IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware, Software |
| Fate | Acquired by IBM in October 2005 |
| Successor | IBM |
| Parent | IBM |
IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances are purpose-built, pre-configured rack-mountable network devices (XML appliances) engineered to speed up XML and Web Service implementations while strengthening SOA environments. Initially created by DataPower Technology Inc., the company was acquired by IBM in October 2005.
The WebSphere product line comprises both physical hardware and virtual appliances, providing scalability through features such as high availability and clustering to enhance system performance and dependability.
Hardware Model 9235-Based
- WebSphere DataPower Caching Appliance XC10
- WebSphere DataPower XML Accelerator XA35
- WebSphere DataPower Security Appliance XS40
- WebSphere DataPower Integration Appliance XI50
- WebSphere DataPower B2B Appliance XB60
- WebSphere DataPower Messaging Appliance XM70
This 1U rack-mount device is equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
Hardware Model 7198-Based
- WebSphere DataPower Service Gateway XG45
A 1U rack-mount appliance featuring four Gigabit Ethernet ports alongside two 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections.
Hardware Model 7199-Based
- WebSphere DataPower Caching Appliance XC10 V2
- WebSphere DataPower Integration Appliance XI52
- WebSphere DataPower B2B Appliance XB62
- WebSphere DataPower Edge Appliance XE82
This 2U rack-mount unit includes eight Gigabit Ethernet and two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Hardware Model 8436-Based
- IBM DataPower Gateway
A 2U rack-mount appliance offering eight Gigabit Ethernet connections plus two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, designed with an extensible framework for sophisticated security and integration capabilities.
Technical specifications
DataPower Appliances incorporate hardware elements such as ASIC-driven IPS, specialized encrypted RAID storage, and optional Hardware Security Modules. The firmware is a single digitally signed package containing a Linux-derived operating system and application stack stored on flash memory. IBM releases updates for this firmware approximately every 10 to 20 weeks.
Since DataPower does not operate on a conventional server OS, users cannot install external third-party software. Instead, it utilizes isolated virtual file systems known as 'Application Domains,' which simulate different network file systems with adaptable directory structures.
The firmware primarily supports enterprise messaging functions including message transformation and routing functioning as an enterprise service bus, alongside securing web services endpoints. It enables application integration by representing applications as services, ensuring platform and language neutrality.