Stretching middleware
Oracle9iAS is a viable solution for enterprise-wide mid-tier integration
Integrating dissimilar and far-flung enterprise assets can be daunting. But IT executives can successfully address the issue by selecting mid-tier technologies that can act as scalable hubs. With its latest application server release, Oracle provides a solid, all-inclusive approach that effectively addresses many facets of enterprise integration.
Oracle9iAS Release 2 (Version 9.0.3) goes beyond J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition) application server functionality by including a bevy of built-in features, such as granular Web caching, portal technology, Web services support, and business intelligence tools. Based on our tests, this release is worthy of upgrade consideration for existing Oracle9iAS customers. In addition, enterprises seeking a well-appointed mid-tier solution will definitely want to test-drive Oracle9iAS.
Oracle’s application server solution comes in two editions, Standard and Enterprise. The Standard Edition includes the application server, the Apache Web server (Version 1.3.22, not 2.0), and a portal development kit; Oracle’s Internet File System; and TopLink, an object-relational mapping facility. The Standard Edition also includes support for clustering, but the Enterprise Edition offers a better toolset for managing clusters.
The Enterprise Edition also includes Oracle’s Web caching server, which provides a high degree of granularity for caching content using Edge Side Includes. In our test applications, we were able to easily cache frequently accessed pages as well as parts of pages. In addition, we were able to use available administration tools that follow Oracle’s Enterprise Manager look and feel to monitor cache activity.
This Oracle9iAS version implements J2EE 1.3, with support for the latest Java specifications. We implemented many J2EE 1.3 applications on Oracle9iAS using several of the application server’s supported platforms, including Linux, Solaris, and Windows. We found the implementation to be straightforward, and we were able to implement and access our transactional applications.
Interesting in this release is expanded support for Web servers and databases. We used the included Oracle HTTP Server, which is Apache-based, and also Sun ONE (Open Network Environment) Application Server with equal success. Oracle also supports Microsoft’s IIS (Internet Information Server) Web server. On the database side, customers can use the Oracle database or other databases such as IBM DB2, Sybase, or Microsoft SQL Server.
Oracle has included a new clickstream server with Oracle9iAS that provides useful metrics about customer-facing and business partner-related applications. Examining clickstream output can give you insight into application traffic trends and other customer data, such as referring sites. This release also offers a built-in online analytical processing server and a forms server.
Sites that need to integrate enterprise applications or legacy assets will find Oracle’s InterConnect a compelling part of the Enterprise Edition. Customers can use InterConnect adapters to link data housed in enterprise applications such as SAP, PeopleSoft, and Siebel with other business applications riding on the mid-tier. Likewise, data stored in mainframes or in application messaging environments such as MQ Series can also be included.
This Oracle9iAS release implements Web services support well. We were able to easily create Web services from EJBs (Enterprise JavaBeans) and Java classes. Oracle offers plug-ins for several leading development environments to simplify deployment of J2EE applications and Web services.
Oracle9iAS automatically generates WSDL (Web Services Description Language) for deployed Web services. We used Oracle’s Enterprise Manager to register some of our Web services with the included UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration) registry. We also tried consuming Web services from some J2EE applications and were pleased with the results.
Oracle has included single sign-on technologies in this release, which customers can implement to simplify user interactions with applications. Once users have logged on for the first time, single sign-on support enables them to access all authorized applications, components, and data without entering multiple passwords.
Oracle does a good job supporting clustering to enable load balancing and failover configurations. However, rivals, such as IBM, currently offer more options for customized load balancing and easier configuration of scalability features. Bolstering this support in upcoming releases would help Oracle customers.
Oracle9iAS’s downside is its lengthy installation and configuration. The initial setup takes much longer than competing solutions, including IBM WebSphere and BEA WebLogic. Oracle should further modularize and simplify the current installation and initial configuration to reduce administrative resource requirements.
Once installed and configured, we found Oracle administration tools to be well implemented and easy to use. Using interfaces with a comfortable look and feel, administrators can manage all aspects of Oracle9iAS with ease.
Overall, we found a lot to like in this Oracle9iAS release. Its capabilities such as Web caching, portal support, business intelligence tools—including clickstream analysis and forms serving—go well beyond basic J2EE application server support. Additionally, built-in integration capabilities will allow customers to more easily include data from enterprise applications and legacy systems in mid-tier business processes and customer-facing applications.
Existing customers and companies that may be rethinking their mid-tier strategies will definitely want to consider deploying this release. The additions in this particular version provide another choice in the mature application server market. By growing beyond basic J2EE application serving, Oracle9iAS becomes a viable solution for enterprise-wide mid-tier integration.
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