TUBE® Architecture

The TUBE design is based on the identification of key processes needed to support middleware integration: the application-TUBE interface manager (TUBE server), distribution of request / response messages (message distribution), managing communication across protocols (transport mediation) and translating messages from one protocol to another (marshaling).

TUBE provides Protocol Control Modules that may be accessed from any interface, and provide support for higher-level protocol semantics than those required for marshalling. As an example, consider the CORBA LOCATION_FORWARD response message. A Protocol Control Module makes the decision whether or not to re-submit the request to the object specified in the response. This situation applies to CORBA only, and need not be included in a generic framework core.

The TUBE core still provides all the marshalling and un-marshalling functionality. These processes are supported by a number of data repositories, storing the description of protocols and their particular implementation in an application. A Middleware Protocol Definition Language is used to describe all aspects of a protocol, in a declarative way. These descriptions are compiled to create the repositories that support the TUBE run-time system, and effect run-time integration.