The Sun ONE Web Proxy Server is a software product that collects data from the network, determines where that data should go, and distributes it accordingly. Acting as a network traffic manager, it reduces the number of requests to remote content servers and lessens network traffic. The result is that user wait times are lowered and network performance is boosted. The Sun ONE Web Proxy Server also provides a secure gateway for content distribution and acts as a control point for Internet traffic, making communications managed by the product not only efficient, but secure.

Sun Java System Web Server releases are available for download at http://wwws.sun.com/software/download/products/4149bc42.html.

Unit Testing WebLogic Workshop 8.1 Applications

Sample Extension for BEA WebLogic Workshop

Abstract

In this paper I describe how to do unit testing of applications developed with WebLogic Platform 8.1 using JUnit. I will show how you can write and run unit tests for all components of a generic WebLogic Platform application during application development. This paper is intended for lead developers and architects who are planning to integrate JUnit into the WebLogic Platform.

Introduction

Unit testing is a key practice during iterative development. Software engineers use unit tests to test code at the code level. Unit tests are typically run frequently and are therefore perfectly suitable for automation. In this paper, I will discuss how to write and run unit tests using WebLogic Platform 8.1. I will explain how to use JUnit to test all WebLogic Platform components, whether accessible inside or outside the server container.

I will assume that you already have a basic understanding of the principles of unit testing, and have some familiarity with the JUnit framework. More information on both topics can be found at the JUnit Web site, http://www.junit.org/.

In this paper I will first discuss some basics integration issues on how to integrate JUnit with WebLogic Workshop. Specifically, I will suggest locations for the JUnit test cases in a WebLogic Platform application and discuss various ways to launch these JUnit tests from WebLogic Workshop. Next I will discuss how to test specific types of components.

Kyle Brown and Keys Botzum, from IBM Software Services for WebSphere, together with Ruth Willenborg, Senior Manager, IBM WebSphere Performance, set out to come up with the list of what they consider to be the Top Twelve Best Practices for anyone involved in J2EE application development.

For the full details of each one, see their paper on the subject. WJ News Desk bring you here the overall summary list though, which reads as follows:

1. Always use MVC.
   
2. Apply automated unit tests and test harnesses at every layer.
   
3. Develop to the specifications, not the application server.
   
4. Plan for using J2EE security from Day One.
   
5. Build what you know.
   
6. Always use Session Facades whenever you use EJB components.
   
7. Use stateless session beans instead of stateful session beans.
   
8. Use container-managed transactions.
   
9. Prefer JSPs as your first choice of presentation technology.
   
10. When using HttpSessions, store only as much state as you need for the current business transaction and no more.
    
11. In WebSphere, turn on dynamic caching and use the WebSphere servlet caching mechanism.
    
12. Prefer CMP Entity beans as a first-pass solution for O/R mapping due to the programmer productivity benefits.

The motivation for compiling the list, say the authors, was paradoxically not a lack of material on the subject, but rather the opposite.

"There now are probably 10 or more books, along with dozens of articles that provide insight into how J2EE applications should be written," they state, adding: 

"In fact, there are so many resources, often with contradictory recommendations, navigating the maze has become an obstacle to adopting J2EE itself."