Scenario: Using JCA to connect transactional applications to eXtreme Scale clients

The following scenario is about connecting clients to applications that participate in transactions.

Before you begin

Read the Transaction processing in the Java EE applications overview topic to learn more about transaction support.

About this task

The Java EE Connector Architecture (JCA) provides support for clients that are using Java Transaction API (JTA). Through JTA, client management is simplified and accomplished using Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE). The JCA specification also supports resource adapters that you can use to connect applications to eXtreme Scale clients. A resource adapter is a system-level software driver that a Java application uses to connect to an enterprise information system (EIS). A resource adapter plugs into an application server and provides connectivity between the EIS, the application server, and the enterprise application. WebSphere eXtreme Scale provides it own resource adapter, which you can install without any required configuration.

As with previous versions of the product, you can use transactions to process a single unit of work to the data grid. With the support of JCA, when you commit those transactions you can enlist resources for that transaction in one-phase commit, which has the following benefits:

Simplified eXtreme Scale application development. Previously, developers coordinated eXtreme Scale transactions with resources, such as enterprise beans, servlets, and web containers. Because no rollback mechanism existed, developers had no simple way to recover failures.
Tighter integration exists with WebSphere Application Server, which includes last participant support to enlist in global transactions if necessary.

Scenario goals

After completing this scenario, you will know how to complete the following goals:

Use Java Transaction API (JTA) support to develop application components that use transactions.
Connect your applications with eXtreme Scale clients.