Abstract:
A generic portal template includes properties that are common to all system templates. Using the generic portal template, a connector framework is exploited in order to expose every type of external information system generically and to make available to a portal its exposed metadata, methods, and other properties dynamically. The generic portal template is extendible to accommodate new properties of an external information system. The generic portal template is reusable when new external information systems are recognized. The generic portal template is especially advantageous when it is desired to access third party external information systems, such as databases or applications in a portal.

Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE  
       [0001]     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to navigation among objects in a networked environment. More particularly, this invention relates to the establishment of connections between a networked portal and external information sources.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
                             TABLE 1                       Acronyms and Abbreviations                                    ABAP   Advanced Business Application Programming           API   Application Program Interface           EIS   External Information Systems           J2EE   Java 2 Enterprise Edition           JCA   J2EE Connector Architecture           JDBC   Java Database Connector           JMS   Java Message Service           JNDI   Java Naming and Directory Interface           PRT   Portal Runtime Technology                      
 
         [0005]     Portal-based network environments have become increasingly important, particularly in large enterprises having a diversity of computer systems. For example, such environments can now be implemented using SAP NetWeaver® portal technology, available from SAP AG, Neurottstraβe 16, 69190 Waldorf, Germany. This technology supports integration and application platform requirements, and facilitates the development, deployment, and administration of enterprise services. NetWeaver portal technology uses specialized browser portlets, called “Iviews” to incorporate essentially any kind of application, information or service that can be rendered in a Web browser frame. NetWeaver portal technology also provides users with the capability of navigating among Iviews using a Web browser, and thereby obtaining coherent, portal-based views of enterprise data. Additionally, NetWeaver portal technology facilitates the creation of new computer-implemented services for the enterprise.  
         [0006]     In addition to providing tools for creating and managing enterprise services, NetWeaver portal technology provides administrative capabilities to enable its users to access external data sources, which are backend systems, sometimes referred to herein as “external information systems” (EIS). In order to enable a seamless connection, a data source template is used to match the characteristics of the external information system and the portal. In the NetWeaver development environment, this is known as a “portal template”. It is generally necessary to define a matching portal template for each type of external information system that is being accessed. To further facilitate the connection between the portal and the external information system, NetWeaver Portal technology provides a specialized architectural feature, known as the NetWeaver Connector Framework, which operates under the J2EE™ platform.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is still a tedious and error-prone task to adapt the NetWeaver portal environment to new external information systems. Furthermore, it is often necessary to adjust portal templates when external information systems undergo modification, for example when a new version is released that has different properties or metadata from the previous version. According to disclosed embodiments of the invention, an extendible generic portal template includes properties that are common to all system templates, e.g., name, description. Using the generic portal template, a connector framework is exploited in order to expose every type of external information system generically, and to dynamically make available to a portal its exposed metadata, methods, and other properties. The generic portal template is extendible by addition of new properties by creation of links, known as “delta links”, in which properties and property values are inherited from a source template by a new template that is derived from the source template. This mechanism conveniently adjusts for changes in exposed features of the external information system.  
         [0008]     Once a generic portal template has been created, it is available for reuse when new external information systems are recognized. Indeed, the functionality of the generic portal template can be enhanced to adapt to any new backend changes and to present to the portal any new or changed properties of the external information system. The generic portal template is especially advantageous when it is desired to access third party external information systems, such as databases or applications from within the portal.  
         [0009]     The ability to readily establish seamless portal access to new external information systems results in a more efficient way of operating an enterprise by more readily adding and modifying information systems containing information of the enterprise.  
         [0010]     An embodiment of the invention provides a computer-implemented method for registering a data source in a portal, which is carried out by creating a connector in the portal for the data source, interrogating the data source via the connector to determine properties of the data source, and providing a generic system template that is extendible by addition of new properties. The method is further carried out by constructing a new system template that is adapted for accessing the data source via the connector, the new system template providing a reference to properties of the data source that are present in the generic system template and properties of the data source that are absent in the generic system template.  
         [0011]     According to an aspect of the method, constructing a new system template includes placing links in the new system template to the generic system template.  
