Records Management Software simplifies embedding.
Press Release Summary:
DB2® Records Manager v3.1 includes scalability to accommodate over tens of thousands of users plus capability to embed e-records into host application software. Records administration software can be extended for local record-keeping practices and specific business workflows. Based on strategic middleware infrastructure, software is written in Java(TM)/J2EE, and runs on Microsoft(TM) Windows® 2000, with support for WebSphere® Application Server.
Original Press Release:
IBM DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Delivers Increased Scalability, Simplified Embedding, and Enhanced Localization
At a glance
DB2 Records Manager V3.1 lets you apply record retention and disposal policies to information assets with existing business applications (including Content Manager and non-IBM systems).
This new release is a rewrite of DB2 Records Manager to the more scalable, secure, and portable Enterprise J2EE/Java architecture. This industry-leading technology is scheduled for DoD 5015.2 certification and integrated with IBM Content Manager.
What's new in DB2 Records Manager V3.1:
Reengineered on J2EE platform
Supports WebSphere Application Server V5; replaces the COM+/IIS infrastructure of RM 2.1
Enhanced API supports both IIOP/RMI and SOAP-enabled clients
For ordering, contact:
Your IBM representative or the Americas Call Centers at 800-IBM-CALL (Reference: SE001).
Overview
DB2® Records Manager V3.1 is based on IBM's strategic middleware infrastructure. This newly-released product has been written in Java(TM)/J2EE and runs on Microsoft(TM) Windows® 2000, with new support for WebSphere® Application Server. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 is a significantly reengineered version of IBM's existing DB2 Records Manager V2.1. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 has been rewritten in platform-independent JAVA code, resulting in three major areas of significant benefit:
Increased scalability: The ability to scale up to large enterprise-wide implementations (tens of thousands of users and up), is driven by two key factors: server performance and large-scale platform support. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 delivers dramatic improvements in server performance, and now runs on the WebSphere Application Server.
Simplified embedding: With DB2 Records Manager V3.1, it is now simpler for customers to embed e-records capability into host application software. The Java architecture, along with a number of design improvements, means that it will take less coding and less time to embed the engine within the target host application. Customers will now find it easier to achieve U.S. DoD 5015.2 certification of their solutions.
Enhanced localization: IBM has built in a number of improvements to allow localization of DB2 Records Manager to a particular region/business environment. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 can now be operated in any of ten widely-spoken languages. The records administration software can now be more easily extended for local recordkeeping practices and specific business workflows.
Key prerequisites
System capable of running Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Planned availability dates
DB2 Records Manager V3.1 will be available via electronic delivery in two stages.
September 15, 2003: Electronic software delivery - English only
October 15, 2003
Electronic software delivery - multilingual
Media and documentation
Description
There are many individual changes in DB2 Records Manager V3.1 that support the three major themes of this release. The key changes will be detailed under each of the themes.
Java code base: The product has been entirely rewritten in the J2EE (V1.3) platform-independent language. The DB2 Records Manager server has been written using Enterprise Java Beans (EJB), Java Messaging Services (JMS), and JDBC for back-end database communications. The Records Administrator Client component has been rewritten in JSP, Servlets, Java classes, and the Struts framework technology.
WebSphere server support: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 now runs on the WebSphere Application Server, V5 replacing the COM+/IIS infrastructure of DB2 Records Manager V2.1.
WebSphere Application Server, V5:
Provides J2EE 1.3 support to simplify enterprise applications by basing them on standardized, modular components
Lowers Total Cost of Ownership and improves your ability to leverage assets
Allows you to move seamlessly between configurations with one browser-based administration across all deployment options
Improves programmer productivity and simplifies enterprise development with JMS API, while supporting core Web services standards like XML, SOAP, and WSDL
Enhances security through extensive support of open, standards-based Java specifications and WebSphere software's pluggable security architecture
Provides integrated tools support with WebSphere Studio Application Developer
Performance enhancements: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 contains a number of performance enhancements, supporting large-scale enterprise-wide implementations. They include:
Asynchronous processing of long-running transactions. Records Management requires many batched jobs involving high volumes of data updates, such as batch imports/exports, global updates, and system-wide batched reports. Asynchronous processing means that large batch jobs can be scheduled for off-peak hours, the status can be checked in real time, and they may be paused or terminated at any point.
