Siebel EAI Interview Questions 2020

Question 1: How would you debug a inbound web service which is not returning data for correct record id?
Answer: First thing to check would be to log SQL which service is executing. This will explain what filters are applied by the web service. And why records are not being returned.  Issue could also be due to limited access provided to integration user executing the web service. Checking responsibilities and position of the integration user can also help in understanding the visibility issue.



Question 2: What is the best way to send data to external webservice in real time as soon as it is created in Siebel?
Answer: If user session can wait for interface call to be completed, Run time events are the best way to be trigger a hard real time interface.  On the other hand if user session cannot be delayed for the duration of API transaction, workflow policy should be used. However it is not hard real time trigger.

Question 3: How would you prefer to share your JSON structure of your custom interface?
Answer: XSD can be used only for XML based interfaces, swagger spec should be used to share JSON response structure. 


Question 4: An external interface can only accept CSV files overnight in a file system. How would you design a solution to generate CSV files?
Answer : Nightly workflow batch can be used to trigger a workflow to generate CSV using custom business service using Clib functions. Or by using EAI XSLT Service.  EAI File Transport can be used to create file in the file system.

Question 5: How can EAI File Transport business service append data to a file? 
Answer: Yes, EAI File Transport business service supports appending data to a file using input argument.    

Question 6: How to integrate Siebel to Salesforce?
 Answer: Don't do it :)  If you are in arm twist situation then you can interface it with workflow policy /Batch/EIM/RTE options. Solution would depend upon the requirement of data availability and volume.  One time load can be using EAI extract and using Salesforce data loader. Nightly updates can be using EIM extracts and Salesforce Bulk API.

Question 7: When would you recommend using Batch vs EIM process?
Answer: EIM should be used when we are dealing with number of records in millions. It can provide daily extracts and updated information. For comparatively smaller amounts one can use Batch process. (Workflow Process Batch Manager) Batch can call any real time interface to transfer the data, it can poll or post the data as well. 

Question 8: What's the primary difference between queue based interface and a webservice?
Answer: Queue based interface is more reliable/durable, as middleware system holds the message for some time for the receiver to read. If receiver is not ready message is persisted for the duration of timeout configured. However in case of webservice, it target system is not online messages will get lost as there is no storage.

Question 9: What is the difference between queue and topic in JMS?
Answer: Queue is used primarily to integrate two systems 1:1 fashion. However topic can be used to integrate 1:N systems.

Question 10: What is EBC in Siebel?
Answer: EBC are external business components in Siebel, they refer to external table outside the siebel database. It queries the data in real time and can perform same CRUD operations as normal BC does.