         [0012]     One aspect of the method includes repeating the interrogation, using a new version of the data source, and constructing a second new system template that is adapted for accessing the new version of the data source. The second new system template has properties of the new version of the data source that are present in the generic system template and the first new system template and has properties of the new version of the data source that are absent in the generic system template and the first new system template.  
         [0013]     An aspect of the method includes processing in the portal client requests to access the data source using the new system template and the connector.  
         [0014]     In a further aspect of the method, interrogating the data source is performed using a wizard.  
         [0015]     According to an additional aspect of the method, the connector operates in a platform-independent connector framework.  
         [0016]     Another aspect of the method includes operating the portal in a platform-independent execution environment.  
         [0017]     An embodiment of the invention provides a computer software product for registering a data source in a portal, including a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to create a connector in the portal for the data source, wherein the portal has access to a generic system template including a plurality of properties of the data source. The generic system template is extendible by addition of new properties of the data source. The instructions cause the computer to interrogate the data source via the connector to determine properties of the data source, and to construct a new system template that is adapted for accessing the data source via the connector by augmenting the generic system template to include in the new system template data source properties that are absent in the generic system template.  
         [0018]     An embodiment of the invention provides a portal system having a capability for registering a data source. The portal system includes a server, a client interface for linking the server to a plurality of clients via a data network, and at least one data interface for linking the server to the data source. The server is operative for executing portal runtime software. The runtime software includes a connector framework and a generic system template. The generic system template is extendible by addition of new template properties. The runtime software is operable to create a connector in the portal system for the data source, to interrogate the data source via the connector to determine properties of the data source, and to construct a new system template that is adapted for accessing the data source via the connector. The runtime software is operative to include in the new system template properties of the data source that are absent in the generic system template.  
         [0019]     An embodiment of the invention provides a method of operating an enterprise, which is carried out by providing a portal system having a capability for registering a data source. The portal system includes a server, a client interface for linking the server to a plurality of clients via a data network, and at least one data interface for linking the server to the data source. The method is further carried out by executing portal runtime software in the server. The runtime software includes a connector framework and a generic system template. The runtime software is operative for extending the generic system template by addition of new template properties. The runtime software is operable to create a connector in the portal system for the data source, to interrogate the data source via the connector to determine properties of the data source, and to construct a new system template that is adapted for accessing the data source via the connector. The new system template includes one or more of the properties of the data source that are absent in the generic system template. The method is further carried out by connecting new data sources to the server, registering the new data sources in the portal system using the generic system template and using respective instances of the new system template. The method is further carried out by processing requests arriving at the server via the client interface from the clients for access to the new data sources to display information obtained from the new data sources in the clients. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the detailed description of the invention, by way of example, which is to be read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like elements are given like reference numerals, and wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a high level block diagram illustrating a portal in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a process wherein a generic data source undergoes dynamic portal registration in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating aspects of the system shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is another block diagram illustrating aspects of the system shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a detailed block diagram showing two types of extensions of a system template according to a disclosed embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a detailed block diagram of a system template shown in  FIG. 5 , in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, control logic, and the details of computer program instructions for conventional algorithms and processes have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the present invention unnecessarily.  
         [0028]     Software programming code, which embodies aspects of the present invention, is typically maintained in permanent storage, such as a computer readable medium. In a client-server environment, such software programming code may be stored on a client or a server. The software programming code may be embodied on any of a variety of known media for use with a data processing system. This includes, but is not limited to, magnetic and optical storage devices such as disk drives, magnetic tape, compact discs (CD&#39;s), digital video discs (DVD&#39;s), and computer instruction signals embodied in a transmission medium with or without a carrier wave upon which the signals are modulated. For example, the transmission medium may include a communications network, such as the Internet. In addition, while the invention may be embodied in computer software, the functions necessary to implement the invention may alternatively be embodied in part or in whole using hardware components such as application-specific integrated circuits or other hardware, or some combination of hardware components and software.  
         [0000]     Overview.  
