Thursday, March 29, 2007

Series for Deriving Web Services from UML Models

Here is a series of articles about deriving Web services based on UML Models by Scott Ambler:

Deriving Web services from UML models, Part 1: Establishing the process
By following a few straightforward steps, you can organize your object-oriented applications into packages of cohesive functionality that are accessible via Web services. In this first installment of a series, Scott W. Ambler outlines a roadmap for a ...

Deriving Web services from UML models, Part 2
The first task when identifying Web services is to conceptually simplify your object design. That way, as you move forward through the process you only need to focus on its critical aspects.

Deriving Web services from UML models, Part 3: Identifying domain packages
Before you identify potential Web services for your application, you must first identify cohesive packages of functionality that you wish to access via those services. In the third installment of this series, Scott W. Ambler shows you how to organize ...

Deriving Web services from UML models, Part 4: Defining Web services
Web services can be offered by cohesive collections of classes called domain packages in such a way as to provide significant functionality through a small number of services. In the final installment of this series, Scott W. Ambler shows you how to ...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Training for WebSphere Business Modeler v6

IBM provides partner training through the Virtual Innovation Center (VIC). Once logged into the VIC:
1. Choose "Technical Resources" from the left nav
2. Select WebSphere Business Modeler from the list box
3. Choose the "Training" radio button
4. Click submit

For your convenience, below is the abstract for WebSphere Business Modeler v6 training.

OVERVIEW:

Objective: Upon completion of this course you will be able to: learn about the customer's business and identify areas for improvement; develop strategies linked to the customer's business initiatives; establish buying vision based on the customer's needs; articulate IBM's capabilities and evaluate options for action; develop a solution and obtain agreement from the customer; resolve concerns and close the sale; monitor implementation and evaluate outcomes.

OUTLINE OF UNITS:

Unit 1: Course Introduction: This unit describes the course objectives, the Signature Selling Method, and gives a brief product overview.

Unit 2: Learn About the Customer's Business and Identify Areas for Improvement: This unit describes the first phase of the selling process: learning about the customer's business and identifying high-level deficiencies that can be addressed by the IBM solution.

Unit 3: Develop Strategies Linked to the Customer's Business Initiatives: This unit describes the second phase of the selling process: developing a sales strategy that will address the needs of the customer.

Unit 4: Establish Buying Vision Based on the Customer's Needs: This unit describes the third phase of the selling process: establishing a buying vision with the customer and reinforcing the need for the WebSphere Business Modeler V6 solution.

Unit 5: Articulate IBM's Capabilities and Evaluate Options for Action: This unit describes the fourth phase of the selling process: determining the best solution for addressing business needs, and influencing this decision by qualifying the WebSphere Business Modeler V6 opportunity.

Unit 6: Develop a Solution and Obtain Agreement from the Customer: This unit describes the fifth phase of the selling process: developing the solution and obtaining agreement from the customer that it will serve his or her needs.

Unit 7: Resolve Concerns and Close the Sale: This unit describes the sixth phase of the selling process: resolving concerns about your solution and closing the sale.

Unit 8: Monitor Implementation and Evaluate Outcomes: This unit describes the seventh phase of the sales process: monitoring the solution's implementation and evaluating the outcomes to ensure that the customer's expectations are met.

Ideas for SOA Analysis and Design

Here are some articles around analysis and design (in an SOA context). I think these are good starting points to begin thinking about A&D in an SOA context.

SOA realization: Service design principles

Deriving Web services from UML models (3 part series)

How developers become architects

"Many architects come from the ranks of good developers, but not every good developer wants to be an architect, nor are all of them suited for the role. Whether you're a developer contemplating a career shift or a manager looking for suitable candidates for an architectural responsibility, it's important to have a well-informed perspective on this transition. This article discusses the journey from implementation specialization to architecture."

Click here to read more...

Enterprise Architecture in an SOA Context

Here's a short list of literature from IBM industry experts around EA with an SOA context.

IBM SOA Foundation: An architectural introduction and overview

IBM WebSphere Developer Technical Journal: Introducing the WebSphere Integration Reference Architecture

IBM Systems Journal Covering SOA

Rational: Software Architecture

Rational is currently publishing a four part series on Software Architecture. Here are the first two:

What is a software architecture?

Characteristics of a software architect

SOA Certifications

The following is a schedule for getting IBM certifications pertinent to the Noblestar SOA offering.

For each test, I have included a link that details the objectives, suggested reading, and a Sample Test ($10).

Test 664 - SOA Fundamentals --> IBM SOA Associate

Test 665 - Architectural Design of SOA Solutions --> IBM SOA Solution Designer

The next two are relevant for putting together a solution using IBM's ESB technologies.

Test 996 - IBM WebSphere MQ Solution Design --> IBM Certified Solution Designer

Test 997 - IBM WebSphere Message Broker V6.0 Solution Development --> IBM Certified Solution Developer

SOA Building Blocks: An SOA Hello World Tutorial

I will post more commentary on this tutorial later. But I wanted to share it out to everyone first.

"This series of hands-on tutorials covers the basics of particular IBM software products that play a critical role in implementing an SOA foundation in your enterprise. Learn how to complete a simple task by following step-by-step instructions. A show-me demo illustrates each task."

New WebSphere Technical Journal

IBM has created a WebSphere technical journal.

No commentary could do it justice however. There is just too much to cover.

