XML Integration for CICS Applications, System z Data
HostBridge Base Product
HostBridge is mainframe-based software that auto-converts mainframe/CICS data to XML, enabling rapid integration of mainframe resources with distributed systems, including enterprise applications, web applications, service-oriented architectures, and cloud architectures. By exploiting System z and CICS technologies and supporting industry-standard interoperability transports, protocols, and languages, HostBridge delivers mainframe integration with the highest fidelity to source applications, highest reliability, and highest performance.
HostBridge Base is a prerequisite for all other HostBridge components.
HostBridge for zIIP
With the introduction of HostBridge v6.5, customers now have the option of running HostBridge on the IBM System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP). Visit our HostBridge for zIIP pages for more information.
HostBridge Base Features
- XML Auto-Generation: Once installed, HostBridge immediately and automatically XML-enables CICS transactions, making CICS integration-ready.
- SOAP Support: SOAP support integrates CICS applications as web services, enabling distributed applications to invoke CICS transactions as web services.
- HTTP Interface: Distributed applications can invoke CICS applications directly using HTTP requests over TCP/IP. Any application capable of sending a URL and receiving an XML document can access CICS data. This standard approach maximizes integration flexibility.
- LINK Interface (ECI/EXCI): Mainframe applications with existing COMMAREA interfaces can utilize HostBridge’s XML output abilities.
- Fixed-Format XML: HostBridge XML output conforms to a predictable document structure, making it easier for developers to pull data out of the XML results.
- Standards-Based: Developers can integrate CICS transactions as web services with their existing knowledge, lowering development time and costs.
- Security: HostBridge works securely with and within IBM-provided components supporting standard mainframe security systems such as RACF, ACF/2, and TopSecret. HostBridge also supports SSL and digital certificates.
Performance
By design, HostBridge delivers the highest-performance integration for CICS/mainframe resources. HostBridge Base and all HostBridge components run on the mainframe (with the exception of WIRE, our .NET-based web presentation product). As such, HostBridge performs as a mainframe application.
Other solutions, specifically middle-tier products, require a full network transit and request-response cycle between distributed server and mainframe to execute every mainframe transaction, resulting in request/response latency, slower response times, and higher mainframe CPU demands. In high-volume environments, these differences will be significant and will directly impact the speed and efficiency of business processes.
Reliability
HostBridge also ensures high reliability. Where screen-scraper products rely on row/column coordinates to rigidly “map” mainframe output to distributed systems, HostBridge uses screen and field names as metadata to control interactions and remote presentation. Whenever changes to applications alter screen locations, screen scrapers can no longer map field to target applications, resulting in integration errors and failures. With HostBridge, changes to applications or row/column locations have no effect on output or integrations.
Fidelity
HostBridge faithfully reproduces originating CICS data and business logic. Direct conversion of CICS data to XML – as data wrapped in metadata – ensures that data, screens, and business logic are simply and exactly reproduced. And as noted above, the use of screen/field names to identify and navigate screens enables HostBridge to replicate source applications and data without distortion. Continue to our HB Process Automation pages for more on high-fidelity integration.