         [0029]     Turning now to the drawings, reference is initially made to  FIG. 1 , which is a high level block diagram illustrating a portal in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. By applying the principles of the invention to the portal, an enterprise can be operated efficiently by easily connecting new external information systems to the portal system. A web application server  10  is accessed over a data network, e.g., the Internet or a private intranet, by any number of clients or end users, each of whom has a browser  12 , via a client interface  14 . The server  10  is typically realized as a computer that includes a processor and a memory that contains objects corresponding to the functional blocks depicted in  FIG. 1 . Thus, although the server  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  as comprising a number of separate functional blocks, these blocks are not necessarily separate physical entities, but rather may represent different computing tasks. These tasks may be carried out in software running on a single processor, or on multiple processors. The software may be provided to the processor or processors in electronic form, for example, over a network, or it may be furnished on tangible media, such as CD-ROM or non-volatile memory. Alternatively or additionally, aspects of the server  10  may comprise a digital signal processor or hard-wired logic.  
         [0030]     In current embodiments, the server  10  operates under a platform-independent execution environment, J2EE under the Java™ platform, both available from Sun Microsystems Inc., Palo Alto, Calif. However, the principles of the invention may be applied to other platforms and environments in which a template is used for connectivity between a portal environment and external information systems, by effecting suitable modifications within the capabilities of those skilled in the art.  
         [0031]     The server  10  supports a portal  16  that includes a number of portal runtime modules  18 , collectively referred to as “Portal Runtime Technology” (PRT). The portal  16  can be realized using the above-noted NetWeaver portal technology.  
         [0032]     The portal  16  is typically supported by a dedicated database  20 . In general, the portal runtime modules  18  supply various services to portal users, management, and security. The portal runtime modules  18  include general portal services  22 , which include a connector gateway  24 , and a system landscape portal service  26 . The system landscape portal service  26  is a block representing a logical, complex system, which can consist of multiple, distributed components. Some of these components may themselves be systems. Others may be services, installed products, or other managed elements. Furthermore, any of the components of the system landscape portal service  26  can be third party components, to which there is a need for seamless access and communication. The connector gateway  24  is a service that enables a connection between the portal  16  and one or more external information systems  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 , using the system landscape portal service  26 . The external information systems  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  are linked to the server  10  via a data interface  38  over the same or a different data network as the browser  12 . An implementation of the connector gateway  24  is presented in Listing 1.  
         [0033]     Among the portal runtime modules  18  are a group of portal components  40 , including a collection of system templates  42 . A system template essentially is a schema used to create a part of the portal landscape. Among the portal components  40  is a generic system template, which is the subject of some aspects of the present invention.  
         [0034]     A simple example is a logon template for logging on to an external information system. As a further example, Listing 2 shows an exemplary system template that could be developed according to aspects of the invention, based on a generic system template.  
         [0035]     J2EE provides a connector architecture  44 , known as the “J2EE Connector Architecture” (JCA), which defines a standard scalable architecture for connecting the J2EE platform to heterogeneous external information systems. The connector architecture  44  is extended in the portal  16  by a connector framework  46 , which employs generic portal templates in accordance with the invention. The connector framework  46  consists of interfaces described by the JCA specification and extensions defined by the connector framework  46 .  
         [0036]     The primary task of the connector framework  46  is to create the basic connection with one of the external information systems  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 . A collection of properties, known as the “ConnectionSpecinterface” must be specified to connect to an external information system, e.g., a backend application.  
         [0037]     A plurality of connectors  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , which implement the connector framework  46 , require certain metadata that will usually be specific. For example, metadata prescribed by the connector architecture  44 , that is the JCA, include the vendor name and the version of the external information system. Metadata prescribed for the connector framework  46  include a default date and time format, the maximum number of connections allowed, default connection and query timeout intervals. The connector framework has an interface known as an “ICapabilities interface” that reflects the capabilities of a particular connector. The connectors  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  also have a generic interface that is used to determine connector capabilities. Multilanguage support is an example of a possible capability of a connector.  
         [0038]     In some embodiments, the connectors  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  can be realized as the SAP Java Resource Adapter, available from SAP, AG.  
         [0000]     Template Creation.  
