IMS SOAP Gateway must have the function both of top-down and bottom-up approach in RD/z product.

Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
Brand - Servers and Systems Software
Product family - Programming Languages
Product - Developer for System z

For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
Brand - Rational
Product family - Design & development
Product - Developer for System z

This feature was delivered in version 8.5.2. per agreement with customer.

AT&T is very interested in Top-Down for COBOL. Attached please find the list of requirement list.

From: David Foster AT&T
Feb. 18, 2011

The 2 main requirements we discussed on our 2/18/2011 call are:
1. Outbound SOAP/HTTP calls from a COBOL IMS transaction to existing Web services when the Web services require custom SOAP headers
2. Top-down support for COBOL that starts with WSDL and XSD to generate COBOL copybooks and the associated transformation SOAP-to-COBOL, COBOL-to-SOAP.

IMS SOAP Gateway currently has the ability to do outbound SOAP/HTTP calls. However, one major obstacle is it does not allow manipulation of custom (user-defined) SOAP headers. Approaches to allowing custom headers include:
1. Ability to do user-written exits to manipulate SOAP headers i.e. allow a chain of SOAP handlers executed in IMS Connect or SOAP Gateway. Would require somehow allowing the app to pass variable fields for populating the custom header elements and somehow provide the response custom header elements back to the app.
2. Allow generic pass-thru interface and let the COBOL app deal with SOAP messages including the custom SOAP headers.

As I mentioned to Al after the call, I actually didn remember that Jenny description above was one of the possibilities we discussed last October to accomplish approach #2.

In approach #2, COBOL code in an IMS transaction builds the entire SOAP request including headers and sends it outbound. The SOAP request passes intact to the HTTP post to the target endpoint. The target endpoint would also somehow need to be passed by the COBOL client. In other words, provide a generic (pass-thru) interface option for IMS SOAP Gateway that handles the HTTP communication, but doesn do the bytes-to-SOAP and SOAP-to-bytes data mapping done normally in IMS Connect. It also doesn require interface-specific deployment of converters and endpoint/binding configurations.

The COBOL program can use various available techniques to do the SOAP/COBOL mapping. Enabling outbound calls with either approach is the highest priority. AT&T needs a solution by 9/30/2011 from IBM or another vendor.

The second priority is Top-down support. A subset of total top-down support would be extremely helpful for outbound clients. Starting with WSDL/XSD, generate the COBOL copybook and converters. Allow a COBOL program to call converters to create a SOAP request string and then use the generic pass-thru interface. And use the converter from SOAP response to COBOL. AT&T needs a solution by 12/31/2011 from IBM or another vendor.

5 RDz Requirements


Prio Req # RDz Requirements Descriptions
1 Req_RD_300 Provide means to allow mapping of XML nyto a schema
Need a way to insert an nyto a Cobol element
Should be able to go from WSDL or XML to generate Cobol parser routine
It shows you have an nybut can do anything with it

3 Req_RD_301 Need a Java Batch Utility to generate the language bindings and configuration files from a WSDL
Prefer use of JzOS over the older style IBM Batch Java utilities
Ok to use HFS and Java
Use RDz to invoke these Java Batch Utilities
Interface with WSRR (WS Registry and Repository)

2 Req_RD_302 Need Serena ChangeMan integration with Rational Tooling
There is a plug-in for RDz
AT&T is looking into it with Serena
IBM will check from the SCM folks on this issue

2 Req_RD_303 Need diagnostic capabilities built into RDz

Review RDz debugging capabilities for generated artifacts before they leave the SOAP Gateway
Viewing configuration and correlation files

3 Req_RD_304 Need an IMS tool like CICS Explorer
At runtime - view open files, config files, investigate code path, etc.
Could talk to IMS via HTTP

3 Req_RD_305 Allow RDz to handle issues dealing with binding Java, especially with keywords

Attachment (Description): AT&T's IMS and RDz requiremeents for Top-Down for COBOL.

This request is consistent with our roadmap and is being considered for delivery in a future RDz release.

This RFE is consistent with our strategy and product roadmap and IBM is continuing to evaluate.

Please solve asap.