Verastream Bridge Integrator

The architecture of Verastream Bridge Integrator centers around three main components: the Bridge Server, the Connector, and the Design Studio. The Bridge Server is the core runtime engine, responsible for handling incoming requests, interacting with the Connector, and exposing the integrated CICS functionality via REST APIs. The Connector is a crucial component that manages the communication with the CICS environment.

It intercepts 3270 traffic within CICS, bypassing VTAM, and translates the 3270 data streams into a format that the Bridge Server can understand. The Design Studio is a graphical interface used for designing and configuring the integration. It allows users to create connections to CICS systems, define mappings between 3270 screens and data structures, and configure security settings.

The communication flow begins with a client application sending a request to the Bridge Server via a REST API. The Bridge Server processes the request and interacts with the Connector to send the appropriate 3270 commands to CICS. The Connector retrieves the response from CICS and translates it back into a format that the Bridge Server can use.

The Bridge Server then transforms the data and returns it to the client application. Data is stored temporarily in memory during processing. The Bridge Server and Design Studio are typically deployed on a separate server from the CICS environment.

Network requirements include TCP/IP connectivity between the Bridge Server and the CICS system. The Bridge Server listens on configurable ports for incoming API requests. Security is handled through authentication and access control configurations within the Bridge Server.