Apache Module - Orion's Implementation
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mod_access - UserManager
mod_actions Apache 1.1 and later.
mod_alias
mod_asis
mod_auth - UserManager
mod_auth_anon - UserManager
mod_auth_db - UserManager
mod_auth_dbm - UserManager
mod_auth_digest - UserManager
mod_autoindex
mod_browser Apache 1.2.* only
mod_cern_meta
mod_cgi - CGIServlet
mod_cookies up to Apache 1.1.1
mod_digest
mod_dir
mod_dll Apache 1.3b1 to 1.3b5 only - JNI
mod_env
*mod_example Apache 1.2 and up - who cares...
+mod_expires Apache 1.2 and up - Servlet Filter
+mod_headers Apache 1.2 and up - Servlet Filter
+mod_imap - Servlets
mod_include - JSP
mod_info - Can be retrived from objects in JNDI
*mod_isapi - who cares...
mod_log_agent
mod_log_common up to Apache 1.1.1
mod_log_config
mod_log_referer
mod_mime
mod_mime_magic
mod_mmap_static - JSP
mod_negotiation
*mod_proxy - not sure
mod_rewrite Apache 1.2 and up
+mod_setenvif Apache 1.3 and up - Servlet Filter, UserManager
mod_so Apache 1.3 and up - JNI
+mod_speling Apache 1.3 and up - Servlet Filter
mod_status - Admin Console (not out yet, but I'm looking forward to it:>
*nudge* )
mod_userdir
+mod_unique_id Apache 1.3 and up - Servlet
mod_usertrack Apache 1.2 and up
mod_vhost_alias Apache 1.3.7 and up
* = not supported(AFAIK)
+ = You might have to implement some of this your self
= Standard Orion feature.
A lot of these are obsolete technologies that Orion has better ways of
implementing. For example mod_auth_* are all replaced by the UserManager
Interface. This allows you to use the principles.xml file, the "standard"
EJBUsermanager, the "standard" DataSourceUserManager, or implement the interface
your self and create your own custom UserManager. Orion also has form based
login to protected resources, which I have to say is one of my favorite little
features. It's just SO COOL. :) With the CGIServlet Orion supports Perl, PHP,
and Cold Fusion to name a few. Front Page Server Extentions is one of the only
lacking things in that department(anybody wanna help start a team to work on
this).
This doesn't even factor in all the things for Servlets/JSP development that
Orion does that JServ/Tomcat can't do. With one of the more common uses of
Servlets being a connection to a Database, having Orion maintain any number of
javax.sql.ConnectionPooledDataSource(s) is a very attractive feature. Also you
have access to the full J2EE platform which provides you a very strong framebase
for rapidly building Enterprise class applications. I can't speak for anybody
else, but J2EE and Orion has allowed me to build more complicated, and complete
sites in less time, causing my productivity to skyrocket.
I also think Orion is better than say WebLogic because it is so much easier
to administer. When I first installed WebLogic I was totally confused. It is
overly complicated. Orion may not currently have a nice fancy admin GUI, but you
can look in the XML files and see what is happening, and understand everything.
I even have our designers looking in the config files with minimal fear, and we
all know how dumb designers are(hehe,jk). This allows me to spend less time with
administration, and more time coding.
The next version of Orion will have OR(Object<-->Relational)-mapping which
should speed up development even more. I have been testing the beta, and it's
great. The new database schema are fantastic. Also EJBMaker will feature support
for creating Views in 0.9.1(rumor). If you have created Views manually, you know
how great a feature this is.
You can port any Apache plug-in over to Orion. You will have to do some
rethinking of how the "plug-in" works, but most should port just
fine.<disclaimer>I don't work with custom Apache modules, and I have never
writen one, so I could be WAY off base here, but I think I'm really
close.</disclamer>
Anyway, I would personally like to thank the Orion team for all their great
work. You guys make a great product.
Noah Nordrum
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hyperride Technologies
P.S. JDJ is having a poll about Java tools. I'm sure the Orion team would be
greatful if you all would go and vote for Orion as your favorite Application
Server. The survey is at http://www.sys-con.com/java/readerschoice2000/.
