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User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to IBM WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.9 and Feautre Pack 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.
Developing
The topics in the Developing section describe tasks performed by an application developer.
Presentation layer
WebSphere Commerce uses Java Server Pages (JSP) to implement the view layer of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern. The view layer is in charge of retrieving data from the database through the use of data beans and formatting it to meet the display requirements. The view layers determines whether the request is sent to a browser or streamed out as XML. JSP files present a clean separation between data content and presentation.
Customizing IBM Sales Center
In the IBM Sales Center for WebSphere Commerce there is a set of user interface panels, views and dialogs that contain the most commonly used features. You can add to or configure the user interface to suit your needs, as well as changing the content and format of the data that is passed between the client and the server.
Deploying customizations to the IBM Sales Center
Depending on the number of clients and frequency of updates required, you have several choices for installing and updating the IBM Sales Center.
Post deployment provisioning mechanisms
Once the initial client image is installed, further deployment of Eclipse features that comprise WED4WL, Sales Center, and user customizations can occur. There are three provisioning mechanisms available to support this. Each mechanism requires a different infrastructure and imposes a different minimal initial client install to enable post deployment provisioning.

Post deployment provisioning mechanisms

Once the initial client image is installed, further deployment of Eclipse features that comprise WED4WL, Sales Center, and user customizations can occur. There are three provisioning mechanisms available to support this. Each mechanism requires a different infrastructure and imposes a different minimal initial client install to enable post deployment provisioning.

The choice between these methods is made based on the degree of automation, whether a user must be running the client when the install occurs, and takes into account any prior commitment to one of the infrastructure technologies. An enterprise that has deployed a management and software deployment technology way prefer to extend its existing infrastructure to also accommodate Sales Center clients rather than introducing another specific infrastructure, and one of the choices will permit that in most cases.

All three of these mechanisms use the same Eclipse update site produced by the customization build recommended in building customizations for deployment in Rational Application Developer. IBM Sales Center is provided on the DVD as an Eclipse update site, and can also be installed by these mechanisms.

Note: After installing Windows XP on the prototype client, but before capturing the image to clone, additional software must be installed that is sufficient to enable the post-deployment technology that you intend to use. Each of the alternatives indicates in its Prerequisites section which additional software must be loaded onto a prototype client in the initial client image.