         [0039]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 2 , which is a high level flow chart illustrating a process wherein a generic data source undergoes dynamic portal registration in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. The process is explained with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . At initial step  56 , a new data source is recognized.  
         [0040]     Next, step  58  begins a sequence of operations leading to the establishment of a connector, A basic connector, e.g., the connector  48 , is created conventionally, using known SAP and JAVA techniques, and deployed to the server  10 . The portal services  22  can access the connector using standard J2EE technologies, e.g., JNDI Lookup, and query each connector by using several known connector interfaces, documentation of which is available from SAP, and on the Internet as shown in Table 2.  
                   TABLE 2                       API   URL                   IConnectionProperty   https://media.sdn.sap.com/javadocs/NW04/           SP9/prtsupp/com/sapportals/connector/           connection/IConnectionProperty.html       IconnectionPropertyGroup   https://media.sdn.sap.com/javadocs/NW04/           SP9/prtsupp/com/sapportals/connector/           connection/IConnectionPropertyGroup.html       IconnectionSpecMetaData   https://media.sdn.sap.com/javadocs/NW04/           SP9/prtsupp/com/sapportals/connector/           connection/IConnectionSpecMetaData.html       IConnectionSpec   https://media.sdn.sap.com/javadocs/NW04/           SP9/prtsupp/com/sapportals/connector/           connection/IConnectionSpec.html                  
 
         [0041]     Next, at step  60 , the portal services  22  use API&#39;s provided by the connector architecture  44 , the connector framework  46 , and the system landscape portal service  26 , including the interfaces shown in Table 2. The interface IConnectionProperty provides for the definition of connection properties for the connector: user name, password, and language. The interface IConnectionProperty provides metadata to the specified connection properties. The interface IConnectionSpecMetaData describes the metadata of the connection properties. The interface IConnectionSpec is used to pass connection request-specific properties in order to obtain a connection to an instance of the new data source.  
         [0042]     Portions of step  60  can be conducted using a wizard, which can be provided as part of the portal runtime modules  18 , or can be implemented externally. In any case, the wizard creates a new connector that is adapted to the data source that was recognized in initial step  56 . During its operation, the wizard makes use of the interfaces shown in Table 2. The wizard participates in creating a new system template by modification of a generic system template  62 , as described in further detail below. The generic system template  62  has been constructed to be extendible by addition of newly recognized properties of an existing external information system, or to accommodate previously unknown properties of a hitherto unknown external information system. An example of a generic system template is presented in Listing 3.  
         [0043]     Essentially, step  60  involves an interrogation of the new data source, using the connector established at step  58 . The API&#39;s of the connector framework  46  (Table 2) allow generic public access to an external information system in order to determine its properties. The relevant interfaces for this step are the interfaces IConnectionProperty, IConnectionPropertyGroup, IConnectionSpec, and IConnectionSpecMetaData. The portal services  22  use these API&#39;s in order to extend the generic system template  62 .  
         [0044]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 3 , which is a block diagram illustrating aspects of the server  10  ( FIG. 1 ) relevant to step  60 , in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. A new external information system, data source  64 , is linked to the connector  48 . Dynamic investigation of the properties of the data source  64  required for its access is represented by a generic system creation process  66 , which is an aspect of the portal services  22 . The connector  48  returns metadata of the relevant connection properties of the data source  64  to the process  66 .  
         [0045]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , after all the properties of the new data source have been collected via the connector  48 , control proceeds to final step  68 . A new system template is now created, containing the properties of the generic system template  62 , as well as new properties obtained in step  60 . This can be implemented by copying the generic system template  62  ( FIG. 1 ) and adding new properties, or by augmenting the generic system template  62  by establishing links between the new system template and the generic system template  62 , in which case the new system template contains the new properties and references existing properties using the links. If the properties of the data source  64  are such that it is necessary to extend the generic system template  62  to accommodate the new data source, the extensions will automatically affect all system templates that may be derived from the generic system template  62  in the future. Generally, however, a “delta links” technique is used, in which new properties and values (“deltas”) are added in new system templates. Modifications that are applied to the new system template properties or property values do not propagate backward, and thus do not affect the generic system template  62 . If modifications to both the generic system template  62  and the new system template that derived from it are made, the changes in the new system template override any conflicting changes in the generic system template  62 . Thus, only changes in the generic system template  62  that are not overridden by the changes in the new template become effective in the new template. Once the new system template has been completed, it is added to the collection of system templates  42 . Clients of the server  10 , e.g., the browsers  12  ( FIG. 1 ), may now access the data source  64  using the new system template.  
