The Oracle Integration Repository - Escape From API Purgatory

Earlier this year, I experienced the "thrill" of pouring through Oracle documentation in search of details on a few APIs. About 2 a.m., my eyes were burning like they were on fire and I still lacked much of the info I needed. As this experience has been a recurring nightmare, you might imagine how happy I was last spring when I learned about the Oracle Integration Repository (one of the many things I learned during the Middleware SIG meeting at Collaborate ’06).

The Oracle Integration Repository lists and provides information on all service endpoints in the E-Business Suite.The intent is to let “…users easily discover and deploy the appropriate business service interface for integration with any system, application, or business partner.”

The repository can be searched by application product family, drilling down into specific application modules:

The repository can also be searched by standard:

Upon drilling into an API, you’ll find brief but informative details:

Now, it's obvious to all that my screenshots here are pretty weak. I strongly encourage you to check out the Oracle Integration Repository for yourself. The repository for 11i is available on-line here. The repository for Release 12 will be part of your rapid install, and will be updated as needed when the instance is patched; it will also be available on-line...one can only hope that the same can soon be said for PeopleSoft, JD Edwards and Siebel.

Consolidating all the E-Business API information into one source is a solid and worthwhile endeavor on Oracle’s part. In fact, The Oracle Integration Repository has already “saved my bacon” more than once – I highly recommend checking it out.