The Integration Server allows an Ebase application to be published and deployed as a Web Service. The system extends the power of the embedded Ebase integration engine to enable middleware services to be quickly and easily developed. The Integration Server uses the Ebase Designer as its development engine and therefore offers web service developers the same functional features, levels of productivity and ease of use.

Ebase provides powerful and comprehensive data integration facilities implemented internally via the concept of a Resource, as a logical connector to an external system. The Ebase system provides a range of automation facilities that enable Resources to be created simply by pointing at a target system. For example:

• Creation of Database Resources by reading the meta data that describes the tables and columns within a database.
• Web Service Resources are automatically created by pointing Ebase at a Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) file.
• XML Resources may be created directly from a supplied XSD.

Once created, Resources are mapped directly to application fields and are then used to to exchange data with external systems. Resources are called under FPL control (see Ebase Designer) and enable data integration to be included in application logic without the need for low-level programming.

Integration supported by Ebase includes:

• Databases, including stored procedure and function calls where supported by the vendor
• Email Systems (i.e. via SMTP)
• Desktop Applications i.e. the ability to call any installed desktop application that supports a command line call
• XML
• Web Services
• Messaging systems e.g. MQ Series
• External PDF documents

Ebase integration is also extensible, supporting the development of Custom Resources by Ebase developers which can be plugged into Ebase and used by application developers. The Custom Resource facility extends Ebase integration support to include any external system that permits the exchange of data with a third party system.

NB. Custom Resources are developed in JAVA, and are therefore limited to the functionality supported by the JAVA programming language.