Integrating IBM Sterling Connect Direct with IBM APP Connect Enterprise

Here in this blog, we will learn about how to integrate IBM Sterling Connect directly with IBM ACE.

IBM Sterling Connect: Direct (CD) is a specific component or product within the broader IBM Sterling suite of supply chain management and B2B collaboration solutions. While both are part of the IBM Sterling portfolio, they serve different purposes and address different aspects of business operations.

IBM Sterling Connect Direct is a high-performance, secure file transfer solution designed to facilitate the exchange of large volumes of data between diverse systems, platforms, and locations. It ensures reliable and secure transmission of files, making it suitable for mission-critical business processes. It focuses on facilitating the exchange of files, such as batch files, financial transactions, healthcare records, and supply chain documents, with features like encryption, authentication, automation, and platform independence.

IBM Sterling Connect: Direct is widely used by organizations across industries to securely and efficiently exchange files with customers, partners, and internal systems, helping them meet compliance requirements and improve operational efficiency.

Business Implementations:

Financial Institutions: 

Banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions use Connect: Direct to securely transfer large volumes of financial transactions, such as wire transfers, automated clearing house (ACH) transactions, and account statements between internal systems and external partners.

Healthcare Providers and Payers: 

Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare payers leverage Connect: Direct to transmit sensitive patient data, medical records, claims files, and reimbursement information securely between healthcare systems, insurers, and regulatory agencies while adhering to strict compliance requirements such as HIPAA.

Government Agencies: 

Government entities at the local, state, and federal levels employ Connect: Direct to exchange sensitive data, such as tax filings, census information, procurement documents, and regulatory reports securely between agencies, contractors, and external stakeholders to support public services and regulatory compliance.

And many more.

To integrate IBM Sterling Connect Direct with IBM APP Connect Enterprise follow the below steps:

1. Create a Connect Direct policy within the Policy Project, specifying the hostname, IP address of the Sterling Connect: Direct server, and the appropriate security identity.
2. Attach the Security Identity to the integration node of type Connect: Direct using the mqsicommand.

mqsisetdbparms IBNODE -n cd::default -u mqbroker -p xxxxxxx

1. Restart the Integration Node.
2. Deploy the policy in the Integration Server.
3. Create an Application that includes a CD Input/output Node.
4. Attach the Policy to the Application.
5. Deploy in the Integration Server and test the flow.

After successful integration, the file will be transferred to the Sterling Connect: Direct server.