Application Architecture for WebSphere
A Practical Approach to Building WebSphere Applications
Published on 25. September 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-0-13-712926-3 (ISBN)
Description
Architect IBM (R) WebSphere (R) Applications for Maximum Performance, Security, Flexibility, Usability, and Value Successful, high-value WebSphere applications begin with effective architecture. Now, one of IBM's leading WebSphere and WebSphere Portal architects offers a hands-on, best-practice guide to every facet of defining, planning, and implementing WebSphere application architectures. Joey Bernal shows working architects and teams how to define layered architectural standards that can be used across the entire organization, improving application quality without compromising flexibility.
Bernal begins by illuminating the role of architecture and the responsibilities of the architect in WebSphere applications and SOA environments. Next, he introduces specific architectural techniques for addressing persistence, application performance, security, functionality, user interaction, and much more.
Bernal presents a series of sample architectures drawn from his work with several leading organizations, demonstrating how architectures can evolve to support new layers and changing business requirements. Throughout, his techniques are specific enough to address realistic enterprise challenges, while still sufficiently high-level to be useful in diverse and heterogeneous environments.
Coverage includes
* Choosing persistence frameworks that serve business requirements without excessive complexity
* Avoiding persistence-related problems with performance, security, or application functionality
* Designing and deploying effective middle layers and dependent libraries within WebSphere Application Server
* Using WebSphere mechanisms and architectural techniques to avoid common security attacks such as SQL injection
* Improving performance with WebSphere Application Server caching, including Distributed Maps and Servlet/JSP fragment caching
* Using presentation frameworks to provide fast, robust, and attractive user interaction
* Incorporating portals that provide a standardized framework for merging multiple applications
Joey Bernal is an Executive IT Specialist with IBM Software Services for Lotus. Senior Certified with IBM as an IT Specialist, he has an extensive background in designing and developing Web and Portal Applications. He often leads IBM teams that have assisted dozens of clients in leveraging WebSphere Portal to address architecture, design, and implementation challenges. A frequent speaker on WebSphere and portal topics, Bernal is coauthor of Programming Portlets, and hosts the developerWorks blog: WebSphere Portal in Action. Prior to joining IBM, he was Director of IT for an incentive and performance improvement company, and served as lead technical advisor and architect for high-profile Internet and intranet applications at several Fortune 500 companies. You can also visit the author's Web site at www.bernal.net.
The IBM Press developerWorks (R) Series is a unique undertaking in which print books and the Web are mutually supportive. The publications in this series are complemented by resources on the developerWorks Web site on ibm.com (R). Icons throughout the book alert the reader to these valuable resources.
Bernal begins by illuminating the role of architecture and the responsibilities of the architect in WebSphere applications and SOA environments. Next, he introduces specific architectural techniques for addressing persistence, application performance, security, functionality, user interaction, and much more.
Bernal presents a series of sample architectures drawn from his work with several leading organizations, demonstrating how architectures can evolve to support new layers and changing business requirements. Throughout, his techniques are specific enough to address realistic enterprise challenges, while still sufficiently high-level to be useful in diverse and heterogeneous environments.
Coverage includes
* Choosing persistence frameworks that serve business requirements without excessive complexity
* Avoiding persistence-related problems with performance, security, or application functionality
* Designing and deploying effective middle layers and dependent libraries within WebSphere Application Server
* Using WebSphere mechanisms and architectural techniques to avoid common security attacks such as SQL injection
* Improving performance with WebSphere Application Server caching, including Distributed Maps and Servlet/JSP fragment caching
* Using presentation frameworks to provide fast, robust, and attractive user interaction
* Incorporating portals that provide a standardized framework for merging multiple applications
Joey Bernal is an Executive IT Specialist with IBM Software Services for Lotus. Senior Certified with IBM as an IT Specialist, he has an extensive background in designing and developing Web and Portal Applications. He often leads IBM teams that have assisted dozens of clients in leveraging WebSphere Portal to address architecture, design, and implementation challenges. A frequent speaker on WebSphere and portal topics, Bernal is coauthor of Programming Portlets, and hosts the developerWorks blog: WebSphere Portal in Action. Prior to joining IBM, he was Director of IT for an incentive and performance improvement company, and served as lead technical advisor and architect for high-profile Internet and intranet applications at several Fortune 500 companies. You can also visit the author's Web site at www.bernal.net.
The IBM Press developerWorks (R) Series is a unique undertaking in which print books and the Web are mutually supportive. The publications in this series are complemented by resources on the developerWorks Web site on ibm.com (R). Icons throughout the book alert the reader to these valuable resources.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Armonk
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
496 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-13-712926-3 (9780137129263)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Anthony (Joey) Bernal is an executive IT specialist with Software Services for Lotus, and a member of the WebSphere Portal Practice. Senior certified with IBM as an IT specialist, he has an extensive background in the design and development of portal and web applications. He is the coauthor of several books, including Programming Portlets 2E; Programming Portlets, the IBM Portal Solutions Guide for Practitioners; and from a previous life, Professional Site Server 3.0. He also contributes to his popular blog, WebSphere Portal in Action.