The bulk import/export utility has been extended to allow import of file plan permissions, and LifeCycle code phase permissions/definitions.
The Records Administrator Client code is now compiled.
Highly optimized J2EE Design patterns.
Employs a Server Session State strategy.
Coarse-grained facade objects, resulting in improved network efficiency.
Engine tuning via EJB LifeCycle logging.
SQL Prepared Statements, reducing reliance on less efficient stored procedures.
Advanced Data Access layer caching.
Simplified embedding: DB2 Records Manager is an "engine," that must be embedded within a host business application. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 delivers a number of significant enhancements that make it faster and easier than ever before to embed e-records into a host application.
5015.2 Certification Toolkit: IBM Business Partners frequently use DB2 Records Manager to achieve U.S. DoD 5015.2 certification of their proprietary business applications. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 makes it easier than ever to achieve certification. IBM has bundled a number of software and documentation tools in a convenient package to help with certification efforts:
Certification Design Reference Guide
Microsoft OutLook e-mail extensions for 5015.2 mandated e-mail handling
Sample DoD file plan
Sample API code for .NET and Visual Basic
Host Application Extensions for rendition handling
5015.2 business logic extensions
Enhanced API flexibility: DB2 Records Manager API now offers significantly extended support for a rich variety of client application platforms. This means that the e-records engine can now be embedded into non-Windows as well as Windows client applications. Licensees now have a choice of SOAP/Web services, or IIOP/RMI. Some of the common client configurations and development platforms that can now be used for embedding e-records include:
Convenience methods: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 has consolidated several commonly-used API methods into a single method call. This simplifies and streamlines the embedding process.
Enhanced localization: Records management methods and practices tend to vary among countries, industries, and businesses. It is important that recordkeeping software be sufficiently flexible to adapt to these localized practices, which often are reflected in the organizations' paper-based processes and business process flows. It is also important for multinational organizations that the software operates in multiple languages, while the underlying record structure and the records themselves remain language-independent.
Business process flows: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 makes it easier to alter the look and feel of the Records Administration Client, with look-and-feel functions now defined via formatting code, isolated from the underlying business logic. This means it is now easier to alter the look and feel without any programming.
Simplified customization: Custom extensions such as customer-specific error messages can now be easily included via a control-flow Struts configuration file.
e-records enablement
IBM introduces two new concepts for e-records enablement:
Enablers: An Enabler brings e-records capability to a host application. Key characteristics of enablers are:
Implements a Declare (make a record) and Classify (assign a retention rule) to the host business application.
Implements Lifecycle Management for the host business application. Destroys declared records within the host application (optional).
Host application is the records repository (native repository).
An enabler is an extension of the host application, implemented via the host application's native API programming language. The declare/classify, and Lifecycle Management features are common to all enablers. Some enablers may be capable of achieving U.S. DoD 5015.2 certification of the host application, via additional features/functions beyond the three basic capabilities. For example, for DB2 Records Manager V2.1, Records Manager enabler for Content Manager (RMe/CM) is a U.S. DoD 5015.2-certified enabler for the Content Manager product. Cexec's RMS is an example of a non-IBM enabler for Microsoft SharePoint Server.
Records Input Facilitators (RIF): This is a new concept for handling data to be input into an enabler which could be used in the following way:
A RIF is a means by which a document can be declared and submitted to an application that is already records-enabled via DB2 Records Manager. The purpose of a RIF is to facilitate user participation in recordkeeping by making it easy to both declare and submit in a single stage. A RIF combines the following two stages into a single user operation:
Stage 1: Declare and Classify a document.
Stage 2: Submit the document into the target repository as a declared record.
