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Java Web Server ships!

The server formerly known as Jeeves is finally ready

By Phil Inje Chang, JavaWorld.com, 06/01/97

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On Thursday, June 5, JavaSoft announced First Customer Ship of Java Web Server, the Web server formerly known as Jeeves. JavaSoft has taken significant strides in recent months to turn the alpha version into a full-fledged Web server. Built entirely in Java, Java Web Server is now a commercial product, priced with and without SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): U.S. 95 with SSL and U.S. 5 without SSL. Java Web Server is available for download for a free 120-day evaluation from the JavaSoft Web site.

Many Java developers have eagerly awaited the commercial release of Java Web Server, the future of which seemed unclear until JavaSoft released a beta version March 4.

"Jeeves is one of the few servers you can extend in any which way, kind of like a Swiss Army knife," said James Davidson, lead Java developer at The Synapse Group, a Web development company in Dallas. "And it's easy to train on. The concept of servlets is an easy enough model that people can be doing servlets and useful applications in a day's time."

The Java Server team at JavaSoft also has devoted considerable resources to developing an underlying server framework, called the Java Server Toolkit, with which developers can build their own highly extensible Web servers. Java Web Server is JavaSoft's binary product based on the Toolkit, and the Toolkit itself is due to be released later this year.

According to David Brownell, staff engineer at JavaSoft, Java Web Server is built with servlets (applets that run on servers) and the Java Server Toolkit. The Java Web Server and Java Server Toolkit architecture consists of modules for custom classes, administration, security, thread management, connection management, and session management, as well as a Servlet API. An administration tool allows changes on the fly, and servlets can be loaded dynamically. Security includes support for realm classes, access control lists, authentication, SSL, and signed code. The Servlet API provides an interface for various services, such as HTTP, proxy, and services for network computers (NCs). JavaSoft is hoping developers will build or customize servers with the Java Server Toolkit.

Servlets and on-the-fly administration are key benefits of Java Web Server. Servlets are server-side mini-programs that dynamically extend the functionality of the server. A load-balancing servlet is included as a sample servlet with the product, to help distribute traffic across a number of servers. In addition, administrative changes can be performed while the server is operating, reducing costly downtime.

Some developers emphasize the importance of the Servlet API. "I want my future choice of Web server software to be dictated by our business needs," said Eric WIlliams, Application Services manager at Unicom, a Web developer and ISP in Kansas City, KS. "I don't want my choices restricted by having written all my software to a proprietary API. My feeling is that Java Web Server might be moderately successful as a product, but what will be more successful is cross-platform, cross-Web server programming via the Servlet API."

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