Performance / Security Question

[ahmad namini]

This may be the incorrect forum for this question, but I thought I would ask anyway.
I have an EJB which needs to make a remote call to another EJB. Currently, I have implemented an AXIS message-style web service which can act as a proxy to the remote EJB. Obviously, I can also invoke a remote call to the EJB. Please note that the remote call could very well be a machine in a different enterprise, hence the use of a web service permits me to penetrate the firewall.
Thus, the questions are as follows:
1. If all things considered are the same, from a performance perspective, which would be most likely more efficient?
a) A call to the web service proxy.
b) Through a remote call if the machine is not behind a firewall.
2. If the remote call is more efficient, is there any way to ensure a remote EJB call to pass through a firewall?
Thanks.

[Kyle Brown]

From the performance tests we've run we've found that a call with RMI-IIOP is about 5-7 times faster than a web services SOAP/HTTP call.
And no, there's generally no way to tell which to use automatically -- this will probably end up being a configuration parameter you'll have to set up on your EJB clients.
Kyle

[ahmad namini]

Thanks Kyle:
My first reaction to the 5-7 times is WOW (i wouldn't think that it would be that high!). Can you explain a little about your test-bed. I will definitely create a small test-bed, and check the performance issues as well.
Are there any rules-of-thumb to better enhance the web service proxy. Security is a major concern of our clients, and thus, a web service over HTTP(S) seems to be the ideal answer.
Thanks again.
[ November 07, 2002: Message edited by: Ahmad Namini ]