessary screens

• Manage and update applications from a central location

• Eliminating clutter • Removing confidential information so that users only

The Process

see what they are supposed to see

Synapta™ Presentation Builder uses the following processes

• Designing simple, intuitive interfaces

to turn a legacy application into a new Web application:

• Introducing new business logic to extend the original

• Design phase • Deployment phase • Authentication phase • Execution phase The following sections describe what happens during each phase:

function of the legacy application by incorporating: – Web services – Custom function object written in Java™ – Information stored on external databases – Attachmate Synapta™ Services Builder tasks to integrate data and business processes from CICS,® IMS™ transactions, and Unisys® applications

Design Phase Developers can apply a theme (template) for the rapid transformation of a host system to a Web application and

• Displaying bulk data from multiple screens in a table format

stop there, or use the Presentation Designer to further

Presentation Designer builds a map of the screens with

customize the Web application. The following figure shows

fields, called a NavMap.

the relationship of Presentation Builder components to the host application during the Design phase.

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Design Environment Either during the recording process or afterwards, developers can use the Presentation Designer tool palette to design and format the layout of the form using point-and-click and drag-and-drop methods. Design options include graphics, text fields, tables, Web links, drop-down lists and more.

An Interact tab enables developers to navigate through the screens of a live host session. Presentation Builder renders the incoming data stream from the host into a graphical format, applying the properties set by the theme or by the developer. As the developer navigates through the Web application, the screens are displayed in the Project pane from which the developer can review the screens in any order using the Preview tab and test via the Interact tab,

Design, Test, and Debug

or customize via the Customize tab.

By maintaining a live connection with the host application,

Navigation

developers can dynamically preview, test, and debug the

The Designer intelligently learns the navigation sequences between screens so that developers can move from any screen to any screen and also skip screens, eliminating the need to create custom scripts. The disadvantage of using scripts is that they have known start and end points so that they cannot be reused to access the same screens from different screens. With Presentation Builder, if developers want to add to or modify the screen navigation sequence, all they have to do is load the Skip Screen Editor and select the screens they want to use. The Presentation Designer records all changes without any coding.

new Web application without leaving Presentation Designer.

This iterative-design process creates an environment that quickly produces results, and easily accommodates changes in business processes as they occur. Developers can also use Presentation Designer to create multiple applications from a single Web application. This feature allows developers to quickly create tailored web views for different audiences without having to start from scratch each time. Presentation Builder allows developers to utilize an iterative process to implement gradual changes over time as things change.

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Event Editor An Event Editor allows developers to build an event-driven function for any button in the Web application. For example, if the user clicks a button, developers can create a custom action that executes complex business logic, such as invoking a Web service to obtain a credit rating, custom Java code to retrieve a policy number from another application, or an Attachmate Synapta™ Services Builder task to integrate customer information from a CICS,® IMS™ transaction, or Unisys® and UNIX application.

Themes Using one of the Presentation Builder supplied themes (templates), developers can literally transform a host

administrator assigns the new Web application to the

system into a new Web application in minutes. Themes

appropriate users and groups. The administrator can assign

control the look and feel of a Web application via a

permissions by utilizing any number of standard directory

rules-based editor. Each theme includes global application

services (NTDS, Active Directory,® LDAP, NDS, NIS, RACF,®

features like menus, hostkeys, toolbars, and host field

and an MCS directory), thereby leveraging the customer’s

color mappings as well as rules specific to individual fields

existing infrastructure.

on each host screen. Rules dictate how a host field gets converted to customized GUI controls, mapping how the controls look, feel, and behave.

Developers can use the supplied themes or create their

Attachmate MCS is a robust and mature management server for all Attachmate products and performs the following functions: • Centralized file storage

own to standardize field position, attributes, and text. Using rules makes it easy to do wholesale changes, updating all

• Authentication and Authorization

Web applications just by applying a new theme. Developers

• Monitoring

can also apply a theme for rapid development and use Presentation Designer to customize it.

Application Generation After you have finished recording, designing, and testing your new Web project, the Designer compiles the new Web application in Java, and then publishes it to Attachmate’s

• Event logging

Authentication and Authorization Phase The following figure shows the Authentication and Authorization phase of the Host to Web transformation process.

Management and Control Services (MCS). If you are not satisfied with the results, you can go back to any step in the design process and recompile it again.

MCS acts as a central repository for your Web application

Client Browser

Authentication Phase

and also performs security functions described in the following sections.

Deployment Phase

Client Browser

The following screenshot shows the Deployment phase

http or https

MCS

http or https

Runtime

of the Host-to-Web transformation process.

