How much control on the servlet ?

[Jay Sam]

Hi,

our application is built on Servlet/EJB tech.

we are servicing two types of clients: web browsers, and a java application, basically just differing in presentation, not in business logic. Would you make the java
application client use the same servlet that is responsible for
controlling the jsps ? Is this easily possible ? I would personally like
the solution to access the ejb container directly with the java
application client, not going through servlets. In a scenario where web
server (which is also servlet container) and ejb-container (which has
sometimes no servlet-container, and no webserver) are separated, I would
like the servlets to render only for the web clients, the ejb container
handling all business logic, and being "open" to all sorts of clients,
also non-web-based. In such a scenario, would you use the servlets to
communicate to other than web clients ? Even if they reside on the
webserver tier ? Tell me your opinion. I personally do not know how
portable web servlets are. But I think EJB�s are more portable (are they
??), so servlets should be as web-dedicated as possible, and the
ejb-container should be ready to service multiple kinds of clients.

Regards,

Jay

[Colin Fletcher]

The use of one technology over another or in combination really depends on a number of things. If the application is internal to a single enterprise, a combination of both would seem reasonable. However, if you have external partners requiring access to the application, opening the EJB layer would prove more difficult. Directing HTTP traffic in most companies is easier.

If the application is only ever going to be used internally, I would not force java applications to use the servlet interface. If the plan for the application is to distribute the thick client to external partners/clients/customers, then it would seem "reasonable" (single point of entry, re-usability, bla bla bla)...

My $.02
-C