On 3/31/99 9:58 AM, Steve Buonincontri wrote:
>
>Anyway, I still am a bit confused about a servlet runner VS. a web server
>running servlets as threads. What is the difference? Or should I say, when
>does one do servlet runner over running them in the webserver? My
>understanding with web servers supporting servlets is that you put the
>class files in the /servlet directory and the web server magically
>instantiates the objects when it boots up.
>
>As far as I know, when I run the servlet runner with IIS it is because IIS
>does not support servlets. The Java Web server runs servlets as threads
>inside itself therefore I do not need a servlet runner. (Is this true?)
>
>QUESTION: If I am going to run database and computational servlets on a web
>server machine (50-200 servlets serving many web applications) which web
>server software is the best to use? Is it Java Web Server, Fasttrack, etc.?
>
>Sorry for the confusion, I just don't understand why everyone is using
>servletrunners, if in fact web server software should be supporting these
>servlets.
>
The short answer is: you use a servlet runner (or servlet engine) when
your web server doesn't provide built-in servlet support. None of the
three most widely used web servers--IIS, Netscape, and Apache--provides
built-in servlet support (Netscape Enterprise provides limited servlet
support, but even they recommend using a third-party servlet engine).
The Java Web Server provides servlet support internal to the web server,
running on web server threads (put another way, it has its own built-in
servlet engine). Some servlet engines operate in a similar manner:
they're loaded internally by the web server as a DLL or shared object and
run on web server threads. Other servlet runners do things differently:
they operate as standalone "peer" servers that communicate with the web
server via network sockets.
As for which is "best," that's a complex question that depends on your
particular application, and for which there won't always be the same
answer. You should evaluate the Java Web Server versus the various web
server/servlet engine combinations against your criteria of features,
performance, price, robustness, etc. when making a decision. In many
cases, a native-language web server combined with a servlet engine will
provide features and performance not available with the Java Web Server;
it will also probably cost more.
Does this clear things up or make it more confusing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vince Bonfanti [EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Atlanta Communications, LLC http://www.newatlanta.com/
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"Java Servlet Technology Leaders"
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