KNOWLEDGE HUB

Best Practices

Navigate through the complexities of integration with PilotFish’s Best Practices Guide. It is your comprehensive resource for optimizing data exchange processes using PilotFish. Whether you’re designing interfaces, mapping data, or configuring transport layers, our Best Practices Guide offers invaluable insights to enhance performance, reliability, and scalability.

Our Guide is perfect for beginners and experts alike; this page lists the fundamental principles and advanced strategies to ensure your integration projects succeed. Start mastering the art of seamless integration with PilotFish today and confidently drive your projects forward.

Release Notes: 24R1, 23R1, 22R1, 21R1, etc.

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General

• • Understanding How PilotFish Software Works
  • Use the eiDashboard
  • Use the eiPlatform Emulator within eiConsole
  • Always Open the eiConsole at the Root of Your Working Directory
  • Understand How External Jars Are Loaded
  • Use Java VM Settings for eiPlatform to Increase Heap Size
  • Use Java VisualVM for Performance Tuning
  • Cleaning Up Working Directory Temporary Files
  • Use Security Mechanisms
  • Version and Backup Your Changes
  • Use Well-known Standards when Possible
  • Have an Upgrade Plan!

Interface Design

• • Use Architectural References
  • Plan Your Interfaces Before Implementing
  • Use Global Transaction Monitors for Larger Interfaces
  • Use Interface Packages
  • Pay Attention to Naming Convention
  • Understand Types of Transactions You Will Be Processing
  • Externalize Environment Properties Early On
  • Use Consistent Route Structure
  • Use Error Routes
  • Use Route Descriptions
  • You Can Rename Routes/Listeners/Interfaces – But Be Very Careful
  • Use System Info Fields
  • Use Routing Rules
  • Use Forking But Not Joining
  • Use Process Orchestration for Forking with Joining – But Use Caution
  • Configuring PilotFish Interfaces – Dos & Don’ts
  • Handle Transport Results in Another Route
  • Use the Disable Route Feature

Data Mapping

• • Don’t Have to Restart eiPlatform when Only Making XSLT Transformation Changes
  • Use and Understand Transaction Data (Trans Data)
  • Reuse XSLT Transformations when Possible
  • Use Data Mapper’s Testing Tab
  • Use Transaction Attribute (Trans Attrs)
  • Use Data Validation
  • Use Transformation Modules
  • Use Drag & Drop in the Data Mapper
  • Data Mapper Tips
  • Use XSLT and Practice It
  • Use the Data Mapper’s Format Builders
  • Use OGNL, Learn It & Practice It
  • Restrict Meta to Increase Performance With Database SQL Transport
  • Consider Local-name() Notation for XPath
  • Use OGNL To Access SQLXML Results Inline in XSLT

Transport Layer Design

• • Understand Synchronous Responses
  • Understand Differences Between FTP, FTPS and SFTP & Nuances of Each
  • Use “Null Listener” for Triggers Based on Interval
  • Use Auth for HTTP Listener (Web Service)
  • Use Thread Pools
  • Use Message Queues
  • Use Reverse Proxy to Expose PilotFish Web Services to the Public Internet

Debugging and Logging

• • Understand How the Logs Work
  • Use Log Tailing to Monitor Logs While Testing
  • Understand Logging Levels and Use Them While Testing or Troubleshooting
  • Use Debug Tracing (Only Temporarily)
  • Use the Debug mode
  • Use SQLXML Logging
  • Use Test Suite Software to Keep Known Working and Not Working Messages for Quick Smoke Testing and Load Testing

FIFO processing