The Jolt Web Application Services Toolkit is an extension to the Jolt 1.1 Java class library. The Toolkit allows the Jolt client class library to be used in a Web Server (such as the Netscape Enterprise Server or Microsoft Internet Information Server) to provide an interface between HTML clients or browsers, and TUXEDO services.

The Jolt Web Application Services provides an ease-of-use interface for processing and generating dynamic HTML pages with the Jolt Web Application Services. You do not need to learn how to write Common Gateway Interface (CGI) transactional programs to access TUXEDO services.

Netscape Enterprise Server 3.01 and the Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 are the supported Web servers for the Jolt Web Application Services.

The following topics are discussed in this chapter:

• Key Features

• How the Jolt Web Application Services Works

Key Features

The Jolt Web Application Services, an extension to the Jolt class library, enables TUXEDO services and transactions to be invoked from a Web server using a scripting language.

Some of the benefits of this architecture include:

• The HTML interface is preserved.

• The need to download Java class files is eliminated along with the delays associated with the download.

• Session Pooling efficiently utilizes the TUXEDO resources.

• Leverages industry standard HTTP protocol with encryption, and firewall configuration for the Web server.

  Note: Asynchronous notification is not available in the Web Application Services. It is recommended that Jolt enabled Java clients (applets) be written using a retained connection to support asynchronous notification.

Refer to Chapter 3, "Using the Web Application Services Toolkit," for information about the how to use the Jolt Web Application services and complete a sample walkthrough.

How the Jolt Web Application Services Works

The Jolt Web Application Services architecture includes three main components: a session, a session pool, and a session pool manager. A session object represents a connection with the TUXEDO system. A session pool represents many physical connections between the Web server and the TUXEDO system. It also associates a session with an HTTP request.

The session pool manager is responsible for maintaining a set of session objects, each having a unique session identifier.

1. If the Web application has not be initialized the Web Application initializes the session pool manager, creates a session pool, and establishes sessions (also known as connections) with the Jolt Server.

2. When a service request arrives, the Web application gets a session pool object from the session pool manager. The session pool invokes the service call using the session that is the "least busy," based on the number of outstanding call requests on a given session.

3. If the selected session is terminated by the Jolt server, the session pool object restarts a new session or reroutes the request to another session. If the session pool manager is unable to get any session, a null session object is returned.

A graphical representation of the Web Application Services architecture is shown in Figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1 Jolt Web Application Services Architecture

Refer to the Chapter 4, "Web Application Services Class Library Reference," for additional information about the SessionPool Class and SessionPoolManager Class.

Refer to Chapter 3, "Using the Web Application Services Toolkit," for information about the how to use the Jolt Web Application services and complete a sample walkthrough.