IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Services and service-related functions > Access external services with adapters > Configure and using adapters > IBM Resource Adapters

CICS ECI resource adapter

The Customer Information Control System External Call Interface (CICS ECI) resource adapter lets you access programs on CICS servers. Working with the external service wizard, the CICS ECI resource adapter creates services that invoke CICS transactions on a CICS server.

The aspects you must be familiar with conceptually are how to develop the CICS import with the external service wizard and the relationship of that import with the CICS adapter at run time.


Developing the CICS import

An import is a way of letting an application developed in IBM Integration Designer invoke a transaction on a CICS server. Creating the import involves using the external service wizard, which generates the import for you after you follow a sequence of steps. In these steps, you specify configuration information such as the RAR file to be used, the host name of the server, the userid and password, and so on. You then import a COBOL file of the program you want to invoke on the CICS server. Following another set of steps, the external service wizard generates the completed service for you.

Your CICS import results in outbound processing at run time. Outbound processing means that the IBM Integration Designer application using the import invokes the transaction on the CICS server; that is, the IBM Integration Designer application initiates the action.


Relationship of the CICS import with the CICS adapter at run time

Your import is within a module containing your application. At run time when the CICS transaction needs to be invoked, the CICS adapter is used to invoke the COBOL program on the CICS server.

In more detail at run time, your application uses the import and then the CICS adapter to invoke the CICS transaction at the CICS server. The resulting data is passed back to the application.


Additional information about CICS

Several information centers, books and white papers are available if you want to know CICS in detail. The CICS Transaction Gateway overview will help you understand the relationship between the CICS transaction gateway and a CICS server.

The following IBM Redbooks provide practical, detailed information on working with the CICS transaction gateway and CICS servers:

Programming information with respect to CICS and be found in these information centers.


Related concepts:
Examining and editing the properties of a CICS, IMS, or WOLA import


Related tasks:
Create a CICS import