Interaction between applications and Application server zones

[Prasanna Raman]

Hello,

I am relatively new to the IT world, and am still trying to understand how it all fits together. We have 2 main applications being used by our team - one is the Web app, and the other is service.

The web app interacts with the service to carry out certain functions. They both use Websphere8. I read somewhere that the web app is in Zone 2 and the service in Zone 3. What does it mean? I also read somewhere that SOAP service is being used. Is that how the web app communicates with the service? How does interaction exactly take place and what are these zones?

[Claude Moore]

I don't know if Zone 2 and Zone 3 are any standard definition for distributed web applications - I used to know that there is usually a demilitarized Zone with a web server exposed to any client and one or more back end server running application services, with the two layers being connected by any TCP/IP protocol well suited for specific business scenario; but my knowledge about security strategies and web server topology may be outdated.
It is also difficult to say how these parts communicate each other. You say that you have read somewhere about Soap communication. That may be one of several communication possibilities among servers... But exactly, where did you read about these terms? It looks like you have read some documentation of the company you are working for...
Anyway, I flagged your question, hoping that any other member may reply. I am curious.