Packaging and Deployment of Adapters

Adapter deployment follows the JCA specification.

Third-party adapters are deployed as follows:

• In the stand-alone variant, if all functions are implemented in the adapter and the default Adapter Framework is used.
• In the bundled variant, if you provide your own Enterprise JavaBeans that are used in your own Adapter Framework module chain definition.

  A bundled deployment scenario of the Adapter Framework with a third-party adapter is not supported.

The JCA specification allows two mechanisms for the ConnectionFactory JNDI lookup, based on a serializable class or on a referenceable class. Although the Adapter Framework only uses one of the two classes, you must adhere to the JCA specification and implement both.

There is an example for each of the mechanisms described below:

• RAR (Resource Adapter Archive) deployment

  More information: com.sap.aii.adapter.sample.ra.rarin SAPXIAF<SP>_<HF>.sca

  <SP> stands for Support Package number; <HF> stands for hotfix number.

• EAR (Enterprise Archive) deployment

  Not supported at present.

• SCA (Software Component Archive) deployment

  More information: sample_ra.sdain SAPXIAF<SP>_<HF>.sca

The following deployment options are available:

• Stand-Alone Deployment as RAR
• Bundled Deployment as EAR

• You use the Software Update Manager (SUM) for the deployment.

  SUM is part of the Software Logistics Toolset shipment and is available as a download at:  http://service.sap.com  Support Portal  Software Downloads  Search for Software Downloads  Search Term: Software Update Manager .

  You can find the SUM documentation on SAP Service Marketplace at:  http://service.sap.com/sltoolset  Software Logistics Toolset 1.0  Software Update Manager (SUM) .
• Create SCA files for standard deployment and shipment to customers.

  A valid SCA for a resource adapter consists of the following files in the SCA:

  File Name	Use
  RAR file	Stand-Alone Deployment as RAR
  MANIFEST.MF with path META-INF	Contains the version numbers and the provider names. More information: SAPXIAF<SP>_<HF>.sca, MANIFEST.MF
  SAP_MANIFEST.MF with path META-INF	Contains version numbers, content, and component names, similar to a catalog. The Software Update Manager (SUM) uses the information to manage deployment information in its database. More information: SAPXIAF<SP>_<HF>.sca, SAP_MANIFEST.MF

  The SAP NetWeaver migration controller only accepts SCA files.

  This is relevant if you have already shipped an adapter with a previous release.

• It is easier for development to use RAR files, especially when they are using the Development Studio deploy view.

  You can deploy the RAR file immediately, without having to use any other tools.

  SAP may provide tools in the future that enable you to convert RAR files to SCA files without the SAP-specific deployment descriptors being created automatically.

  Note

  Read SAP Note 1004000 to find out whether such tools are available.