         [0046]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which is a block diagram similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating aspects of the server  10  ( FIG. 1 ) relevant to step  68 , in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. The process  66  has added a new system template  70  to the collection of system templates  42 . An exemplary new system template is shown in Listing 4, and supports external Java database connector (JDBC) compliant data sources.  
         [0000]     Dynamic Extension of Generic System Template.  
         [0047]     During creation of the system template  70  ( FIG. 4 ), properties of the external information system may be required that are unknown in the generic system template  62 . Furthermore, after the system template  70  has been placed in operation, additional properties may be defined in the data source  64  that are unknown to the system template  70  or to the generic system template  62 . Aspects of the invention provide the ability to dynamically extend the generic system template  62 , as described above, and additionally to dynamically extend other system templates, such as the system template  70 .  
         [0048]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which is a detailed block diagram of the system templates  42  ( FIG. 4 ) showing two types of extensions of a system template according to a disclosed embodiment of the invention. A simplified view of the generic system template  62  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The generic system template  62  has a basic group of properties  72 : Name; Description; and ID.  
         [0049]     It is assumed that the system template  70  (System A Template) was created as described above with respect to  FIG. 2 . The data source  64 , (System A), to which the system template  70  pertains was found in step  60  ( FIG. 2 ) to have a host name property, which is not among the properties  72 , and is not found in the generic system template  62 . Therefore a new property  74 , called “Host Name (1.0)”, is included in the system template  70  as a first extension of the generic system template  62 .  
         [0050]     Assume further that after the system template  70  was created, there was a new release of the data source  64  (System A, version 1.1). An updated version of a connector for this version must now be created. To do this, the procedure described above is again followed, except that in final step  68  ( FIG. 2 ), a new system template  76  is based on both the generic system template  62  and its extension in the system template  70 . This is accomplished by adding yet another property  78  “Service Name (1.1)” to the system template  76 .  
         [0051]     As shown in the lower left corner of  FIG. 5 , additional variants of a connector can be developed to accommodate new releases of the data source  64 . Assume that yet another release, version 1.2 of System A has issued. It contains no new properties. However, its Service Name property differs from that of version 1.0. A new system template  80  has a property  82 , “Service Name (1.2).” The system template  80  is based on the generic system template  62  and the system template  70 , but does not depend upon the system template  76 .  
         [0052]     In general new system templates created for the data source  64  are based on the system template  70 , and their set of properties are a union of all properties of the generic system template  62  and the system template  70 .  
         [0053]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which is a detailed block diagram of the system template  76  ( FIG. 5 ), in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. The system template  76  has the properties “Name”, “Description”, and “ID”, which are derived from the generic system template  62  ( FIG. 5 ). The system template  76  has the property “Host Name 1.0”, which is derived from the new system template  70 , and a unique new property, “Service Name (1.1)”. When creating the system template  76 , the wizard, or administrator, if the process is performed manually, will be aware of existing properties embodied in the generic system template  62  and the system template  70 . The existing properties are adapted to the new connector being formed, typically by forming links among the templates. It is an advantage of some aspects of the present invention that the properties acquired by subsequent system templates, e.g., a template needed to handle a newly released version of the data source  64  ( FIG. 5 ), e.g., “Service Name 1.3”, would take on the properties of the generic system template  62 , the system template  70 , and the system template  76 . Only properties of the new version that are not found in previous versions of the data source  64  would need to be added. The chain of system templates thus formed can be extended indefinitely for use in newly deployed connectors needed to access upgrades or updated versions of the data source  64 .  