The next step in the process gives users access to the new Web application, providing additional security. Using Attachmate’s Management Control Services (MCS), the

Client Browser

MCS authenticates use and transfers control to Runtime for processing

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In the authentication and authorization phase, MCS: • Deploys the Web application to the Runtime Engine for user access

The Runtime Services also processes any of the following used in the new Web application: • Web services

• Authenticates and authorizes the user when he or she connects to the new Web application and requires a user name and password

• Attachmate Synapta™ Services Builder tasks, integrating legacy transactions • Custom Java code that is processed internally within

MCS authenticates and authorizes the user name and password via the directory service and serves the request to the user by sending the client a security token and the

the presentation Outputs can be either XML/Java Renderer or HTML.

address of the Runtime to execute the application. The entire process can be handled over HTTP or HTTPS and can use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for additional security between the runtime and the host. Attachmate’s SSL uses the public

Benefits of Presentation Builder’s Approach

and private key encryption and digital certificate algorithms

Presentation Builder was designed to solve specific issues in

developed by RSA Data Security to manage transmission

the following ways:

security between the host and the Presentation Runtime.

Open architecture

With MCS, administrators can also manage security settings • Application integration – Uses Web services, Java

for the current session.

and Javascript to access multiple data sources.

Execution Phase The following figure shows the Execution phase of the Host to Web transformation process.

• Security choices – Assign access by group or user using Attachmate Management and Control Services (MCS) directory service or any directory service (NTDS, NDS, NIS, Active Directory, LDAP, RACF). Also, Presentation Builder

Client Browser

does not merely hide sensitive data, but removes it

Execution Phase

completely so that it is never actually sent to the client.

• Multiple interfaces – Provides host data via HTML or

Client Browser

SSL http or https

Runtime

SSL

Host Apps

XML (via a Java applet) to service user requirements.

Efficiency • Single JVM instance – All applications on the

Client Browser

Presentation Builder Runtime utilize the same Java Virtual Synapta Services Builder tasks

Web services

Machine (JVM) rather than one JVM per application.

• Event-based runtime – Runtime Engine is event-

Runtime processes application requests and responses

based, rather than based on settle time, to alleviate errors on timeouts.

When authenticated users access the new Web application, they are communicating with the original mainframe application via the Presentation Builder Runtime Services

Ease of use and rapid development • Graphical development tool – Drag-and-drop design

over HTTP or HTTPS. Presentation Builder can use SSL

capabilities make it easy to design customized views for

encryption while communicating with the host system.

distinct business user groups.

Communication consists of an XML (via a Java applet) or

• One stop design and debug and test – Developers can

HTML data stream between the client browser and the

design and test their applications in real time without

Runtime Server. This approach prevents sensitive, confidential

deploying or leaving the development environment.

data from ever reaching the client. Only desired host fields and screens are actually transmitted to the end user.

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• Table formats – Display multiple pages of output in a

How Presentation Builder Works

table format.

The following sections describe how the Presentation • Themes – Templates quickly convert legacy host applications to standardized formats or create your own theme for a new look and feel.

Designer and the Runtime Services work.

Presentation Designer The following diagram shows the individual components

Extensibility

of the Presentation Designer.

• Java source – Creates Java source and classes so that Java developers can customize all logic and flow via

Presentation Designer

any editor.

• Extend original applications – Integrate external Web services and/or user-supplied custom functions object.

Designer

project

Generator

Java

Java

Runtime

MCS

• Pluggable implementation – Runtime services are accessed from anywhere within the code to be used according to the client environment. A services framework provides its own registry for individual services. You can think of these services like APIs for Java.

• Add Business Logic – The Presentation Builder UI has the ability to consume Web Services and logic that allows developers to add functionality not present in the host application. This ability provides users with a complete solution tailored specifically to their business function.

Deployment • One-time deployment – After designing the presentation, developers deploy it to a central management tool for easy distribution to all Runtime engines.

• Easy administration – Administrators grant user/ group access to presentations from a central management tool. Users can view their assigned Web applications from a single URL.

Developers use the Presentation Designer to develop a new Web applications from existing 3270, 5250, UTS and T27 applications. This new project consists of the following: • Navigation map (NavMap) that contains the methodology for navigating through the host application(s) (only those screens and input and output fields you need) • Images selected for use in the new Web application • Theme (pre-supplied or customized) that applies a set of predefined rules for formatting fields • Data and business logic from the original host application(s) captured via user interface access • Web services, custom code, and/or Attachmate Synapta™ Services Builder tasks

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The Generator takes the project components and generates

The Runtime Engine connects to the host via the following

the new Web applications in Java code, with the exception

communication protocols:

of graphical images. This gives the developer compiled access to view the associated host screens, input fields, output

• TN3270

fields, Web services, custom code, and Synapta™ Services

• TN3270e

Builder tasks in use. Using Java makes the new Web

• TN5250

application completely extensible in that the compiled application can be edited by a Java developer using any editor. When a developer customizes a new Web application, the process generates Java class files, which contain the application flow and logic. Again, the developer can use an editor to modify the Java class files and adjust the flow.

• INT-1 • TCPA Administrators can specify the type of connection using the Connection properties database.

