J2EE to Tomcat Port

There is a movement in the enterprise to port J2EE applications to lightweight Java containers such as Tomcat. This is part of the Agile development movement. There are many ways to tackle this port. You can just code some services up in lightweight Java. Or you could just write the new stuff in lightweight Java.

Techniques such as SOA are complex. Java frameworks now offer a lot, but have a small code footprint. There are multiple lightweight Java containers. Tomcat from Apache happens to be a free and popular one. This may be the way of the future. Developers are tired of running under app servers like WebSphere.

GlassFish Portfolio

When I started learning Java, I downloaded the JDK from Sun like I assume everyone else did. There was one bundle that came with GlassFish, which is an application server from Sun Microsystems. I opted not to get it.

Sun apparently is releasing more stuff for GlassFish with their GlassFish Portfolio. This is a four piece set of products that are related to GlassFish. Now these products are not for free. I think this is one place where Sun plans to actually make some money.

The GlassFish Portfolio consists of the GlassFish web stack, Enterprise Service Bus, Web Space Server, and Management Toolkit. Before downloading the JDK and seeing the GlassFish option, I had never even heard of GlassFish. I suppose that means that not many people use it. Websphere and Weblogic seem to own the application server market. Perhaps some add-ons like the GlassFish Portfolio may help Sun try to even the gap. Alas they may already be too far behind in the race.