The audience for the first two chapters (part 1) of this book is broad, and can range from technically savvy business users who want to learn more about service-oriented architecture (SOA) to programmer analysts and architects. For the remaining chapters, some prior knowledge of Java is assumed, and numerous code samples are sprinkled throughout those remaining chapters. That said, there is material in the introductory chapters in each technology area covered that can be easily digested by non-developers. While the products covered are all written in Java, it’s likely that if you are a C++ or C# developer, you’ll be able to follow the examples sufficiently enough to understand the key concepts being imparted.
All of the products we cover in depth in the book undergo frequent updates. This may range from minor dot releases to major new versions. I will make every effort to make sure the examples provided in the sample code are kept up to date with the latest releases. Please visit http://jdavis.open-soa.info/wordpress/ regularly, as it houses the latest versions of the source code and will be used to highlight any significant new releases as they pertain to the products covered.
Part 1 of the book focuses on what constitutes SOA, the advantages gleaned by adopting this architectural pattern, and what technologies contribute or compliment the move to SOA. This part really establishes the foundation for the technologies we describe moving forward in the book, so I encourage you not to skip it!
Chapter 1 provides some historical perspective to SOA—why it came about, and why it's important. It also describes the essential characteristics of SOA, and separates the wheat from the chaff in identifying what is really most important for adopting SOA.
Chapter 2 explores which technologies products contribute or compliment the adoption of SOA. This discussion then provides the basis for evaluating and selecting the open source products that are covered in depth in the chapters that follow. If you're curious as to why I selected Apache Synapse instead of Apache ServiceMix or Mule for the ESB, this chapter will provide the justification.
Part 2 of the book describes the Service Component Architecture (SCA) framework, and how it can be used to develop components that can be exposed as low-level or composite services. We then move into SCA implementation using the open source Apache Tuscany product. Given the central role that services play in SOA, this is obviously an important section.
Chapter 3 introduces the SCA framework, its history, concepts, and benefits. The SCA assembly model, which is core to the framework, is described in detail. Specific examples are provided using Apache Tuscany, the SCA implementation chosen for use within the book.
Chapter 4 delves into advanced Apace Tuscany features. This includes how to use scripting languages such as JRuby and Groovy for building components, and how more complex interaction models such as conversations and callbacks are supported. We also introduce Service Data Objects (SDOs) along with their features and benefits. Part 3 explores how the services created through Apache Tuscany can be combined together to form a complete business process. This is accomplished by way of business process management (BPM), which is defined and examined. JBoss jBPM is introduced as the BPM tool used within the book, and its features and capabilities are explored in depth.
Chapter 5 introduces the role of BPM within SOA, and why we consider it to be the “secret sauce” of SOA. We follow that with an introduction to JBoss jBPM where we describe its key concepts, nomenclature, and how to construct a simple process using the product.
Chapter 6 examines the role of tasks within jBPM. A task represents a human activity that needs to be performed within a business process, such as an approval. The functionality provided by the jBPM Console is explored, as it provides a graphical interface to managing tasks and processes. Lastly, we illustrate how to use the jBPM API to programmatically interact with business processes and tasks.
Chapter 7 dives into some of the advanced capabilities of jBPM, including how to manage larger processes through using superstates and subprocesses. We also look at how to manage exceptions within a process, and the role of asynchronous continuations for distributed processing. Lastly, we look at how jBPM can be integrated with Apache Tuscany and SCA, and how this combination can be used to service-enable jBPM for integration with other platforms and languages.
Part 4 switches gears, and covers the emerging field of complex event processing (CEP). This is illustrated through the use of Esper, an open source event stream processing application. Detailed examples are provided for using Esper, and we describe how Esper can be used in tandem with jBPM and how to service-enable Esper using Apache Tuscany. The remaining chapters then address enterprise service buses (ESBs), and Apache Synapse is introduced and examined in depth using a real-life case study.
Chapter 8 provides an overview of CEP, and then introduces Esper, which is an open source application for event stream processing (ESP). The functionality and features of Esper are described using detailed examples, and we also illustrate how to integrate with Esper by service-enabling it through Apache Tuscany.