Mr. Bernal helps to lead the Software Services team in many areas, including application architecture and design, performance, and assisting clients with their cross-brand challenges that leverage WebSphere Portal. By its inherent nature of being a platform to integrate applications at the desktop, WebSphere Portal projects require significant cross-brand expertise. All WebSphere Portal projects have products from multiple brands, and many have products from all five brands in the solution. Specifically, he works to reduce the challenges presented by the cross-brand nature of WebSphere Portal projects, especially in the use of newer technologies such as the integration of WebSphere Portal with services-oriented architectures.
Prior to joining IBM, Mr. Bernal was the director of IT for an incentive and performance improvement company. Mr. Bernal was also the lead technical advisor and architect of multiple high-profile Internet and intranet applications for several Fortune 500 companies.
Mr. Bernal helps to lead the Software Services team in many areas, including application architecture and design, performance, and assisting clients with their cross-brand challenges that leverage WebSphere Portal. By its inherent nature of being a platform to integrate applications at the desktop, WebSphere Portal projects require significant cross-brand expertise. All WebSphere Portal projects have products from multiple brands, and many have products from all five brands in the solution. Specifically, he works to reduce the challenges presented by the cross-brand nature of WebSphere Portal projects, especially in the use of newer technologies such as the integration of WebSphere Portal with services-oriented architectures.
Prior to joining IBM, Mr. Bernal was the director of IT for an incentive and performance improvement company. Mr. Bernal was also the lead technical advisor and architect of multiple high-profile Internet and intranet applications for several Fortune 500 companies.
Content
Foreword xix
Acknowledgments xxi
About the Author xxiii
Preface xxv
Chapter 1 Application Architecture 1
What Is Application Architecture? 1
Architects and Architecture 2
Application Architecture and Engineering 7
WebSphere and IBM 8
IBM WebSphere Application Server 9
A Word about Specifications 13
How Close to the Specification Should I Stay with My Architecture? 13
WebSphere Extensions to Consider 14
One Size Does Not Fit All 15
Building Blocks of Application Architecture 16
Detail in Layering 18
A Complete Example 18
Layers Versus Tiers 22
Deployment Patterns for a Layered Architecture 24
Layers Versus Modules 27
A View Perspective on Architecture 30
Conclusion 31
References 31
Chapter 2 Setting a Standard 33
Organizational Standards and Conventions 33
Putting the "Engineering" in Software Engineering 34
Standards Documentation 36
Naming Standards and Conventions 36
Packages 37
Classes and Interfaces 37
Functions and Methods 38
Variables and Constants 38
Java Server Pages 38
Internal Documentation 39
Class Header Information 40
Class Methods 41
Getters and Setters 41
Inline Comments 41
Logging and Tracing 42
System.out 43
Using the Logger 43
Logging Levels 45
Method-Level Timers 47
Working with Logging and Tracing 49
Too Much Logging? 50
Why Not Use Aspects? 51
Exception and Error Handling 51
Project and Packaging File Structure 53
Using External Libraries 54
Unit Testing Requirements 55
What Is a Unit? 58
The Trouble with Web Testing 58
Agile Approaches 59
Code Completion and Review Process Requirements 59
Code Reviews 60
You Don't Have to Know Java for a Code Review 62
Communicating the Vision the Wiki Way 62
Conclusion 63
Reference 64
Chapter 3 Persistence Matters 65
Types of Persistence Frameworks 65
Object/Relational Mapping 66
SQL-Based Frameworks 66
Why Not Roll Your Own Framework? 66
WebSphere Data Source Resource Reference 67
iBATIS Framework 68
Implementing the Customer Class and Customer SQL Mapping 72
Configurating iBATIS 74
Adding the Spring DAO Framework 76
Running a Test 80
Transactional Thinking 82
EJB 3 and the Java Persistence API 83
Understanding the Approach 84
Entities with POJOs and Annotations 84
Entity Managers 88
Testing the Application 93
Remote Clients 94
Conclusion 97
Chapter 4 Designing the Middle Tiers 99
Business Logic 99
Another HelloWorld Example 101
Making the Business Layer Accessible 103
Getting Ready for Unit Testing 105
WebSphere Shared Libraries 107
Making the Library Visible 110
Mapping Shared Libraries to Class Loaders 114
