Just had a problem where a WSDL file that was uploaded to the DataPower device did not show up in the local:// drop down for selection.

Upon further inspection, we found that there was whitespace before the
<? xml .. ?> tag and whitespace before the <wsdl:definitions...> tag.

Once this extra whitespace was removed, the WSDL appeared in the drop downs and worked fine.

I’ve posted a question to the Datapower external newsgroup asking about how Siteminder can be used to authenticate users. The documentation is pretty thin on the subject.

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=315235

Basically, i have a username and password that I’d like Siteminder to authenticate. I’m sure that Datapower invokes a URL and posts the information to the given URI. It then inspects the response cookie and determines if Siteminder was successful.

The usual Siteminder usage pattern is for someone to hit a page with a web browser and then be issued a challenge.. So it’s possible Siteminder requires this step into order to validate.

Yes, I’m still alive. Things have been pretty slow this year and I haven’t had all that much to say here at DanZrobok.com. It looks like business is picking up in the 4th quarter and I find myself with an opportunity to work with iTKO Lisa, an SOA Testing tool.

I’ll get into more details about the product later on.

From IBM Redbooks, Integrating WebSphere Service Registry and Repository with WebSphere Process Server and WebSphere ESB This IBM® Redpapers™ publication describes how you can integrate IBM WebSphere® Service Registry and Repository with IBM WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus and IBM WebSphere Process Server to create a flexible and robust infrastructure for the execution of SOA solutions.

From Developerworks, Migrating to WebSphere Process Server V6.2 This tutorial shows you how to migrate WebSphere Process Server configuration data, application data, and databases from V6.1.2.3 to V6.2.0.1. The tutorial also describes the sub-tasks involved and shows you how to use migration log files for troubleshooting. Everyone's favourite task: Migrating between versions.

If you are planning on upgrading your WebSphere Servers to a later fixpack level, be sure to start with the Deployment Manager. If you do not, your Deployment Manager will not be able to contact your ‘future level’ node agent.

“Server cannot be started because the node agent for server Node1 on node x is not active”

Attempting to call syncNode to the deployment manager will result in:

ADMU0127E: The version of the Deployment Manager is earlier than that of this node. Deployment Manager version earlier than that of a node is an unsupported configuration.Upgrade the Deployment Manager to the same or later version as that of the node.

If you are upgrading Solaris, you will see a bunch of patch numbers fly by along with a bunch of return codes. When I first saw the return codes, I was concerned that something was not updating properly. I saw lots of Return Code 2 and Return Code 8.

When I checked out what the error codes represent, I was relieved. Code 2 is for a patch that is already applied. Code 8 is when a patch attempts to modify a package that is not installed.

Just incase you were thinking of writing some IBM Certifications, there will be a new promotion in July called Take It Again which allows you to rewrite a failed certification test free.

I have to re-write my WebSphere Integration Developer, WebSphere Process Server and DataPower certifications and am waiting for this promo to start before I book my tests.

You can import and export your WebSphere Application Server or WebSphere Process Server profiles into .CAR archive files.

Importing and exporting version 6 WebSphere Application Server profiles provides the specific wsadmin (or RAD/WID) steps to perform.

The infocenter has a great article about how to use “Industry Standard Schemas” with WebSphere Process Server.

This is required reading.

You will need to know about the Sequence object when dealing with

• xsd:any
• xsd:anyType
• xsd:anySimpleType
• xsd:anyAttribute

This used to be completely undocumented and now, the documentation is actually really good. Enjoy your undefined datatype.

I still stick with the rule that undefined types are the scourge of good integration.

The Visual Configuration Explorer

When configuration problems occur in a complex software environment, you can spend a lot of time hunting for subtle changes that might have introduced errors. The new Visual Configuration Explorer tool, which runs as a plug-in to the IBM Support Assistant, simplifies configuration troubleshooting by letting you visualize, explore, and analyze the configurations of various software stacks offline.

You can also use this plugin to compare two configurations and look for changes. Very good if your server ‘magically’ breaks one day or you are trying to track down a change from a while ago.

AlbeesOnline has posted a great article showing how difficult integration projects can be when you need to work with teams spread across an organization. A relatively straightforward project turns into a Frankenstein of text files and workarounds. It also shows the reason why projects have meetings that involve 20-30 people five times a week, you miss a department and they’ll pop up out of nowhere and tell you what you are doing is impossible.

I have to admit that I die a little inside when I hear of projects that have to switch from clean-elegant solutions to crazily complicated ones to work around corporate policies. The customer gets the final solution and wonders why the heck they bothered with an integration platform in the first place. It’s depressing.

Your business has decided to use CEI to emit business relevant events, you got approval for your project, you are ready to code.. and then find out that there’s a thin amount of documentation on how to actually work with the APIs.

Below are some links that can help you figure out whats going on:

Use the Event Catalog in the IBM Common Event Infrastructure

IBM Redbooks presents: Migrating WebSphere Business Integration Server Foundation to WebSphere Process Server V6.2 & Best Practices

Draft Redbook, last updated: Wed, 18 Mar 2009

- Migration concepts, planning and best practices
- New Workspace migration wizard
- Migration scenarios utilizing Business Space interface

In this IBM Redbooks publication, we discuss the concepts, planning, and migration paths, that you must understand before any attempt to migrate the source artifacts created using IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer Integration Edition 5.1 product, to the IBM WebSphere Integration Developer 6.2.

I pray for you.

From DeveloperWorks, Fifteen common Websphere Partner Gateway problems and how to solve them

Websphere Partner Gateway enables companies to connect large groups of trading partners to their businesses and extend internal integration outside the enterprise. This article discusses 15 common problems that can occur during Partner Gateway operations and their solutions.

While I don't use WebSphere Partner Gateway, I really like this article for the way that it presents a single location to solve a bunch of common problems.