Chapter 9 describes the appropriate role ESBs play in SOA, along with the core features commonly found in all ESBs. Then, Apache Synapse is introduced as the ESB of choice for the book, and some quick-and-dirty examples are provided to demonstrate its capabilities.
Chapter 10 takes a deep dive into Synapse using a real-life case study. Advanced features such as transport switching, enterprise integration patterns, and quality of service mediation are described in detail.
Part 5 concludes the remaining chapters of the book by addressing the role played by a business rules engine, and how SOA acts as an enabler for realizing the great benefits that can be achieved by adopting an enterprise decision management approach. JBoss Drools is introduced as the open source business rule engines for the examples in the book, and its features are described in great detail through samples and a detailed case study.
Chapter 11 provides an overview of what constitutes business rules and the business rules approach, and why it is so beneficial, especially when married with SOA. We then explore the history and overview of JBoss Drools, which was selected as the rule engine of choice for the book. Simple examples are used to illustrate the key concepts behind Drools, such as how to construct rules and activate the engine.
Chapter 12 takes a more in-depth look into Drools, and in particular, how to use Guvnor, the Business Rule Management System (BRMS) that comes with the product. A real-life case study is provided to explore advanced Drools capabilities such as RuleFlow. Lastly, we illustrate how to service-enable Drools using Apache Tuscany.
A bonus chapter, available online at http://www.manning.com/OpenSourceSOA, will cover the role of registries, and how they can be used for cataloging services and assisting in SOA governance and best practices. An implementation of a registry product is provided through examples of using WSO2’s Registry product.
All source code in listings or in text is in a fixed-width font like this to separate it from ordinary text. Code annotations accompany many of the listings, highlighting important concepts. In some cases, numbered bullets link to explanations that follow the listing.
Source code for all working examples in this book is available for download at http://jdavis.open-soa.info/wordpress/ as well as from the publisher’s website at http://www.manning.com/OpenSourceSOA.
The source code is packaged as an Eclipse project. There are two different download options. One, which is referred to as “Source with no libraries,” is a very small download and does not include any JAR libraries. Instead, an Ant target can be run that will automatically pull down all required libraries from various Maven public directories. The other download, which tops out at around 125MB, does include all of the JAR libraries pre-packaged. There is also a link to the installation instructions, which provides detailed instructions for setting of the source. The prerequisites (which are minimal) are described within the instructions PDF. Every effort will be made to keep the source code examples working with updated versions of the applications.
The purchase of Open Source SOA includes free access to a private web forum run by Manning Publications, where you can make comments about the book, ask technical questions, and receive help from the author and from other users. To access the forum and subscribe to it, point your web browser to http://www.manning.com/OpenSourceSOA. This page provides information about how to get on the forum once you’re registered, what kind of help is available, and the rules of conduct on the forum.
The Author Online forum and the archives of previous discussions will be accessible from the publisher’s website as long as the book is in print.
The figure on the cover of Open Source SOA is captioned “L’épicier,” which means storekeeper, grocer, or purveyor of fine foods. The illustration is taken from a 19th-century edition of Sylvain Maréchal’s four-volume compendium of regional dress customs published in France. Each illustration is finely drawn and colored by hand. The rich variety of Maréchal’s collection reminds us vividly of how culturally apart the world’s towns and regions were just 200 years ago. Isolated from each other, people spoke different dialects and languages. In the streets or in the countryside, it was easy to identify where they lived and what their trade or station in life was just by their dress.
Dress codes have changed since then and the diversity by region, so rich at the time, has faded away. It is now hard to tell apart the inhabitants of different continents, let alone different towns or regions. Perhaps we have traded cultural diversity for a more varied personal life—certainly for a more varied and fast-paced technological life.
At a time when it is hard to tell one computer book from another, Manning celebrates the inventiveness and initiative of the computer business with book covers based on the rich diversity of regional life of two centuries ago, brought back to life by Maréchal’s pictures.