         [0054]     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGS                                    Listing 1            IConnection connection = null;       try { // get the Connector Gateway Service                Object connectorservice =            PortalRuntime.getRuntimeResources( ).getService( IConnectorService.KEY);                IConnectorGatewayService cgService =(IConnectorGatewayService)            connectorservice;                if (cgService == null) {            response.write(“Error in get Connector Gateway Service &lt;br&gt;”);            }                try {                connection = cgService.getConnection(sapsystem, request);                } catch (Exception e) {                response.write(“Connection to SAP system failed &lt;br&gt;”);                }           if (connection == null) {                response.write(“No connection &lt;br&gt;”);                }           else {                response.write(“Connection succesful”);                }            } catch (Exception e) {                 response.write(“Exception occurred”);            }                Listing 2            &lt;?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“ISO-8859-1” ?&gt;                − &lt;components&gt;                − &lt;component name=“A_system”&gt;                − &lt;component-profile&gt;                &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.Name” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.ID” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.Description” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.HostName1_0” value=“” /&gt;                &lt;/component-profile&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;                − &lt;component name=“A′_system”&gt;                − &lt;component-profile&gt;                &lt;property name=“CodeLink” value=“A_system” /&gt;           &lt;property name=                “com.sap.portal.ServiceName1_1” value=“”/&gt;                 &lt;/component-profile&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;                − &lt;component name=“A”_system”&gt;            − &lt;component-profile&gt;                &lt;property name=“CodeLink” value=“A_system” /&gt;           &lt;property name=                “com.sap.portal.ServiceName1_2” value=“” /&gt;                &lt;/component-profile&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;            &lt;/components&gt;                Listing 3            &lt;?xml version = “1.0” encoding=“utf-8”?&gt;       &lt;application&gt;                &lt;application-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“ServicesReference”            value=“com.sap.portal.pcd.glservice,           com.sap.portal.ivs.systemlandscapeservice,           com.sap.portal.pcmbuilderservice,           com.sap.portal.ivs.iviewservice,           com.sap.portal.ivs.internalconnector,           usermanagement,           com.sap.portal.ivs.connectorservice,           com.sap.portal.common.commonservices,           SAPJ2EE::library:com.sap.portal.common,           SAPJ2EE::library:com.sap.portal.services.api,           SAPJ2EE::library:com.sap.portal.services.internal.api”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“Vendor” value=“sap.com”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“SecurityArea” value=“NetWeaver.Portal”/&gt;                &lt;/application-config&gt;           &lt;components&gt;                &lt;component name=“SLConnectorHelperTest”&gt;                &lt;component-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“low_safety”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“ClassName”            value=“com.sap.portal.ivs.sl.                connector.helper.SLConnectorHelperTest”/&gt;                &lt;/component-config&gt;           &lt;component-profile/&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;           &lt;component name=“generic_connector_system”&gt;                &lt;component-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“low_safety”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“ClassName” value=“”/&gt;                &lt;/component-config&gt;           &lt;component-profile&gt;                &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.pcm.Title”            value=“Generic Connecotr-based system”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“ComponentType”            value=“com.sapportals.portal.system”&gt;                &lt;property name=“plainDescription”           value=“Component Type”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“administration”           value=“DIALOG-READ-ONLY”/&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;           &lt;property name=                “com.sap.portal.reserved.system.            ConnectionFactoryClass”&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”            value=“Connection Factory Class”/&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;           &lt;property name=           “com.sap.portal.reserved.system.ConnectionGroup”&gt;                &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“NONE”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”                value=“Connection Group”/&gt;                &lt;property name=“administration”                value=“DIALOG-READ-ONLY”/&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;           &lt;property name=           “com.sap.portal.reserved.system.                 category” value=“None SAP”&gt;           &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“NONE”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”            value=“System category”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“longDescription”                value=“The system category used                for grouping systems”/&gt;                &lt;property name=“administration”                value=“DIALOG-READ-ONLY”/&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;                &lt;/component-profile&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;           &lt;component name=“ConnectorSystemCreatorTest”&gt;                &lt;component-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“low_safety”/&gt;           &lt;property name=“ClassName”                 value=“com.sap.portal.connectivity.systems.            ConnectorSystemCreatorTest”/&gt;                &lt;/component-config&gt;           &lt;component-profile/&gt;                &lt;/component&gt;                &lt;/components&gt;           &lt;services&gt;                &lt;service name=“SLConnectorHelper”&gt;                &lt;service-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“className”                value=“com.sap.portal.ivs.sl.connector.                