Connecting an application to the WebSphere Application Server default messaging provider using the applications run-as identity

I typically have been avoiding talking about work subjects here, but I have just had my second developerworks article published. It goes over how to configure applications so they authenticate to the default messaging provider (also known as the service integration bus) in WebSphere Application Server using their run-as identity rather than a staticly configured identity.

The article is here, and was such a pain to write I don't think I will write another for a long time.

Alasdair

JMS Problem Determination Redpaper

As the security architect for the service integration bus (part of WebSphere Application Server) I am very concious of how difficult it can be to diagnose security problems (this is also true for many areas of messaging), especially given that security is typically an area where less information is given rather than more.

Over the last few months I and twelve of my collegues have been involved in writing an redpaper titled "WebSphere Application Server V6.1: JMS Problem Determination". I contributed chapter 17th titled "Default messaging provider security".

I feel obliged to comment on the outstanding work performed by Richard Coppen who was responsible for co-ordinating the work and ensuring the rest of us delivered on schedule. Believe me anyone who can get me to deliver a completed piece of written work has achieved an amazing feat.

Well if anyone who reads this uses JMS then this is well worth a read. I know I will be pointing people to this when they have problems in the future.

Alasdair

WebSphere Certification

Well after my rant about the police yesterday I thought I should talk about something completely different.

Last week I took an passed certification for WebSphere Application Server. So I can now use:

IBM Certified System Administrator: WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment V6.1

in my CV, email footer and other places. As a developer on WebSphere Application Server I did not have to take it but I was

a) bored
b) interested in what it was like


What I realized is that despite working on the product for six years I still know only a small fraction of all there is to know. I have no idea about the Edge components, the best ways to link Web servers with the application server, silent install or performance tuning.

That said according to the test I know everything there is to know about security (somehow I doubt that :) ).

Alasdair

Versioning in SOA

Back in 2005 I was involved in writing an IBM Redbook titled "Patterns: SOA with an Enterprise Service Bus in WebSphere Application Server V6". I am often surprised to find references to this redbook and my name in those references.

The one that surprised me most I found today which is an article from the Microsoft Architecture Journal on "Versioning in SOA". It is nice to find that something I was involved in two years ago is still considered worth while, especially now that WebSphere Application Server V6.1 is out.

Alasdair