Chapter 3. Transaction Bridge Architecture
The transaction bridge resides in the package org.jboss.jbossts.txbridge and its subpackages.. It consists of two distinct sets of classes, one for bridging in each direction.
The process of inflowing a WS-AT transaction context on a Web Service call into the container and converting it to a local JTA transaction context such that existing transactional JavaEE code (e.g. EJBs) may be called within its scope, is termed Inbound Transaction Bridging. When using inbound bridging, a parent WS-AT transaction coordinator has a subordinate JTA coordinator interposed into it via the transaction bridge.
The process of outflowing a WS-AT transaction context on a call to a transactional Web Service from a business logic method operating in a JavaEE transaction scope, is termed Outbound Transaction Bridging. When using outbound bridging, a parent JTA transaction coordinator has a subordinate WS-AT coordinator interposed into it via the transaction bridge.
For the purpose of understanding this naming convention, it is simplest to view the JTA as being local to the container in which it operates, whilst the Web Service protocol provides for transaction context propagation between servers. This is an accurate representation of the situation that exists where the local JTA version of JBossTS is being used alongside JBossTS XTS in an application server. However, it is an oversimplification of the situation where the JTS option is used. We will return to this case later.