Chapter 2. Introduction
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Chapter 2. Introduction

The Java Connector Architecture (JCA) defines a standard architecture for connecting the Java EE platform to heterogeneous Enterprise Information Systems (EIS). Examples of EISs include Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), mainframe transaction processing (TP), database and messaging systems.

The connector architecture defines a set of scalable, secure, and transactional mechanisms that enable the integration of EISs with application servers and enterprise applications.

The connector architecture also defines a Common Client Interface (CCI) for EIS access. The CCI defines a client API for interacting with heterogeneous EISs.

The connector architecture enables an EIS vendor to provide a standard resource adapter for its EIS. A resource adapter is a system-level software driver that is used by a Java application to connect to an EIS. The resource adapter plugs into an application server and provides connectivity between the EIS, the application server, and the enterprise application. The resource adapter serves as a protocol adapter that allows any arbitrary EIS communication protocol to be used for connectivity. An application server vendor extends its system once to support the connector architecture and is then assured of seamless connectivity to multiple EISs. Likewise, an EIS vendor provides one standard resource adapter which has the capability to plug in to any application server that supports the connector architecture.

2.1. What's New

The Java Connector Architecture 1.6 specification adds the following major areas:

  • Ease of Development: The use of annotations reduces or completely eliminates the need to deal with a deployment descriptor in many cases. The use of annotations also reduces the need to keep the deployment descriptor synchronized with changes to source code.
  • Generic work context contract: A generic contract that enables a resource adapter to control the execution context of a Work instance that it has submitted to the application server for execution.
  • Security work context: A standard contract that enables a resource adapter to establish security information while submiting a Work instance for execution to a WorkManager and while delivering messages to message endpoints residing in the application server.
  • Standalone Container Environment: A defined set of services that makes up a standalone execution environment for resource adapters.
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