Error handling in connectors

Connectors are used to read data from or write data to an external system. Two types of errors can occur when integrating with an external system:

• Transient errors typically do not last long; they correct themselves over time. For example, the connector is unable to connect because the application is being restarted and is temporarily unavailable.
• Permanent errors are typically due to a configuration error or an error in the remote application logic. For example, an invalid SOAP request is sent to a SOAP service. In this scenario, the error persists until the SOAP request message is fixed.

Since connectors communicate with external systems, the possibility of something going wrong always exists. Therefore, a best practice is to include error handling for all connectors.

For transient errors, post a note to alert the end user that the integration failed. Ask the user to retry at a later time. Alternatively, if the response is not immediately needed, the connection can be automatically retried.

For permanent errors, write the details to a log file so that errors can be investigated and fixed. In addition, you might want to implement a process for the investigation and fixing.

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