WebSphere Portal: An Introduction

Dave Hay
Lotus Portal and Collaboration Architect
david_hay@uk.ibm.com
Rapid Application Development

IBM WebSphere Portlet Factory is a dedicated

portlet creation environment for WebSphere Portal
that simplifies & accelerates the development,
deployment, maintenance and reuse of custom
SOA-based portlets – including Business Objects,
Cognos, SAP, Lotus Domino, RDBMS, PeopleSoft,
Siebel and Web Service portlets.

 Automation  Change  Reuse

WebSphere Portlet Factory provides rapid application development and

integration to existing applications, data & other IT assets for custom
portlet creation - reducing the complexity of J2EE development and
speeding IBM WebSphere Portal deployments
WebSphere Portlet Factory Key Concepts

Builder
An adaptive, reusable
component that
generates Java, XML
and JSP for specific
portlet functionality

Profile
A set of parameters
that vary Builder inputs
to dynamically
generate unique
versions of the portlet

Model
A container of Builders
Multi-page, Complex Portlets without Coding

* Generated Method [_pageDispatcher]

* Generated by build er call [bc21]
*/
pu blic void _pageDispatcher(WebAppAccess webAppAccess)

Wizard-driven {

}
com.bowstreet.webapp.JSPSupp ort.dispatch(webAppAccess);

Builders /**
* Generated Method [getFlights_Pagin gGetImgName]

*/ …generate J2EE-compliant code

* Generated by build er call [bc21]

pu blic Strin g getFlights_Pag in gGetImgName(W ebAppAccess webAppAccess, String butto n, String position)
{
automatically
Pagin gAssistan t asst = (Pag in gAssistant)webAppAccess.g etVariab les().getObject("g etFlig h ts_Paging");
String img = butto n + positio n;
if ((button.equals("First") || butto n .equals("Prev")) && !asst.hasPrevio usPag e())
img = bu tton + "Disabled";
if ((button.equals("Next") || butto n.equals("Last")) && !asst.hasNextPag e())
img = bu tton + "Disabled";
retu rn webAppAccess.getVariab les().getXmlText("getFlights_Pag in gButto nImages", img);

3 …create a drill
down page…

1 Create new
records…

4 for…build-in support
delete and edit…
2 …create a 5 cancel
…and save or
changes.
results page…
Robust Integration Capabilities Deliver SOA

SAP and Siebel

Domino

Web Service
Unlimited Variations Without Maintenance Overhead
Create highly customized portals with WebSphere Portlet Factory’s patented
automation and profiling technology. For example, portals can adapt their
structure, presentation, flow, and access rights depending on the role and
personal preferences of the user, without any additional coding by reusing
existing portlet models.

Sales
Executive
Regional
Manager
Sales
Manager
Summary: Speed Portal Deployment!

 RAD for Accelerated Portal Deployment

 Increase developer productivity up to 12X for initial portlet development
 Speed portal time-to-market for accelerated business value
 Dramatically simplify maintenance and administration of portlets and portals

 Expand Portlet Creation to Developers of All

Skills – including Domino
 Develop fully compliant J2EE portlets regardless of skill set
 Utilize existing development resources more effectively
 Provide a path for Domino, VB, .NET, Web and other corporate developers to J2EE

 SOA Leverages Existing Enterprise Applications

and IT Assets
 Exploit existing investment in existing applications (Domino, SAP, PeopleSoft, etc.) and data
 Extend the life of systems and data stores by creating composite, high-value, portlets
 Eliminate complex back-end programmatic integration

 Maximize the WebSphere Portal Investment

 Extend development environment to broader community
 Eliminates discrete knowledge requirements complex Portal API integration & portal events