Sun Java Enterprise System 5 Technical Overview

System Service Components

A number of Java ES components provide the main services that support distributed software solutions. These system services include portal services, identity and security services, web container services, J2EE application services, and persistence services.

The system service components that provide these distributed services and the services they provide are listed alphabetically and briefly described in the following table. Each system service component is a multithreaded server process capable of supporting a large number of clients. For more details on each component, see System Service Components.

Table 1–1 Java ES System Service Components

Component 

System Services Provided 

Sun Java System Access Manager

Provides access management and digital identity administration services. Access management services include authentication (including single sign-on) and role-based authorization for access to applications and/or services. Administration services include centralized administration of individual user accounts, roles, groups, and policies.

Sun Java System Application Server

Provides J2EE container services for Enterprise JavaBeansTM (EJB) components, such as session beans, entity beans, and message-driven beans. The container provides the infrastructure services needed for tightly coupled distributed components to interact, making the Application Server a platform for the development and execution of e-commerce applications and web services. Application Server also provides web container services.

Sun Java System Directory Server

Provides a central repository for storing and managing intranet and Internet information such as identity profiles (employees, customers, suppliers, and so forth), user credentials (public key certificates, passwords, and pin numbers), access privileges, application resource information, and network resource information. 

Java DB [Java ES 5 is the first release to include Java DB as a product component. Java DB was first released as a shared component named Derby Database and was included in Java ES 2005Q4.]

Provides a lightweight database for Java application development. Java DB is Sun's supported distribution of the open source Apache Derby 100% Java technology database.

Sun Java System Message Queue

Provides reliable, asynchronous messaging between loosely coupled distributed components and applications. Message Queue implements the Java Message Service (JMS) API specification and adds enterprise features such as security, scalability, and remote administration.

Sun Java System Portal Server

Provides key portal services, such as content aggregation and personalization, to browser-based clients accessing business applications or services. Portal Server also provides a configurable search engine. 

Sun Java System Service Registry

Provides a registry and repository to support web service-oriented architecture (SOA) applications. Service Registry implements industry standards for registering and discovering web services as well as for managing the associated information and facts, artifacts, such as XML schema, business process rules, access control, version control, and so forth. 

Sun Java System Web Server

Provides J2EE web container services for Java web components, such as Java servlet and JavaServer PagesTM (JSPTM) components. Web Server also supports other web application technologies for delivering static and dynamic web content, such as CGI scripts and Sun Java System Active Server Pages.