The IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus Gateway for Message Bus 2 enables integration between the ObjectServer and a wide range of external applications. It works in three main stages:
- Reads events from the ObjectServer
- Transforms them from native format to XML, and then into a target format of your choice
- Transports them to external systems like Kafka using configurable modules
Why Upgrade?
The original gateway was built using C++ with a JNI bridge, which sometimes introduced complexity and resource management challenges. The new Message Bus 2 Gateway is implemented using Java libraries, thereby simplifying deployment and allowing more effective memory tuning via standard JVM options. The new gateway brings significant improvements over the legacy implementation, particularly in handling large event maps, sustained throughput, and resilience under burst conditions.
Key advantages include
- Improved memory management and tuning
- Higher stable throughput at scale
- Backward compatibility with existing mapping files
- Reliable performance under both normal and extreme event loads
Tested with Kafka
Testing was performed using representative datasets modeled on a large enterprise environment.
Observations: The gateway remained stable with memory tuning during throughput tests conducted in a controlled environment, including steady-state and burst event scenarios.
Key Differences Between Old and New Message Bus 2 Gateway
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Feature
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Old Message Bus Gateway
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Message Bus 2 Gateway
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Core Architecture
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C++ with JNI bridge
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Pure Java
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Performance Stability
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Might experience performance degradation and stability issues under heavy load conditions
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Stable with proper memory tuning
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Memory Management
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OOM may occur with large field maps
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Tunable JVM memory prevents OOM issues
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Burst Load Handling
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Fails under short-duration spikes
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Handles bursts with JVM tuning
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Extended Run Behavior
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Unstable during long runs
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Stable under extended steady-state testing
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Conclusion
This upgrade isn't just about performance, it's about predictability at scale. Whether you're handling steady state volumes of events or preparing for occasional spikes, the Message Bus 2 Gateway delivers resilience where it counts.
Helpful Links:
Legacy Message Bus Gateway Documentation - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/netcoolomnibus/8.0.0?topic=gateways-message-bus
New Message Bus 2 Gateway Documentation - https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/netcoolomnibus/8.0.0?topic=gateways-message-bus-2