> -----Original Message----- > From: Jeremy Boynes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To clarify, I think the spec defines deployment as the > process of taking a generic (vendor-neutral) assembled > application and getting it to run on a platform. The [J2EE] > spec sub-divides this into three tasks: Installation, > Configuration and Execution [pp 17]; the Deployment spec [88] > keeps the same concepts in a different order: Configuration, > Distribution and Start [pp 8]. This latter makes more sense > in a clustered environment. > > I believe that the Deployment Descriptors are the > standardized input to the Configuration process. The > specification does not define what a platform's configuration > data looks like, allowing solutions such as WebLogic's where > is it stored in the archive as XML files, or solutions such > as WebSphere's where it is stored in a configuration repository. > > There is no requirement for the platform to read the > deployment descriptor itself at runtime; a platform may > choose to do so (especially if that is the sole location for > configuration information, e.g. BEA or JBoss) but it is not required. > > This allows us, if we wish, to pre-compile the configuration > information into other forms. For example, it could be an > archive of serialized MBean states that can simply be > unmarshalled by the server and started. This has many > potential advantages, such as reducing the startup time for > very large applications or reducing the resources required > for an embedded server.
This is obviously a compelling scenario. I'm sold. Alan
