External Business Component – EBC

The external business component feature provides a way to access data that resides in a non-Siebeltable or view using a Siebel business component.
This feature is avaiable from Siebel 7.7 version.
Basically, whenever we need to show the external data in Siebel, we will use EBCs or VBCs.
Limitations:If you import a database view instead of DDL then you cannot update or inserts records. Joins to base tables in EBC usually don’t work External database must be accessible directly to Siebel Performance can be an issue if database connectivity is not good Advantages:You can integrate with external application with minimal of effort. Siebel BC can base joins on External table and display information You can import tables from different databases such as DB2, MS SQL, Siebel Analytics.
Steps for Creating:
1. Gthe DDL file for the external table.
His how a sample ddl file will look like:
CREATE TABLE EBCINTEGRATION.EBC_VEC(
field1 VARCHAR2(20),
field2 VARCHAR2(20),
field3 NUMBER(10))
OR
Create a ODBC Data Source
2. Use siebel object creation wizard to create this table.File –> New Object –> External Table Schema Import (You can use either the DDL File or the ODBC Source)
3. The wizard will ask for following inputs:
i. Select Project this table will be part of from the list -
ii. Select the database where external table resides – Enter the database, for this example it is Oracle Server Enterprise Editioniii. Specify full path of the file where table definition resides -iv. Specify a 3 digit batch code for this import – eg 001v. Click on Next and then click on Finish
4. This will create your External table. with a name like EX_001_0000001.
The names of External tables begin with “EX_” the next 3 characters are batch codes and the rest is just a serial number.
* The Type field will be “External” for this table.
* You will also have to map one of the table columns to the Siebel’s Id field. to do this: go to the desired table column and in the “System Field Mapping” column select “Id”
5. Changes to be made in cfg file now follow the below steps
create an entry for a new datasource under [DataSources] section
EBCDS= EBCDS
add a new section [EBCDS] to describe the datasource params:
[EBCDS]
Docked = TRUE
ConnectString = EBCINTEGRATION
TableOwner = EBCINTEGRATION
DLL = abc.dll
SqlStyle = OracleCBO
DSUserName = INTEGRATION
DSPassword = integration
Now that you have defined the Datasource in cfg file, go back to siebel tools and add the datasource to your external table. Go to your external table, and go to the Data Source and add a new record:Name = EBCDS
External table is now ready for use in a EBC.
Use siebel object wizard to create a BC based on this table. Once the BC is created, change the Data Source property of the BC to “EBCDS” .You are now ready to use this BC in a applet/view.
When you access that view Siebel in real-time using that data source connects to external table and displays you the data. You even have option to update, insert and delete records from Siebel.