helper.SLConnectorHelper”/&gt;                &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“high_safety”/&gt;                &lt;/service-config&gt;                &lt;/service&gt;           &lt;service name=“ConnectorSystemCreator”&gt;                &lt;service-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“className”                value=“com.sap.portal.connectivity.systems.                ConnectorSystemCreator”/&gt;                &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“high_safety”/&gt;                &lt;/service-config&gt;                &lt;/service&gt;                &lt;/services&gt;            &lt;/application&gt;                Listing 4            &lt;?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“ISO-8859-1” ?&gt;       − &lt;application&gt;                − &lt;application-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“Vendor” value=“sap.com” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“SecurityArea” value=“NetWeaver.Portal” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“ServicesReference” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“releasable” value=“true” /&gt;                &lt;/application-config&gt;                &lt;components&gt;           − &lt;component name=“jdbc_system”&gt;           − &lt;component-config&gt;                &lt;property name=“ClassName” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“SafetyLevel” value=“medium_safety” /&gt;                &lt;/component-config&gt;                − &lt;component-profile&gt;                &lt;property name=“com.sap.portal.pcm.Title” value=“JDBC system” /&gt;                − &lt; property                name=“com.sap.portal.reserved.system.ConnectionFactoryClass”           value=“JDBCFactory”&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription” value=“Connection Factory           Class” /&gt;           &lt;/property&gt;                − &lt;property name=“ComponentType”                value=“com.sapportals.portal.system” &gt;                &lt;property name=“plainDescription” value=“ComponentType” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“administration”           value=“DIALOG-READ-ONLY” /&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;                − &lt;property name=“url” value=“”&gt;                &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“Dialog” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“category” value=“Connection Properties” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription” value=“Connection URL” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“longDescription” value=“The jdbc url to connect                with” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“” /&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;                − &lt;property name=“driver” value=“”&gt;                &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“Dialog” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“category”           value=“Connection Properties” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”                value=“Driver Class Name” /&gt;                &lt;property name=“longDescription”           value=“The jdbc driver to connect with” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“” /&gt;                &lt;/property&gt;                − &lt;property name=“ConnectionTimeout” value=“”&gt;                &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“Dialog” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“integer” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“category” value=“Connection Properties” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”                value=“Connection Timeout” /&gt;                &lt;property name=“longDescription”           value=“The maximum length of           time to wait for a connection” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;/property&gt;                − &lt;property name=“ValidateAlive” value=“false”&gt;           &lt;property name= “category”           value=“Connection Properties” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“validvalues” value=“4/true5/false” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“Dialog” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”           value=“Validate Connection” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“longDescription”           value=“Validates the physical                connection. The default is ‘false’.           Changing the value to ‘true’           triggers a time-consuming process.           You might want to validate           the connection, for example,           in a firewall environment.” /&gt;                &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“false” /&gt;           &lt;/property&gt;           − &lt;property name=“usermappingtype” value=“”&gt;           &lt;property name=“validvalues”           value=“4/user5/admin10/admin,user” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“category” value=“User Management” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“Non-Dialog” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription”           value=“User Mapping Type” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“longDescription”           value=“type of user mapping for connection” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“” /&gt;           &lt;/property&gt;           − &lt;property name=           “com.sap.portal.reserved.system.category”                value=“JDBC Systems”&gt;                &lt;property name= “category” value=“Information” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“personalization” value=“NONE” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“type” value=“String” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“plainDescription” value=“System           category” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“longDescription” value=“the system           category           used for grouping systems” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“defaultvalue” value=“JDBC Systems” /&gt;           &lt;property name=“administration”           value=“DIALOG-READ-ONLY” /&gt;           &lt;/property&gt;                &lt;/component-profile&gt;           &lt;/component&gt;                &lt;/components&gt;           &lt;services /&gt;            &lt;/application&gt;