Black Box Integration Content for Third Party Proxy Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In enterprise integration environments, direct and standard connectivity to destination systems is hindered by incompatible network topologies and system constraints, particularly when using non-modifiable third-party libraries with custom or non-compatible proxies.

Innovation Solution

The integration environment dynamically splits integration content into modified and black box components, where the black box integration content includes a server component, client component, and proxy filter to translate and route content through a network topology, allowing integration with a non-standard destination system configuration without modifying the third-party library.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If integration content uses standard destination configuration, then compatibility with destination system is improved, but ability to work with custom proxies from third party libraries is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidproxy integration capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A black box integration content is introduced as an intermediary component between the integration content and the destination system. This black box has a destination configuration matching the destination system configuration, while the integration content is modified to target the black box instead. The black box then routes requests through the custom proxy to reach the destination system, thus mediating between incompatible configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The integration solution is segmented into two separate components: modified integration content and black box integration content. The integration content handles the business logic and is modified only to point to the black box, while the black box handles the proxy routing and configuration details. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If third party library source code is modified to support custom proxies, then proxy integration capability is improved, but ease of manufacture and maintainability is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproxy integration capabilityVSAvoidlibrary modification complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of modifying the third party library to work with custom proxies, a black box integration content acts as an intermediary that handles the proxy communication. The library remains unchanged and continues to use its standard configuration, while the black box translates its requests into proxy-compatible format, thus avoiding library modification entirely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The black box integration content creates a copy or wrapper around the third party library's integration content, modifying only the configuration pointers to target the black box instead of the original destination. This allows the original library code to remain unchanged while achieving proxy integration through the copied/wrapped configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If integration content is dynamically modified to use black box integration content, then adaptability to incompatible configurations is improved, but device complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration compatibilityVSAvoidintegration architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integration content is dynamically modified at runtime based on the destination system configuration. The system detects whether the destination configuration is compatible or incompatible, and automatically adjusts the integration content to either use direct connection or route through the black box integration content, making the architecture dynamically adaptive rather than statically complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The integration environment automatically performs the modification of integration content to point to the black box integration content when incompatibility is detected. This self-service mechanism reduces manual configuration complexity, as the system autonomously determines when and how to introduce the black box intermediary without requiring complex manual architecture design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4002102A1Integrating proxies from third party libraries within an integration environment
Publication Date: 2022.05.25 SAP SE
  • EP4002102A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4002102A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4002102A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Integrating proxies within an integration environment can be implemented as a computer-implemented method. Deployment of integration content to integrate with a destination system having a destination system configuration is determined. The integration content has a destination configuration that is incompatible with the destination system configuration. In response to determining that the integration content has the destination configuration that is incompatible with the destination system configuration, the integration content is dynamically modified to integrate with a black box integration content having a black box source address and having a destination configuration as the destination system configuration. The modified integration content is integrated to the destination system through the generated black box integration content