Patent ID: 7657658

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: storing deployment information for a resource adapter in a first file, the deployment information contained in the first file including a plurality of customization elements to configure the resource adapter for connecting a plurality of server applications to an external resource via the resource adapter, the customization elements to include information identifying a loader of the resource adapter, connection information specifying a maximum number of connections to the external resource and expiration parameters for connections provided by the resource adapter, information to enable authentication of the plurality of server applications to the external resource, and alias information identifying the resource adapter for use by the plurality of server applications, wherein the first file is included in a resource adapter archive (RAR) file and is created utilizing a document type description (DTD), the RAR file also including a second file created utilizing the DTD, the second file storing standard deployment information, the deployment information contained in the first file being in addition to the standard deployment information contained in the second file; deploying the resource adapter comprising implementing at deploy time the customization elements from the first file to configure the resource adapter for connection of the plurality of server applications to the external resource; receiving a plurality of requests to connect the plurality of server applications to the external resource, wherein each of the plurality of server applications identifies the configured resource adapter based on the loader and alias information; and providing a connection between the plurality of server applications and the external resource via the configured resource adapter.