Testing the Business Layer 116
Controlling Shared Libraries 117
Implementation Options 120
Business Process Layers 122
Conclusion 123
References 123
Chapter 5 Presentation Frameworks 125
Choosing a Presentation Framework 125
JavaServer Faces 127
Lifecycle Phase Listener 130
About the Sample Application 131
Masking and Conversion Errors 144
JSF as a Standard 146
IBM's JWL 146
Conclusion 147
References 148
Chapter 6 Investing in a Portal 149
Incorporating a Portal into Your Architecture 150
Virtual Portal Technology 151
Business-to-Employee (B2E) Portals 152
Business Process or Forms-Based Portal 152
Portals Versus the Web App 153
Role-based Navigation and Content Delivery 153
Security and Single Sign-on 153
Content Personalization 154
Portlet Aggregation and Composite Applications 154
Applications as Portlets 154
The Java Portlet API 156
Java Portlet API 2.0 158
Portlet Preferences 160
A Simple Portlet Example 161
Switching Modes Programmatically 168
Conclusion 172
References 173
Chapter 7 SOA and Web Services 175
Pinning Down SOA 175
How to Implement SOA 177
Service Modeling 177
Services as Business Functions 177
Managing Service Data Elements 178
A Commitment from the Business 178
Things to Consider about Web Services 179
Performance 179
Standardization 180
Manageability 180
Web Services Feature Pack for WAS 181
Credit Limit Service 182
Testing the Service 184
Building a New Client Application 187
Simple REST-Based Services 189
Conclusion 194
References 195
Chapter 8 Caching and Performance 197
Designing for Performance 197
Architecture Concerns 198
Performance Terminology 199
Caching Considerations 199
Caching Design Options 200
Sizing a Cache 201
When Not to Cache 202
User Session Caching 202
Caching in WebSphere Application Server 203
IBM HTTP Server and the Caching Plug-in 205
Using the Distributed Map 206
Creating a New Distributed Map 206
Testing the Distributed Map 209
HTML Fragment Caching 214
Monitoring the Fragment Cache 216
ESI Plug-in Caching 217
Conclusion 218
References 218
Chapter 9 Keeping Things Secure 219
Why Security Is Important 219
The Role of the Security Architect 221
SQL Injection Example 222
Protecting against SQL Injection Attacks 224
WebSphere Security Basics 225
Authenticating Application Users 225
Adding a Filter to the Login Process 236
Architecting for Security 237
WebSphere Single Sign-on 238
WebSphere Authorization 239
Conclusion 241
Chapter 10 Managing Your Applications 243
Managing Applications 243
Enforcing Architecture Adherence 244
Standing by Your Decisions 245
Documenting Libraries 245
Managing Organizational Process 246
Avoiding Common Process Malpractices 249
Enforcing Adherence and Reuse with Technology Solutions 251
Using a Registry and Repository 251
Project Methodology 253
Common Methodology Problems 254
Change Control Board 255
Conclusion 256
References 257
Appendix A Setting up the Data Sample 259
Getting Started 259
Database and Schema 260
Setting Up Your Data Environment 261
Creating the DB2 Database 262
Load the Classic Models Data 264
Creating a WebSphere Data Source 266
Conclusion 275
Appendix B Running the Examples 277
Chapter Code Samples 277
Chapter 2 278
Chapter 3 278
Chapter 4 278
Chapter 5 278
Chapter 6 279
Chapter 7 279
Chapter 8 279
Chapter 9 280
Conclusion 280
Index 283
Acknowledgments xxi
About the Author xxiii
Preface xxv
Chapter 1 Application Architecture 1
What Is Application Architecture? 1
Architects and Architecture 2
Application Architecture and Engineering 7
WebSphere and IBM 8
IBM WebSphere Application Server 9
A Word about Specifications 13
How Close to the Specification Should I Stay with My Architecture? 13
WebSphere Extensions to Consider 14
One Size Does Not Fit All 15
Building Blocks of Application Architecture 16
Detail in Layering 18
A Complete Example 18
Layers Versus Tiers 22
Deployment Patterns for a Layered Architecture 24
Layers Versus Modules 27
A View Perspective on Architecture 30
Conclusion 31
References 31
Chapter 2 Setting a Standard 33
Organizational Standards and Conventions 33
Putting the "Engineering" in Software Engineering 34
Standards Documentation 36
Naming Standards and Conventions 36
Packages 37
Classes and Interfaces 37
Functions and Methods 38
Variables and Constants 38
Java Server Pages 38
Internal Documentation 39
Class Header Information 40
Class Methods 41
Getters and Setters 41
Inline Comments 41
Logging and Tracing 42
System.out 43
Using the Logger 43
Logging Levels 45
Method-Level Timers 47
Working with Logging and Tracing 49
Too Much Logging? 50
