Newsletter sign-up

View all newsletters

Sign up for our technology specific newsletters.

Enterprise Java

Email Address:

Enhydra broadens ebiz options

The InfoWorld Test Center puts the open source Lutris Technologies Enhydra application server through its paces

By Tom Yager and <em>infoworld</em> Test Center, InfoWorld, 04/21/00

Creating and deploying ebusiness applications that leverage open-source technologies can be a new but worthwhile experience for corporate developers. Linux isn't the only thing coming from the open-source community; there are business applications, development tools, databases, and more. You'll still need to purchase support for these products and orient your staff to a new way of thinking about software. But it is a cost-effective solution for corporate application frameworks that closely rival commercial software products.

TEXTBOX:

TEXTBOX_HEAD: The Bottom Line

Enhydra 3.0 standard edition, beta 2

Business Case
Enhydra 3.0 offers an open-source alternative to full J2EE app servers. It lacks key J2EE services, but its components are perfect for many e-business apps. No run-time licenses are needed, reducing development and deployment costs.

Technology Case
Unlike J2EE, Enhydra 3.0 is a truly open solution: All the source code is available. The commercial release adds documentation, platform certification, and support. Otherwise, the commercial version is identical to the free open-source version.

Pros

• Rich feature set
• Seamless cross-platform support
• Low cost
• Thorough documentation
• Strong XML support

Cons

• Lacks J2EE middleware services (for example: object broker, messaging service, integrated database)

Cost
Commercial release, under 00; open-source release, free

Platforms
Windows 95/98/2000, Windows NT, Solaris, Linux

Lutris Technologies, Santa Cruz, Calif.; (831) 471-9753

:END_TEXTBOX

Lutris Technologies' Enhydra is already the No. 1 open-source application server and is also making a push into the commercial space. The company has provided developers with a rich set of tools that rivals competitors such as BEA's WebLogic and IBM's WebSphere. Enhydra's Version 3.0, standard edition gives developers a rich set of tools for server-based Java applications, including such facilities as databases, load balancing, DHTML, XML, and WML (Wireless Markup Language). The product comprises the Enhyrda Multiserver, Enhydra Director, a broad assortment of APIs and services, and Presentation, Session and Database Managers.

This version lacks the enterprise middleware coverage of Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE), such as Enterprise JavaBeans and a CORBA object broker. However, if your applications don't need all the J2EE components, this server will drastically lower your development and deployment costs. The standard release of Enhydra is smaller and lighter than J2EE, more versatile in its deployment, and considerably less expensive: less than 00 (approximately; pricing was not confirmed at press time) for the commercial release, which includes documentation, platform certification, and support, or free for a downloadable version.

Enterprise and professional versions of Enhydra will be released later this year; the enterprise version, expected to be priced at less than ,000, will meet the needs of higher-end settings that require J2EE support. Until then, bear in mind that the commercial version may not include up-to-the-minute releases of its components (although they're always downloadable from www.enhydra.org (see Resources). The controlled, certified release, an approach pioneered by commercial Linux vendors, makes support and development assistance services possible.

For more enterprise computing news, visit InfoWorld. Story copyright InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.

 

About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Terms of Service/Privacy

Copyright, 2006-2008 Network World, Inc. All rights reserved.