Using Xpathvaluefetcher business rules to track projects in Rational Focal point

Link Management in Rational Focal point

The integration of the rational solution of IBM Rational Focal Point with collaborative lifecycle Management (CLM) applications is based on the linked Data technology. In other words, links created between rational Focal point and CLM applications, such as rational Requirements Composer and Rational Team concert, are an important part of this integration. Figure 1 uses a link to depict the various Focal point and CLM application resources and their relationships. Please note that links are many-to-many relationships.

The knowledge you need to know

Reading this article requires knowledge of REST architecture, XML, and XPath.

Figure 1. Resources and relationships

The integration of Rational Focal point with the CLM application provides you with the following capabilities:

Create a single CLM resource, such as a work item or a requirement artifact, based on a Business Need in the Focal point.

Create a CLM resource collection (such as work items or demand artifacts) based on the Focal point UI and batch them.

Link the existing CLM resource to the Business Need in the Focal point UI.

Preview the linked CLM resource in the Focal point UI.

Use Xpathvaluefetcher business rules to get critical data from a linked CLM resource to a Focal point that stakeholders can use to monitor the project.

Configuring Xpathvaluefetcher Business Rules

An important advantage of Rational Focal point is that you can use it in the form of a governance dashboard (governance dashboard). Product managers, business stakeholders, and senior managers can use CLM applications (such as rational Team concert and Rational Requirements Composer) to track and communicate the progress and status of their plans during project execution or planning.

You can also use the Xpathvaluefetcher business rules to filter the focal point element based on the CLM data that is pulled into the focal point. For example, you can list all the business rules for which you have approved the corresponding requirements state in Rational Requirements Composer.

Focal Point uses Integrationlinkattribute to link multiple links to CLM resources. By using these links, the Xpathvaluefetcher rule can get information from a CLM application to a Focal point property that contains text and numeric values, such as the Status of a work item that is linked to a Rational team concert and Progress data.

Prerequisites for executing xpathvaluefetcher business rules

Xpathvaluefetcher Business rules run in the background. It needs to enter user authentication information before making a request to the CLM server without user intervention.

Rational Jazz Technology provides a way to assign a functional User-to-consumer key without the intervention of a user from Focal point to send a background request.

Figure 2. Create a consumer key and attach a feature user to a consumer key

Figure 3. Adds a CLM user key as Friend to use for Xpathvaluefetcher authentication