Work with Producer definitions

To make a producer known to the Consumer portal, we create a Producer definition for that producer in the Consumer portal. We can also configure the Producer definition.

When creating a Producer definition, use the information obtained from the Producer to configure the WSRP connection to the Producer. If required, we also register with the Producer.

There are different scenarios for creating a Producer definition:

1. We can use either the Web Service Configuration portlet or the XML configuration interface to create the Producer definition, depending on whether we work online or offline:

   1. If we can connect to the Producer portal and access all files that the Producer's WSDL service definition references, we can work online when we create the Producer definition. Use the Web Service Configuration portlet or xmlaccess.sh. For example, this can be the case to consume WSRP services in the current portal.

   2. If we cannot connect to the Producer portal and access all files that the Producer's WSDL service definition references, we work offline. We can use only the XML configuration interface to create the Producer definition. For example, this case can occur if you prepare the Consumer portal in a staging environment and do not connect to the Producer portal to consume WSRP services until you transfer the portal to the next stage.

2. Types of Producers...

   1. The Producer does not require registration.

      We specify the information obtained from the Producer. We can create this type of Producer definition in online or offline mode. The IBM WebSphere Portal Producer is of this type.

   2. The Producer requires registration and is enabled for WSRP registration.

      Such a Producer provides a registration port. We can specify extra registration properties when we create the Producer definition in the Consumer portal. We can create this type of Producers only in online mode.

   3. The Producer requires registration and is not enabled for WSRP registration.

      Provide a registration handle obtained from the Producer. We can create this type of Producer definition in online or offline mode.

   We can create all three types of Producers using either the Web Service Configuration portlet or xmlaccess.sh.

Type of Producer	Create Producer definition online	Create Producer definition offline
The Producer does not require registration. Specify the information obtained from the Producer.	...the Web Service Configuration portlet or xmlaccess.sh.	...using xmlaccess.sh.
The Producer requires registration and is enabled for WSRP registration. The Producer provides a registration port. We can specify extra registration properties when we create the Producer definition in the Consumer portal.	...the Web Service Configuration portlet or xmlaccess.sh.	...is not a valid scenario.
The Producer requires registration and is not enabled for WSRP registration. Provide a registration handle obtained from the Producer.	...the Web Service Configuration portlet or xmlaccess.sh.	...using xmlaccess.sh.

1. The current implementation of the producer in the portal does not support the WSRP registration interface. However, the WSRP Consumer in the portal can handle Producers that support WSRP registration interfaces.

2. When we specify user attributes, make sure to avoid that any of the following events occur:

   • Sending security relevant attributes, such as passwords, over unsecured network connections

   • Passing sensitive data about the users to the Producer.

Subtopics

• Different types of Producers
  
• Use the Web Service Configuration portlet to work with Producer definitions online
  
• Use xmlaccess.sh to work with Producer definitions
  

Parent topic: Use the portal as a consumer

Previous topic: Information the Consumer exchanges with the Producer

Next topic: Consuming portlets in a Consumer portal