I have read several manuals about connecting to Baan we Java. All products from the early version of BCK 1.0, then to BCBE2.0, and now OpenWorld.

In the samples that come with the system in the internet directory, there are examples of connecting to Baan through a proxy server installed on a HTTP server. However there are several examples in the manuals to show how Baan can be connected to directly from Java. They either use the Interface/class DsFrameWork or IBaanFactory. Where to these interfaces/class reside? Are they hidden in the classes delivered with the system? Do you need to add the additional product BCK, BCBE, or OpenWorld to get these missing interfaces/classes?

Basically BaaN has its own middleware Architecture XMA Framework (eXtended Middleware Architecture). XMA Framework (bshellxma6.1) will be enabled after u installed the BCK kit or OW Adapter in BaaN Application server.

BaaN is using DS Protocol (Display server Protocol) to communicate with any other third party applications. DS bridge is part of BaaN Appserver that acts as an entry point to XMA Framework. But on the otherhand DS Protocol implementation is part of BCBE API which comes along with BCK kit or OW. DsFrameWork, IBaanFactory all these components are part of BCBE installation and therefore there is a dependency on BCK or OW.

Hi,
Let me tell u a bit of history about baan integrations.

Baan started its integrations solutions with Borbi based Bshell this solution had a customized bshell which supported Corba based integrations. This did not make to Market as a GA. There are customers using this solution. Some big ones..:)

Next in line was BCK-BCBE. This solution was a complete integration soln from Baan. It allows you to communicate with Baan backend... This works on DS frame work. Actually it uses the DS protocol (used by Baan windows) to communicate with Baan backend. You can call baan DLL's with this. Once you install the BCK kit on server side you will get the classes in the $BSE directory and also you have the classes on the cd I guess. I don't remember now.

But all these are old solutions. OBSOLETE.

Final solution for integrations with Baan is Baan OW. It has lot of sub components like broker, adapter, gateway and studio... This works on XML messaging between client and Baan ERP server. It also alows u to use Baan as a client.:):)

Regards
Sudhir Hasbe

Hi,

Can you give me more information about the broker, studio, ... .
How does it work exactly? Is there somewhere a little example?:D

I accept that BCBE is obsolete... however there are many new challenges we face with the OpenWorld connectivity.

The development possibilities have decreased substancially. With BCBE, you could create a BOI and the corresponding objects to call that BOI with different methods easily. Now you have to develop the connectivity objects using the new studio that Baan has "invented". This is good for Baan of course, because the studio and the certification course you need to use it is cash for them, but I think the customers that were used to create BOIs from developed enviroments easily now are not that happy. Either they will have to spend a lot on the studio and the certification (a minimum of 3 persons of the organization have to certify) or loose independence hiring these developments to 3rd parties.

The second is that it seems OpenWorld has forgotten about BaanIV... There are many examples, one is the use of load balancing utilities in BaanERP with OW, while in BaanIV those utilities are not there and will never be, in words of Baan. You could use that with BCBE.

I agree that with OW the requests run faster, the connection is much more secure, you have more error control (sometimes), and the statistics in the openworld server are nice too, but if I were a customer running solutions on BCBE connections I would give a second thought before migrating into OW, if they don´t want to lose control on their developments. Unfortunately, new customers don´t have the chance to select BCBE... all is openworld these days.