HostBridge Extended (HBX)

HostBridge Extended (HBX) is a set of optional features, based on a CICS-native process automation engine. Using the process automation engine in HostBridge Extended, non-mainframe developers can access data, run transactions and execute CICS commands using a single HTTP, SOAP or MQ request.

The foundation of HostBridge Extended is the process automation engine. Our host-based process automation engine allows system architects, process designers and application developers to write simple or complex CICS processes using the industry standard ECMAScript language. Also known as JavaScript, ECMAScript is the most widely used scripting language in the world. HostBridge Extended includes a workstation-based Interactive Development Environment (IDE) that makes it easy to develop and test process automation scripts for CICS. The resulting scripts are compiled into native CICS code which runs on the mainframe so run-time efficiency is outstanding. As a result, the HostBridge process automation engine provides fast, efficient run-time performance; furthermore, the process automation capability of HostBridge Extended works with any middle-tier environment.

Diagram showing multiple connections to the mainframe from a requesting program using server-based process automation; a single request from the requesting program using host-based automation.
Figure 1. Reduced latency due to fewer requests from the middle tier

A common scenario where CICS applications are integration targets involves navigating through multiple CICS transactions to obtain the data required by a distributed application. Using the process automation in HostBridge Extended, developers can script the entire sequence and saved on the mainframe, much like a stored procedure. Client, server or web-based applications can then invoke the automated process using a single request. This alleviates the need for the middle-tier application to manage a complex flow of requests and responses.

Other, substantial new CICS integration technology available in HostBridge Extended includes:

  • Direct access to VSAM, DB2 and DL/I data
  • Native WebSphere MQ support
  • Enhanced Multi-region Support

Direct Access to VSAM, DB2, and DL/I Data
Organizations frequently need to retrieve information directly from back-end CICS data sources as part of an integration process. HostBridge now reads and writes directly to VSAM files, DB2, or DL/I databases. Using HostBridge, developers can choose to invoke a CICS transaction through HostBridge, or bypass the CICS transaction altogether and access the data behind the transaction directly.

Native WebSphere® MQ Interface
WebSphere® MQ provides guaranteed delivery of business-critical information between asynchronous processes running on disparate platforms. HostBridge now provides native WMQ support that can receive processing requests via a WMQ request queue, and will return the response in the appropriate WMQ response queue.

Enhanced Multi-Region Operation (MRO)
CICS Transaction Server 2.2 introduced the Link3270 Bridge interface, which HostBridge exploits. Link3270 Bridge requires, however, that all transactions executed under a single bridge facility run in the same application owning region (AOR).  This is a serious limitation to organizations with complex and high-scaled multi-region (MRO) environments. HostBridge overcomes these limitations through its enhanced MRO support.  This feature augments Link3270 Bridge and allows transactions to be executed in multiple AORs.  For example, pseudo-conversational transactions executed via HostBridge can pass data between transaction legs executing in different AORs. HostBridge's enhanced MRO support is completely transparent to the distributed application requesting services from HostBridge.