Testing a server class can be difficult. A test sequence written as a client program may have only limited access to the features of the server class. Likewise, a freestanding test program may not provide a realistic context for the server class. This tip will show you how to execute tests of your server class from within the virtual machine of the running server. This technique will even allow you to execute tests or diagnostic sequences that did not exist when the server was started. (1,950 words)
2. J2SE 1.4 breathes new life into the CORBA community, Part 1
CORBA complements the Java platform by providing a distributed-object framework, services to support that framework, and interoperability with other languages. The Java platform complements CORBA by providing Write Once, Run Anywhere portability, a highly productive implementation environment, and a robust platform. By combining Java with CORBA and other key enterprise technologies, the Java 2 Platform offers the ultimate platform for distributed technology solutions. In this four-part series on enterprise CORBA development, Tarak Modi explores the new CORBA features in J2SE (Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition) 1.4, and discusses how you can use them to create highly scalable and robust applications. Part 1 will touch upon these features and end with a brief tutorial on creating a simple CORBA-based application using J2SE 1.4. (2,300 words; August 30, 2002)
3. J2SE 1.4 breathes new life into the CORBA community, Part 2
The Portable Object Adapter (POA), introduced in CORBA 2.2, replaced CORBA's Basic Object Adapter (BOA). An object adapter represents a core piece of the CORBA runtime on the server. Because the BOA was weakly defined, vendors introduced their own value-added services to their BOA implementations, thus creating incompatibilities. POA resolves that issue. In Part 2 of this series on enterprise CORBA development, Tarak Modi begins exploring J2SE (Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition) 1.4's POA support. (2,800 words; September 27, 2002)
4. J2SE 1.4 breathes new life into the CORBA community, Part 3
In Part 2 of this series on enterprise CORBA development, Tarak Modi described the Portable Object Adapter (POA), which was introduced in CORBA 2.2 as a replacement for the Basic Object Adapter (BOA). The POA allows for a level of code (and skill) portability not possible with the BOA. In this hands-on article, Tarak shows you how to use the POA to create enterprise-level applications. (2,800 words; October 25, 2002)
5. J2SE 1.4 breathes new life into the CORBA community, Part 4
In the conclusion to this four-part series on enterprise CORBA development with J2SE (Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition) 1.4, Tarak Modi discusses two important topics: portable interceptors and the Interoperable Naming Service (INS). Those interested in extending ORB functionality, whether to provide additional logging and debugging information, or pass additional call context information during runtime, will find portable interceptors useful; they provide a standard and portable way of extending the ORB. All CORBA developers will find the section on the INS refreshing because it provides a layer on top of the CORBA Naming Service that features support for stringified and user friendly URL names and standardized bootstrapping. (2,000 words; November 29, 2002)
While the need for interoperability between Java and .Net has become a common problem in larger organizations, CORBA is often not the first choice of techniques for building a bridge between the two worlds. The lack of a commercially available CORBA implementation for .Net required a high up-front investment into this technology, resulting in significant increases in cost and time to market. Since the release of MiddTec's MiddCor earlier this year, this barrier has vanished. In this article, Christian Donner explores the fundamental concepts of using CORBA in a heterogeneous environment consisting of Java and .Net. The article features a simple application that implements object-level calls from Java to .Net in less than 50 lines of source code. (1,600 words; May 17, 2004)
A number of different technologies exist for building distributed client/server applications on the Web, but for apps that must service large numbers of users, the clear choice is CORBA with its scalable nature and broad industry support. By leveraging the strengths of the Java programming language with the robustness of CORBA, Java developers can build industrial-strength applications on the Web now using existing standards-based technologies. In this article, we'll begin with an overview of CORBA and then we'll build an n-tiered client/server application as a case study of the technology. Plus: We compare CORBA, RMI, and DCOM in the sidebar Distributed object alternatives. (3,500 words)
8. Applied CORBA: Integrating legacy code with the Web
Developing Web-based applications using CORBA provides a number of advantages over the other distributed object technologies (RMI and DCOM). This month we're going to cash in on one of the biggest advantages: support for legacy code. The ability to reuse existing code while making use of newer technologies like Java makes CORBA a good choice for developers interested in opening up existing applications to an intranet or the Internet. (2,300 words)