Key characteristics of a RIF are: Each RIF has a unique Source (application used to create the record) and Destination (e-records enabled application that will store the record) pairing. LifeCycle processing is not implemented in a RIF as lifecycle is already applied to the destination application (destination already e-records enabled).
A RIF is a convenience tool only. They are often implemented as macros in the macro programming language of the source application. Generally, far less effort is required to implement a RIF than an enabler. Anybody can create a RIF. An example would be a RIF for Microsoft Office, as defined below:
Source Application
Destination Application
Microsoft Office (Word/PowerPoint/Excel)
DB2 Content Manager
In this RIF, there might be a Declare button on the button bar. Or, when the user clicks Save to save the document, he may be invited to declare the record. A form pops up that requests some metadata field useful for records management, such as:
Name
Document Subject
Classification Code
Department
When the user has completed the form and clicked OK, the document is submitted into Content Manager as a declared record. Sometimes, the original document may be deleted.
Records Manager V3.1 is composed of the following modules:
DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Engine/API: The Records Manager V3.1 engine provides all of the API functionality required to build an industrial strength records management application. The engine is a J2EE application utilizing EJBeans technology. The DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Web Administrator is an example of a DB2 Records Manager V3.1 engine client application. The RM 3.1 Engine supports both JAVA (IIOP/RMI) and SOAP/Web Services APIs.
DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Web Administrator Application: This is the Web-based Records Administrator user interface that is provided to Business Partners and customers to manage their file plan data and records management practices. The Web Administrator utilizes the DB2 Records Manager V3.1 engine API and can be enhanced, used as-is, or replaced by Business Partners. For example, customers requiring customized workflow for their records administration practices can easily write their own custom client application to perform such tasks using the DB2 Records Manager V3.1 engine. The DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Web Administrator is a J2EE application utilizing JSP, Servlets, Java Classes, and the Struts framework technology.
DB2 8.1 Schema and Logic: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 supports DB2 8.1 SQL DBMS. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 provides an SQL schema definition and procedural logic coded as stored procedures which are loaded onto the DB2 server. Many of the most performance-sensitive DB2 Records Manager V3.1 engine modules are coded as stored procedures for optimum performance.
HostEJB interface: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 requires that all Business Partners implement the HostEJB EJB interface. This is a replacement for the 2.1 "sHost" COM interface. The HostEJB interface allows the engine to notify the Business Partner host application of real-time events (such as disposition events), so that the Business Partner application can take the appropriate action.
Bulk import/export: This application will remain very similar to the DB2 Records Manager V2.1 application. It provides the ability to load/unload large quantities of file plan data. This is particularly useful when first implementing your file plan electronically and loading your data from another legacy system. Note that the bulk import/export application is a client application which runs on a Microsoft Windows client and therefore requires the Microsoft SOAP toolkit in order to communicate with the engine via SOAP/Web Services. Changes for DB2 Records Manager V3.1 Bulk import/export utility include the ability to import/export file plan design constructs (previously available from the Records Manager Web interface as Template Loader), and the ability to import and export profiles, defaults, file plan component permissions, LifeCycle code phase permissions, LifeCycle code phase definitions.
Toolkit: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 includes a toolkit to assist Business Partners in building a DoD 5015.2-compliant e-records-enabled application. The toolkit includes: Microsoft Outlook extensions (for utilizing Outlook for DoD 5015.2 certification), DoD 5015.2 design guide reference, sample DoD 5015.2 file plan data (for bulk import), sample API code (for .NET and Visual Basic), Host application extensions (rendition handling), and DoD 5015.2 business logic extensions.
Physical records management: DB2 Records Manager V3.1 is designed to manage physical records as well as electronic records and offers a robust system for managing all of your records. DB2 Records Manager V3.1 has the ability to interface to your existing physical records application and bring Records Management to your business quickly and easily.
Report Writer: DB2 Records Manager now has security-sensitive reporting capabilities and generates powerful XLST-based reports (XML technology).
Trademarks
DB2 and WebSphere are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