Building an ESB with WebSphere ESB

Here is are two series of articles that explain how to build an ESB using IBM WebSphere ESB:

Series #1
Building an Enterprise Service Bus using WebSphere ESB (Part 1)

Building an Enterprise Service Bus using WebSphere ESB (Part 2)

Building an Enterprise Service Bus using WebSphere ESB (Part 3)

Building an Enterprise Service Bus using WebSphere ESB (Part 4)

Series #2
Building an Enterprise Service Bus with WebSphere Application Server V6 (Part 1)

Building an Enterprise Service Bus with WebSphere Application Server V6 (Part 2)

Building an Enterprise Service Bus with WebSphere Application Server V6 (Part 3)

Steps towards IBM Certification

1. Get access to the IBM PartnerWorld.
This will give you access to resources to help out with training and education.

If you do not have a PartnerWorld login, call this number: 800-426-9990. Let them know the name of your organization.

They should be able to activate your login, with your email address.

Then click here to setup your profile for the "My IBM registration":

Go this URL, to access your IBM profile:
http://www.ibm.com/account/us/


2. Pick a test to get certified.
http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/certs/index.shtml

The least technical certifications to get are the technical sales mastery certifications. However, don't be fooled, these tests still cover content from the formal product documentation. Just because you have developed a J2EE app with WAS does not translate well to passing the WAS Tech Sales test (more on each specific test will be provided in another post).
http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/mastery_tests/swt_index_mt.shtml

IBM product certifications can be found here:
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/education/

For more strategic direction, here are the product certification roadmaps:
http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/news/20040916.shtml

PartnerWorld Membership

In an effort to take advantage of training offered by IBM, I had to use my PartnerWorld login. However, I discovered that my login had not been setup properly.

If you do not have a PartnerWorld login, call this number: 800-426-9990

Let them know the name of your corporation.

They should be able to activate your login, which is your email address.

Then click here to setup your profile for the "My IBM registration":

Go this URL, to access your IBM profile:
http://www.ibm.com/account/us/

Study References for IBM WAS Tech Sales Mastery (M04)

This post chronicles the necessary steps to prepare for IBM's WAS Technical Sales Mastery (M04) test.

Each section below represents a distinct reference for WAS documentation needed to pass the test. References to below content correspond to the M04 Test Objectives found in the previous link.

Note: preparation for this test assumes intermediate knowledge of J2EE concepts and architecture. For this reason, references have not been recorded for instruction on J2EE.

================================================================

1. Review the objectives listed on the test page. Carefully consider each of these objectives as you begin to follow the educational materials (Tutorial, Reading, and Sample Test).

2. Follow through the tutorial for WAS v6.1 found at the Virtual Innovation Center (VIC). You will need an IBM PartnerWorld login. Follow the instructions in the previous post on this forum titled "Steps towards IBM Certification".
http://www-304.ibm.com/jct09002c/isv/welcome/vic.html

Once you login to the VIC, go to "technical resources" and choose "WAS 6.1" in the list box, and choose the "training" radio button. From there, you will be able to go through the tutorial. Always keeping in mind the objectives from the previous step.

3. Read IBM WAS documentation. Focus on the documentation for WAS (distributed platforms).

The most important content is found in three volumes in order of their importance:

a. Administering applications and their environment (PDF)

b. Using the administrative clients (PDF)

c. Tuning Guide (PDF)

In general, it is important to at least read the first few pages of each concept that comes from the Test Objectives. I have attached the page segments needed to prepare for the exam.

Another concept briefly covered on the test, not found in any WAS documentation, comes from IBM's SOA technology, called "Service Data Objects" (SDO). Here's a short introduction to the technology. It is worth the read as it will likely come up again if you pursue other IBM certifications.
"Simplify and unify data with a Service Data Objects architecture"

4. Take the Sample Test found at the SME Zone.
Login to the VIC, and choose "SME Zone" from the menu.

Pick "WebSphere Software - Application Infrastructure" and choose "training". This will take you to a list of sample tests for certification. For this test, there were 12 sample questions.

================================================================

Study References for:
IBM M04 WAS Technical Sales Mastery Test

I. Administering applications and their environment (PDF)

Overview
19-25

Starting and Stopping
29-30

Class Loading
33-35

Deploying and administering applications
45-118

Messaging
779-789

Security
999
1015-1056
1158-1166
1208
1217
1256
1305-1308
1316
1337

Programming Extensions
1851

Performance Monitoring
2067-2071
2239-2262

Troubleshooting
2263-2298

II. Using the administrative clients (PDF)

Scripting
71-151

Managing Servers with Scripting
198-200
228-235

Enabling and Disabling Administrative Security Using Scripting
280-285

Troubleshooting with Scripting
650-665

Scripting Reference
666, 683, 704, 729, 756, 820, 834-837

Using Administrative Programs (JMX)
837-852, 865-899

Using Command Line Tools
903-904, 915-917

Using Ant to automate Tasks
949-950

III. Tuning Guide (PDF)

Obtaining advice from the advisers
17-30

Tuning the application server environment
31-32

Troubleshooting Performance
133-135

Validating IBM Certifications

To validate an IBM certification electronically, follow these steps:

1. Click here to login to the IBM Certification website:

If you do not know your Candidate ID, there is a place on the website to get that ID discovered. The Candidate ID should also be on any original certificate you received from the testing center.

2. Navigate to: Member Services --> Certificate Requests.

3. Choose a certificate to be sent (E)lectronically. You will eventually receive an email with the certificate attached. It may take up to 48 hours to get processed.