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Cloud Expo: Article

Java EE PaaS and Application Server Interoperability

Waratek Java EE PaaS

Java EE PaaS and Application Servers
The Java Enterprise Edition Platform As A Service is a correct and first direction in enabling enterprises to truly concentrate on the business agility provided by Java EE platform and not get bogged down by the version, compatibility and other issues typical of the platform. However the current Java EE PaaS eco system tied very much to the specific application server implementations, while they are trying their best to bring in the much needed open platform characteristics.

Java EE PaaS  Platform

Implementation Specifics

Oracle  Java Cloud Service (PaaS)

It is one  of the  robust  Java EE PaaS in the market today,  as it supports  much of the larger Java EE standards like,  JSP, JSF, SERVLET, EJB and JPA and more.  However the documentation suggests the   server infrastructure is built over the  standard  Weblogic  11g Servers.

IBM Java EE PaaS

Delivered  as part of IBM SmartCloud Application Services,  the application environment  building block of the PaaS platform  is built  on the foundations of WebSphere platform.  A very similar  approach has been adopted for the Private Cloud PaaS platform  of IBM Called  "Pure Application System".

The following  are  the  text from IBM FAQ and PaaS  services,  "IBM SmartCloud Application Services works across IBM to leverage IBM SmartCloud Foundation products (from SWG), such as IBM Workload Deployer, IBM Rational Collaboration Lifecycle Management Bundle (as a starting point), and pre-configured virtual images from WebSphere and Information Management and IBM SmartCloud Enterprise to deliver hosted off-premise platform services" .

Redhat OpenShift PaaS

OpenShift enables you to create, deploy and manage applications within the cloud. It provides disk space, CPU resources, memory, network connectivity, and an Apache or JBoss server. Use the apps you want. OpenShift supports JavaTM EE 6, Ruby, Node.js, PHP, Perl, and Python applications. It also has built-in support for popular middleware components like JBoss®, MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and for popular development tools like Maven, Jenkins, and Eclipse.

 

VMWare Cloud Foundry

Cloud Foundry supports the following application development frameworks:

  • Spring
  • Ruby on Rails
  • Ruby and Sinatra
  • Node.js

While  this option does  not  explicitly  tied to an  application server and may be very good for new development if an existing  Java EE application uses features like EJB, JPA  this may  not fit exactly from  interoperability point of view.

 

Innovation In Java EE PaaS and Waratek Platform
Waratek (Waratek.com) has recently come up with Java EE PaaS platform and the product is termed as Cloud VM For Java. The Waratek Cloud VM for Java provides the platform for cloud computing that lets you migrate existing applications effortlessly and seamlessly.

As explained in the above sections of Java PaaS implementations from various vendors, while all of them are good for new development due to the application server centric capabilities there will be challenges for enterprises in moving the existing applications. Rather than re-write or significantly re-engineer Java applications to reap the benefits of the Cloud, use Waratek Cloud VM for Java to painlessly port them over. This enables existing Java investments and subsequent Java solutions to thrive on a more flexible platform with key cloud characteristics, such as multi tenancy, granular elasticity, instant scalability, prioritization and real time metering.

Architecture Of Waratek Platform:

  • Waratek, the Cloud VM for Java, uses Java Virtual Containers (JVCs)
  • A single JVM can host tens or hundreds of JVCs: from 1MB up to many GBs
  • Every .war/.ear app gets its own JVC
  • Any standard Java application can run on the Waratek VM with no alteration required
  • This interoperability is mainly achieved through a layer called, ‘Waratek Platform Extender'
  • The Platform Extender layer operates as an extension to the JVM to facilitate tailored multitenancy for different application frameworks
  • The default Tomcat Platform Extender for the Apache Tomcat Servlet Container.
  • Multiple Platform Extenders are available for optimised multitenancy with leading application server suites such as JBoss, WebLogic, etc. The Platform Extenders complement existing application server suites, by decoupling a virtualized tentant application from the hosting application server suite on which it runs.
  • Each Java VC presents a virtualized abstraction to the hosted application of the underlying JVM and application server platform (if any), and appears invisible to the hosted application software within
  • The below diagram from the courtesy of Vendor , explains the basic architecture of the Waratek Platform

Summary
The primary aim of PaaS is to relieve the enterprises from the complexities of the platform and provide them path to concentrate on business needs, in that context huge investment on porting existing applications to a PaaS platform may not be acceptable from budget and cost allocation perspective. Innovations like Waratek platform are trying to solve this problem. After all Java comes with a concept of "Write Once and Run Any Where" and it is only appropriate for the Java PaaS platform in support of the concept. We will see more products and further offerings in this space to the betterment of enterprises.

 

More Stories By Srinivasan Sundara Rajan

Srinivasan Sundara Rajan (Also Known As Sundar) Is A Enterprise Technology Enabler for realizing business capabilities. His primary focus is enabling Agile Enterprises by facilitating the adoption of Every Thing As A Service Model with particular concentration on BpaaS (Business Process As A Service). He also helps enterprises in getting meaningful insights from their structured and unstructured and real time data sources. All the views expressed are Srinivasan's independent analysis of industry and solutions and need not necessarily be of his current or past organizations. Srinivasan would like to thank every one who augmented his Architectural skills with Analytical ideas.

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