[V5.1.1 and later]Web services gateway - the scalability options

Two scalability methods are provided for the gateway. These are:

The following table describes the differences between the two scaling methods:

  Unlocked configuration deployment Locked configuration deployment
Channel compatibility

You can use this method with the following channels:

You can use this method with the following channels:

  • SOAP over HTTP channel.

  • SOAP over JMS channel.

Configuration deployment process

You make the configuration file visible on the filing system of each node that hosts one or more members of the gateway group.

You manually refresh the configuration using the gateway administrative user interface restore option for each member of the gateway group. To ensure that the refresh completes before the gateway receives any new requests, stop the channels before refreshing the configuration, then restart the channels.

You copy the configuration file into the installed gateway enterprise application for each member of the gateway group.

You refresh the configuration by stopping and re-starting the gateway enterprise applications or the appserver for each member of the gateway group. This ensures that the refresh completes before the gateway receives any new requests.

You can automate both of these processes.

Ensuring consistent configuration

The configuration is unlocked. This means that you are not stopped from using the gateway administrative user interface to modify an individual gateway that is part of the group.

You are responsible for ensuring consistent configuration across the gateway group.

The configuration is locked. This means that the options to modify the configuration are not available from the gateway user interface, so you cannot modify the configuration for an individual gateway that is part of the group.

Consistent configuration is ensured across the gateway group.

Channel endpoint address for HTTP-based channels

If you are using any of the following configurations, specify the two-part channel endpoint address (that is, both the address for accessing the channel through the associated HTTP server, and the address for accessing the channel through the particular appserver on which the channel application is running):

  • Any configuration that uses the (deprecated) Apache SOAP channel.

  • Any configuration that is hosted on WebSphere Application Server Version 5.0.2

  • Any configuration that is hosted on WebSphere Application Server Version 5.1 on workstation platforms.

For all other configurations, you only need to specify the address for accessing the channel through the associated HTTP server. If you choose to specify the two-part endpoint address, the second part of the address (the address for accessing the channel through the particular appserver on which the channel application is running) is ignored.

You only need to specify the address for accessing the channel through the associated HTTP server. If you specify the two-part endpoint address, the second part of the address is ignored.



Related tasks
Scaling the Web services gateway