Why Not Use Aspects? 51
Exception and Error Handling 51
Project and Packaging File Structure 53
Using External Libraries 54
Unit Testing Requirements 55
What Is a Unit? 58
The Trouble with Web Testing 58
Agile Approaches 59
Code Completion and Review Process Requirements 59
Code Reviews 60
You Don't Have to Know Java for a Code Review 62
Communicating the Vision the Wiki Way 62
Conclusion 63
Reference 64
Chapter 3 Persistence Matters 65
Types of Persistence Frameworks 65
Object/Relational Mapping 66
SQL-Based Frameworks 66
Why Not Roll Your Own Framework? 66
WebSphere Data Source Resource Reference 67
iBATIS Framework 68
Implementing the Customer Class and Customer SQL Mapping 72
Configurating iBATIS 74
Adding the Spring DAO Framework 76
Running a Test 80
Transactional Thinking 82
EJB 3 and the Java Persistence API 83
Understanding the Approach 84
Entities with POJOs and Annotations 84
Entity Managers 88
Testing the Application 93
Remote Clients 94
Conclusion 97
Chapter 4 Designing the Middle Tiers 99
Business Logic 99
Another HelloWorld Example 101
Making the Business Layer Accessible 103
Getting Ready for Unit Testing 105
WebSphere Shared Libraries 107
Making the Library Visible 110
Mapping Shared Libraries to Class Loaders 114
Testing the Business Layer 116
Controlling Shared Libraries 117
Implementation Options 120
Business Process Layers 122
Conclusion 123
References 123
Chapter 5 Presentation Frameworks 125
Choosing a Presentation Framework 125
JavaServer Faces 127
Lifecycle Phase Listener 130
About the Sample Application 131
Masking and Conversion Errors 144
JSF as a Standard 146
IBM's JWL 146
Conclusion 147
References 148
Chapter 6 Investing in a Portal 149
Incorporating a Portal into Your Architecture 150
Virtual Portal Technology 151
Business-to-Employee (B2E) Portals 152
Business Process or Forms-Based Portal 152
Portals Versus the Web App 153
Role-based Navigation and Content Delivery 153
Security and Single Sign-on 153
Content Personalization 154
Portlet Aggregation and Composite Applications 154
Applications as Portlets 154
The Java Portlet API 156
Java Portlet API 2.0 158
Portlet Preferences 160
A Simple Portlet Example 161
Switching Modes Programmatically 168
Conclusion 172
References 173
Chapter 7 SOA and Web Services 175
Pinning Down SOA 175
How to Implement SOA 177
Service Modeling 177
Services as Business Functions 177
Managing Service Data Elements 178
A Commitment from the Business 178
Things to Consider about Web Services 179
Performance 179
Standardization 180
Manageability 180
Web Services Feature Pack for WAS 181
Credit Limit Service 182
Testing the Service 184
Building a New Client Application 187
Simple REST-Based Services 189
Conclusion 194
References 195
Chapter 8 Caching and Performance 197
Designing for Performance 197
Architecture Concerns 198
Performance Terminology 199
Caching Considerations 199
Caching Design Options 200
Sizing a Cache 201
When Not to Cache 202
User Session Caching 202
Caching in WebSphere Application Server 203
IBM HTTP Server and the Caching Plug-in 205
Using the Distributed Map 206
Creating a New Distributed Map 206
Testing the Distributed Map 209
HTML Fragment Caching 214
Monitoring the Fragment Cache 216
ESI Plug-in Caching 217
Conclusion 218
References 218
Chapter 9 Keeping Things Secure 219
Why Security Is Important 219
The Role of the Security Architect 221
SQL Injection Example 222
Protecting against SQL Injection Attacks 224
WebSphere Security Basics 225
Authenticating Application Users 225
Adding a Filter to the Login Process 236
Architecting for Security 237
WebSphere Single Sign-on 238
WebSphere Authorization 239
Conclusion 241
Chapter 10 Managing Your Applications 243
Managing Applications 243
Enforcing Architecture Adherence 244
Standing by Your Decisions 245
Documenting Libraries 245
Managing Organizational Process 246
Avoiding Common Process Malpractices 249
Enforcing Adherence and Reuse with Technology Solutions 251
Using a Registry and Repository 251
Project Methodology 253
Common Methodology Problems 254
Change Control Board 255
Conclusion 256
References 257
Appendix A Setting up the Data Sample 259
Getting Started 259
Database and Schema 260
Setting Up Your Data Environment 261
Creating the DB2 Database 262
Load the Classic Models Data 264
Creating a WebSphere Data Source 266
Conclusion 275
Appendix B Running the Examples 277
Chapter Code Samples 277
Chapter 2 278
Chapter 3 278
Chapter 4 278
Chapter 5 278
Chapter 6 279
Chapter 7 279
Chapter 8 279
Chapter 9 280
Conclusion 280
Index 283