Working with Endpoint Service Broker
The Endpoint Service Broker enables K2 designers to bring in data from multiple sources, including traditional web services, WCF endpoints and .NET assemblies. The handling of complex types is done using .NET serialization/de-serialization, and all method calls are considered stateless.
Querying and submitting data using the Endpoint Service Broker can be a complex issue. It requires a good understanding of data and how it is returned from the service call. It also requires understanding the serialization and deserialization methods that are intrinsic to the .NET Framework.
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Serialization is the process of converting the state of an object into a form that can be persisted or transported. The complement of serialization is Deserialization, which converts a stream into an object. Together, these processes allow data to be easily stored and transferred. |
The main methods that are used with the endpoint brokers are Serialization and Deserialization. Simply put, these methods are used to send and store complex data. To Serialize the results of a service call means to represent it in a state that can be transferred and/or stored, such as in a database. To Deserialize that data is to turn it back into a state that can be consumed. These methods, while based on the .NET Framework for the purposes of the K2 Endpoint Service Brokers, represent a device-independent, cross-platform method of representing complex, relational data.
For more information see Serialization in MSDN, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7ay27kt9(v=vs.100).aspx
Endpoint Service Broker
The service brokers support the following types of endpoints:
- Web Service (WS)
- WCF (WSDL and MEX)
- Assembly
