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Java Solutions to Enterprise Computing

Sun reveals today's and tomorrow's tools for enterprise computing

By Rich Kadel, JavaWorld

San Francisco (April 7, 1997) -- On the final day of JavaOne, Shel Finkelstein of Sun Microsystems discussed Sun's Java-based strategy for the Enterprise. Java will soon have the complete package for Enterprise Computing, with a combination of today's Java 1.1 APIs and several planned APIs and tools expected from Sun and its partners.

Sun's newest initiative, Enterprise JavaBeans, extends JavaBeans to target the middle tier in N-tier enterprises. Enterprise JavaBeans will make it easy to write business applications as components. Developer focus on the business logic and the infrastructure supports scalable, secure, transactional applications. A specification for Enterprise JavaBeans, ready for public review, is expected by this summer.

We already know a little about Java Database Connectivity (JDBC). Released prior to Java 1.1, and now included in the JDK 1.1 core, JDBC provides a powerful interface to the major (and some of the not-so-major) relational databases. JDK 1.1 includes the JDBC test suites, which can be used to verify the 20-plus third-party JDBC drivers now available.

Sun is now hard at work on a new extension to the JDBC paradigm with its Object/Relational Mapping project. This will provide the tools to map Java to SQL in two ways. Existing relational databases can be mapped to new Java classes, and new Java classes will have a persistent storage capability, allowing Java objects to be saved to and loaded from the relational databases. In both cases, no SQL should be required.

JDK 1.1 also includes the Remote Method Invocation (RMI) API for 100% Pure Java distributed applications. RMI allows applications in different virtual machines (VMs), whether on the same machine or across the network, to communicate. RMI is inherently Java-aware, supporting polymorphism and garbage collection across RMI connections.

JavaIDL is a Java API for interoperability and integration with CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture), an open standard for distributed computing across heterogeneous platforms and languages.

JavaIDL includes a Java-based Object Request Broker (ORB), which supports the Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP), and a CORBA-standard IDL compiler for generating client-side stubs and server-side code skeletons. JavaIDL will be available by late summer.

In December 1996, Sun also announced a standard API for transaction services called the Java Transaction Service (JTS) API. The JTS spec -- developed by Sun in collaboration with IBM, Tandem, and BEA Systems -- and implementation will be available by the end of the year.

Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) is a newly announced Java API to one or more directory services including LDAP, NDS, NIS, DNS, and others. It includes both an API for Java application programmers and an SPI (directory service provider interface) for the configuration and maintenance of directory services. JNDI enables developers to write Pure Java applications that can "name" and "locate" anything over the network. The JNDI spec review concludes April 10. Final spec will be released during Q2 1997; a reference implementation from JavaSoft will follow in Q3.

JMAPI, the Java Management API, allows Java developers to view and manage network resources. JMAPI includes three fundamental class types, including the Management Console (for viewing network resources from an application or browser), network-based Agents, and the Management Server, which communicates between the two.

Java Message Service is a new initiative to create a Java API for enterprise messaging. This API is intended to support messaging features such as reliable queues, publish/subscribe support, and capabilities for "push" and "pull" services.

Finally, Sun is providing a Java Servlet API through which any of several server types can be developed. A Web server is only one example of the type of network server that is possible through the Java Servlet API. Another current example is a Java Application Server, which could be used to serve applications to Network Computers.

Sun, with help from its industry partners, is trying to provide all of the basic Enterprise APIs a developer would need as the building blocks for a wide variety of business applications. Sun sees Java as the ideal, platform-independent, secure and robust platform for enterprise computing across three tiers, from the client (or browser), to middleware, to the server. From the looks of their announcements to date, Sun has covered most, if not all, of the bases.

JavaOne Today show coverage is provided by JavaWorld (www.javaworld.com), IDG's monthly Web-only publication for the Java developer community.

April 4, 1997 Complete Contents