Configuring resource adapters

You can view a list of installed and configured resource adapters in the administrative console. Also, you can use the administrative console to install new resource adapters, create additional configurations of installed resource adapters, or delete resource adapter configurations.

Before you begin

A resource adapter is an implementation of the Java™ EE Connector Architecture (JCA) specification. The JCA specification provides access for applications to resources outside of the server or provides access for an enterprise information system (EIS) to applications on the server. It can provide application access to resources such as DB2®, Customer Information Control System (CICS®), Information Management Systems (IMS), SAP, and PeopleSoft.

It can provide an EIS with the ability to communicate with message-driven beans that are configured on the server. Some resource adapters are provided by IBM®; however, third-party vendors can provide their own resource adapters. A resource adapter implementation is provided in a resource adapter archive (RAR)file; this file has an extension,RAR. A resource adapter can be provided as a stand-alone adapter or as part of an application, in which case it is called an embedded adapter.

The Java Connector Architecture (JCA) Version 1.6 specification adds support for Java annotations and Bean Validation in RAR modules. For more information about annotation support and metadata, see the topic, JCA 1.6 support for annotations in RAR modules.

About this task

Use this task to configure a stand-alone resource adapter archive file. Embedded adapters are installed as part of the application installation. This panel can be used to work with either type adapter.

Procedure

  1. Open the product administrative console.
  2. Select Resources > Resource adapters > resource_adapter.
  3. Set the scope setting.
    This field specifies the level to which this resource definition is visible. For general information, see the topic, Administrative console scope settings, in the Related Reference section. The Scope field is a read-only string field that shows where the particular definition for a resource adapter is located. This field is set either when the resource adapter is installed, which can only be at the node level, or when a new resource adapter definition is added.
  4. Configure the description.
    This field specifies a text description of the resource adapter. Use a free-form text string to describe the resource adapter and its purpose.
  5. Set the archive path.
    Use this field to specify the path to the RAR file containing the module for this resource adapter. This property is required.
  6. Set the class path.
    The list of paths or JAR file names that together form the location for the resource adapter classes is set here. This includes any additional libraries needed by the resource adapter. The resource adapter code base is automatically added to the class path, but if anything outside the RAR is needed it can be specified here.
  7. Set the native path.
    The list of paths that form the location for the resource adapter native libraries is set here. The resource adapter code base is automatically added to the class path, but if anything outside the RAR is needed it can be specified here.
  8. Isolate the resource adapter if necessary.
    Use this field to specify that this resource provider is loaded in its own class loader. This allows different versions of the same resource adapter to be loaded in the same Java Virtual Machine.
  9. Set the ThreadPool alias.
    The name of a thread pool that is configured in the server that is used by the resource adapter Work Manager is specified in this field. If there is no thread pool configured in the server with this name, the default configured thread pool instance, named Default, is used. This property is only necessary if this resource adapter uses Work Manager. This field does not apply for the z/OS® platform.