• Presentation Builder Environment – Consists of services

Runtime

required by the application container to execute a

The following figure shows the overall architecture of the Presentation Builder Runtime environment.

Presentation Builder Web application. Each environment may require different implementations of each service.

However, the service interface remains unchanged from

Runtime Environment Servlet, J2EE

Message Decoder (XML, HTTP)

Presentation Builder Environment Application Caching & Loading

environment to environment. Services include: – Application Cache and Loading – Caches and loads

Transcoder

Message Decoder

Transcoder Factory

Application Container

Data Sources & APIs

Application Code

Logging/Tracing

Form Loader

Web applications. This service communicates with Attachmate Management and Control Services (MCS) to load and update Web applications.

– DataSources and APIs – Provides the underlying access to Web services, Attachmate Services Builder tasks, and simple libraries.

– Logging/Tracing – Provides an API for logging and

Components Runtime components consist of: • Runtime Environment – Contains the Runtime Engine and provides services to it. The services it provides depends on the client environment. If the environment is a Web

tracing supplied by MCS. – Message Decoder – Decodes a protocol-specific request form into a standard message format that can be processed by the Presentation Builder environment.

– Transcoder and Transcoder Factory – Transforms

server, it provides a cookie, HTTP session state, HTTP

presentation and data forms into a format compatible

messaging, or other like services.

with the client’s device.

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• Application Container – Manages application instances,

After executing the Web application, the Decoder service

including re-hydrating application state, dispatching

receives the data from the client, knows how the client sent

events from the client, and providing access to services.

the data (device), and generates a Form Event. The Form

The advantage of using an Application Container is that

Event presents the data in a format that the Web

you can run it somewhere else, such as a desktop or

application and host can use.

service (Viewer), and there are no scalability issues because it doesn’t use a server.

– Application – Contains the event-handling code

Container

H o s t

and Form Definitions. A Form Definition specifies which form to use for the Web application.

Client

Data

Decoder

Form Event

Host application

– Code – Is the Java code derived for the Web application.

– Form Loader – Loads the correct form according to the Web application and passes it off to the Transcoder

Web presentation

for delivery to the client.

The Transcoder converts forms into device-specific presentation formats. Presentation Builder uses a table driven coder lookup API to find the appropriate transcoder.

Transcoders are specific to an environment, and set headers according to the client device, which loads the appropriate Form Definition and adds the supplied data to the form for presentation to the client.

Form Directory

Cust 1

Form 1 Transcoder

Form Loading Service

Form 2

User device

Transcoders work with the Form Loading Service to get the right form for the type of user device

Decoders take user data and generate Form Events to present the data in a format that the new Web application and host can use

Web service

Synapta Services Builder task

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About Attachmate

Call today for more information

Attachmate Corporation, one of the world’s largest privately

For more information about Attachmate, contact your local

held software companies, is the only all-mainframe-

Attachmate sales office, or call us toll-free in the United

connectivity expert in the industry. For over twenty years,

States or Canada at 800-426-6283. For international sales

the company’s productivity-focused innovation approach to

information call USA 425-644-4010. Or visit our Web site

the market and product development has enabled Fortune

at www.attachmate.com.

1000 and Global 2000 enterprises full access to – and leveraging of – all mainframe resident business logic and data, via any and all types of connections. Attachmate is a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner, BEA® Premier Partner, Unisys® Partner, and Sun® iForce Partner.

Attachmate Corporation P.O. Box 90026 3617 131st Avenue S.E. Bellevue, WA 98009 (800) 426-6283 (425) 644-4010 Technical Support (800) 688-3270 www.attachmate.com Australia (61) 3 9825 2300 Austria (43) 1 595 43 35 0 Baltic (Europe) (46) 8 630 1700 Belgium (32) 2 481 07 50 Brazil (55) 11 3085 0303 Canada (905) 477 7437 Eastern Europe (43) 1 595 43 35 0 France (33) 1 4604 1010 Germany (49) 89 99 351 0 Hong Kong (852) 2572 8988 Italy (39) 02 671 3101 Japan (81) 3 5560 8970 Mexico (52) 55 5658 7755 Middle East (20) 10 512 8563 (971) 50 650 8224 Netherlands (31) 10 266 77 00 Nordic (Europe) (46) 8 630 1700 Portugal (34) 91 716 0960 Singapore (65) 6 223 0233 South Africa (27) 11 700 4250 Spain (34) 91 716 0960 Sweden (46) 8 630 1700 Switzerland (41) 43 399 2090 United Kingdom (44) 118 912 4000

Copyright Š 2003 by Attachmate Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Attachmate is a registered trademark and Synapta is a trademark of Attachmate Corporation. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Visual Basic and Active Directory are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Java, JavaBeans and J2EE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. CICS and RACF are registered trademarks and IMS is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Unisys is a registered trademark of Unisys Corporation.

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