Part 2. Using ESB core functionalities

By now you have a basic understanding of open source ESBs—Mule and ServiceMix in particular—so it’s time to take a closer look at the functionality an ESB can provide. In chapter 1, we described the core functionalities of an ESB; part 2 shows the practical usage of these functionalities. We start with a detailed description of routing, validation, and transformation functionality. Then we examine the connectivity options provided by Mule and ServiceMix.

Because web services connectivity is a subject on its own, we devote an entire chapter to this topic. We look at how to implement web services with Mule and ServiceMix, with a top-down as well as a bottom-up approach. We also look at support for WS-* standards, such as WS-Security and WS-Addressing.

Finally, we tackle more advanced topics, such as error handling, security, and transaction handling. By the end of part 2 you’ll have a solid knowledge of the core functionalities Mule and ServiceMix have to offer, and you’ll be ready to work with these open source ESBs in real projects.