webMethods Integration Server allows you to create and run multiple instances of the server on one machine. When you install webMethods Integration Server, you specify a name for the initial instance. The default name of the initial instance is “default”. The Software AG installer creates the instance under the
Software AG_directory\IntegrationServer\instances directory. You can create additional instances of Integration Server using the scripts provided by Integration Server or through Software AG Command Central.
Each instance has a home directory under Software AG_directory\IntegrationServer
\instances that contains its own packages, configuration files, log files, and updates.
You administer and apply packages and updates to each Integration Server instance separately. You can apply the latest fixes using the Software AG Update Manager.
The Software AG_directory\IntegrationServer directory is the parent directory for all server instances you create. It contains common and shared files that all server instances use, such as common jar files and fixes. For information about creating and running multiple Integration Server instances, see "Running Multiple Integration Server Instances" on page 73.
Note: Unless otherwise specified, the terms Integration Server and “the server” in this guide refer to an Integration Server instance.
An Overview of the Server
Architecture
The Integration Server listens for client requests on one or more ports. You can associate the type of protocol that the server uses for each port. The server supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, FTPS, and e-mail ports.
Most clients use an HTTP or HTTPS port for communication with the server. Because the server supports both HTTP and HTTPS, it can listen on an HTTP port for non-secure client requests and an HTTPS port for secure requests.
Note: Unlike HTTP, FTP, and e-mail, HTTPS and FTPS provide for secure data transmission. They do this through encryption and certificates. Without HTTPS or FTPS, unauthorized users might be able to capture or modify data, use IP spoofing to aack servers, access unauthorized services, or capture passwords. If you must pass passwords, make sure the back-end application has minimal privileges.
A typical use for an FTP or FTPS port is to get a directory listing, change to the directory that contains the service you want to invoke, put a file that contains input to the service, and run the service. The server returns the output from the service to the directory in which the service resides. Use an e-mail port to receive requests through an e-mail server, such as POP3 or IMAP.
You can define as many ports as you want on each Integration Server instance. The default sever instance has an HTTP port at 5555.
Note: The default server instance also defines a diagnostic port at 9999. The diagnostic port uses the HTTP protocol and provides you access to the Integration Server when it is unresponsive. For more information about the diagnostic port, see "Diagnosing the Integration Server " on page 831.
An Overview of the Server
The Server Listens for Requests on Ports that You Specify
There may be times when you want to use the standard port numbers used by web servers: port 80 for HTTP requests and port 443 for HTTPS requests. If your Integration Server runs on a Windows system, this is not a problem. However, if your Integration Server runs on a UNIX system, using a port number below 1024 requires that the server run as "root." For security reasons, Software AG discourages this practice. Instead, run your Integration Server using an unprivileged user ID on a high number port (for example 1024 or above) and use the port remapping capabilities present in most firewalls to move requests to the higher numbered ports.
An Overview of the Server
Services
Client requests involve executing one or more services. The server maintains successfully loaded services as runnable objects within the server's program space.
When you initialize the server, the server loads the services that are contained in enabled packages into memory. When you or another administrator enable a disabled package, the server loads services that are in that package.
Services Execute within the Integration Server's Virtual Machine
When a client invokes a service, that service runs as a thread within the Integration
An Overview of the Server
There are a number of methods you can use to send files from a client to the Integration Server. The Integration Server provides the following automated mechanisms:
Post a file to a service via HTTP or HTTPS.
FTP a file to a service.
Submit a file to a service via a file polling port.
E-mail a file to a service as an aachment.
Note: If you use Trading Networks, you can send some files, specifically flat files, directly to Trading Networks. For more information about how Trading Networks processes flat files, see the "Defining and Managing Flat File Document Types" chapter in webMethods Trading Networks Administrator’s Guide.
When a client submits a file to the Integration Server, the server uses the appropriate content handler to parse the contents of the file and pass them to the target service.
For all transmission methods except file polling, the client specifies the service to be executed. For file polling, the server always executes the service associated with the file polling port.
For more information about sending and receiving XML files, see webMethods Service Development Help. For more information about sending and receiving flat files, see the Flat File Schema Developer’s Guide. Refer to the webMethods Integration Server Built-In Services Reference for information about services you can invoke from the service you write.
When the server uses HTTP or HTTPS to access data from external data sources, you can optionally route the requests through a proxy server.
An Overview of the Server
The Server Gets Data from Local Resources or Resources on the Internet