Method, system and program product for dynamically integrating backend systems into a J2EE application server environment

A system for dynamically integrating Backend System instances into a Java2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application server environment, comprising:

• a cluster of nodes including server hardware to execute a plurality of J2EE applications;
• and
• modules executable by the server hardware, the modules including a J2EE application server and a plurality of nodes providing Backend System instances;
• an interface connector for establishing processing communication between said cluster of nodes processing J2EE application server and said Backend System instances;
• said interface connector enabled to operate as a Java2 Connector (J2C) Connector;
• a deployment descriptor for deploying said J2C Connector into said J2EE application server environment;
• a Join/Leave manager for initiating and maintaining processing communication via said connector between said nodes executing said J2EE application server and said nodes providing Backend System instances, said Join/Leave manager implementing an interface for detecting Backend System instances, and an interface for providing access data for particular Backend System instances, wherein said access data are detected by an automation detection method which scans the accessible systems in the distributed application environment for Backend System instances, said access data containing information sufficient to identify and connect to a Backend System instance of the particular Backend System instances;
• the server hardware in at least another node being operable to run an application or its subcomponent for adding access data information or for deleting such information from a storage media, such that processing communication can be established automatically by reading said access data from said storage media and for creating and maintaining communication between said nodes dynamically during runtime without requiring said J2EE applications to be reinitiated and without requiring said J2EE application server environment to be restarted.

A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform a method for dynamically integrating Backend System instances into a Java2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application server in a computer environment including server hardware of a cluster of nodes to execute a plurality of J2EE applications and provide Backend System instances, said method comprising:

• deploying a connector having a Java2 Connector (J2C) implemented architecture suitable for Backend System instances belonging to the same type of Backend Systems into said J2EE application server environment by using a J2C deployment descriptor
• detecting availability of a plurality of Backend System instances;
• determining access data to said Backend System instances for particular Backend System instances using a Join/Leave manager, wherein said access data are detected by an automation detection method which scans the accessible systems in the distributed application environment for Backend System instances, said access data containing information sufficient to identify and connect to a Backend System instance of the particular Backend System instances;
• persistently storing said access data;
• reading said access data and passing them as a part of a request to said J2C connector;
• and
• automatically creating a connection with said particular Backend System instance by said J2C connector dynamically at runtime using an interface residing in said environment and using said stored access data, without requiring said J2EE application to be reinitiated and without requiring said J2EE application server environment to be restarted.