Architecture for a new web based application

[Abbhinav Sharma]

Hi Folks

I am looking to make a Web Based application and need some help with deciding the specific technology frameworks that I can use.
The idea is to have something like a sports networking website (akin to Facebook for sports). It shall also publish live scores across different sports, which it shall receive as xml feeds from a a 3rd party.
Plan to have this done using opensource frameworks, therefore considering development in Java and using spring framework.
My idea so far is:
1. A 4-tiered architecture
2. Will include elements of Web Services
3. Still mulling over using EJBs (might need to scale up the application later)
4. Considering using Java 6 with spring 3.0 (need to know if the combination works well or there are issues with stability as is the case with new versions of most technologies) - Really need help here in knowing what would be the right combination of versions to pick, if the choice of language and framework itself is correct.
5. Shall need a Business Rules Engine- any suggestions on Java compatible opensource BREs?
6. What is the best application server to use within this combination? Tomcat/Jboss (Version)
7. What Database to use? HSQL

Hoping some doyens amongst you might shed some light
Looking forward to your replies.

Cheers
Bhootbravo

[Brian Burress]

Abbhinav,

You forgot to also ask:
1. What operating system should I use
2. What hardware will I need
3. What sort of disk spaceshould be planned
4. Where should I host the solution
.
.
.

Seriously though, while you have plenty of valid questions listed, I am not sure that you are going to get the help you are looking for on these forums. You are kind of asking folks to architect the system. I think you'll be better off developing your idea a little further and maybe do a little more research and breakdown the questions differently.

For example, on the point #5 - the business rules engine. Look into it yourself. If you don't find an open source one then maybe ask. If you do, try it out. If you don't understand how to use it then post a specific question.

Same thing for #6 - app server. If you design and create a solution to J2EE specs then you should be able to deploy it where you want. JBoss may be fine. Websphere or Weblogic may be better. Can you affort a commercial app server?

Only you know details of what you are trying to accomplish and what your budget is.

The last thing to point out is that you have possibly posted too much info about your end goal -- a sports social networking site. If you are doing this for fun no harm, but if you hope to release it and make money off of it, then those sort of details probably need to be kept to yourself. Hence, ask specific questions on specific topics after you have looked into them yourself.