WebSphere An Introduction to the Webfacing Wizard Presented by: Raymond Everhart

Overview What Is WebSphere? What Is WebFacing? What Is View / Controller / Model? What Tools Do I Use To WebFace? How is a WebFaced Application Deployed? What Does Webfacing Do For Me? How Much Does Webfacing Cost?

What Is WebSphere? IBM’s Infrastructure Software Solution Core Operating Environment: –WebSphere Application Server Application Development: –WebSphere Studio Add On Products –WebSphere Portal –WebSphere Commerce –Many More

What Is WebFacing? Delivered as a component of the iSeries toolset. Converts DDS to Java Server Pages And Java Beans. Allows Existing RPG/Cobol applications to be deployed on an application server. Conversion occurs during development not at run-time. Allows customization in DDS.

What is View / Controller / Model ? An Application Design Methodology Logic is separated by function –View - Display Functions (Browser) –Controller - Screen Handling (Application Server) –Model - Business Logic and File I/O (Host) WebFacing partially simulates VCM

What Tools Do I Use To WebFace? First Webfacing tools were delivered as a part of the WebSphere Development Toolkit v5.1. (WDT 5.1) Most recent version supplied as part of WebSphere Development Studio Client v4.0 (WDSc v4.0) Service Pack 3 Next version WDSc v5.0 available April 25, 2003

How is a WebFaced Application Deployed? DDS is Converted to Java Server Pages and Java Beans All of the required objects are placed in a WAR file.(Web Application Archive) The WAR File is deployed/installed onto the Application Server.(WebSphere, Tomcat….on a xSeries, iSeries, zSeries…)

What Does Webfacing Do For Me? Allows me to add a browser based interface to an existing application in minutes. Allows one program to support browser based clients and green-screen clients. Allows existing staff to develop browser based applications in RPG/Cobol while learning Java.

How Much Does Webfacing Cost? User Time - WebFaced/Java applications are slower than Green-Screen applications Interactive CPU - WebFaced applications run as interactive jobs. (300 CPW min) Requires an Application Server –Tomcat - “Free” (You get what you pay for) –WAS Express as low as $ for 20 users

Summary IBM wants you to use WebSphere. Over the next year, IBM will be spending $500 million dollars to put WebSphere based solutions in front of Small/Medium sized businesses. IBM provides tools to iSeries users that cost thousands on other platforms. WebFacing is an ideal entry method into the WebSphere environment.

Additional Information Raymond Everhart