Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application

Platform 7.2

Introduction to JBoss EAP

For Use with Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2

Last Updated: 2019-05-02

Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2 Introduction to JBoss
EAP
For Use with Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2
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Abstract
This document provides a high-level, conceptual overview of Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application
Platform (JBoss EAP). The document also introduces you to JBoss EAP subsystems and the
different operating modes that JBoss EAP offers.
 Table of Contents

Table of Contents
.CHAPTER
. . . . . . . . . . 1.. .OVERVIEW
. . . . . . . . . . . .OF
. . . GENERAL
. . . . . . . . . . . CONCEPTS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1. JAVA 3
1.2. APPLICATION SERVERS 3
1.3. JAVA ENTERPRISE EDITION 8 3

.CHAPTER
. . . . . . . . . . 2.
. . OVERVIEW
. . . . . . . . . . . . OF
. . . .JBOSS
. . . . . . . .EAP
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4. . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.1. ABOUT JBOSS EAP 7 4
2.2. SUBSYSTEMS 5
2.3. HIGH AVAILABILITY 5
2.4. OPERATING MODES 5

.CHAPTER
. . . . . . . . . . 3.
. . EXAMPLES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1. SIMPLE EXAMPLE 6
3.2. EXPANDED EXAMPLE 6

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Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2 Introduction to JBoss EAP

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 CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW OF GENERAL CONCEPTS

CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW OF GENERAL CONCEPTS

Before understanding how Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform can be configured and
deployed, there are some important concepts to understand.

1.1. JAVA
Java is a programming language and a computing platform that incorporates concepts such as object-
orientation, classes, and concurrency. Java applications are compiled down to bytecode and are run
inside a Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

1.2. APPLICATION SERVERS

An application server, or app server, is software that provides an environment to run web applications.
Most app servers also provide functionality to web applications running in their environment through a
set of APIs. For example, an app server can provide an API for connecting to a database.

1.3. JAVA ENTERPRISE EDITION 8

Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) is a standards-based enterprise platform that provides
both an API and runtime environment for running and developing Java applications. The goal is to
improve developer productivity by providing rich enterprise capabilities in easy to consume frameworks
that eliminate boilerplate and reduce technical burden. The frameworks that compose Java EE are
heavily tested in combination.

Java EE 8, which is based on JSR 366, builds upon Java EE 7. The primary focus of this release was to
improve API and programming models needed for today’s applications. In addition to the Java EE 8
(JSR 366) specification, the following specifications are new or updated in Java EE 8:

JSR 250 : Common Annotations 1.3

JSR 338 : Java Persistence 2.2

JSR 356 : Java API for WebSocket 1.1

JSR 365 : Contexts and Dependency Injection (CDI) 2.0

JSR 367: The Java API for JSON Binding (JSON-B) 1.0

JSR 369: Java Servlet 4.0

JSR 370 : Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS) 2.1

JSR 372 : JavaServer Faces (JSF) 2.3

JSR 374: Java API for JSON Processing (JSON-P) 1.1

JSR 375 : Java EE Security API 1.0

JSR 380: Bean Validation 2.0

JSR 919: JavaMail 1.6

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Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2 Introduction to JBoss EAP

CHAPTER 2. OVERVIEW OF JBOSS EAP

2.1. ABOUT JBOSS EAP 7

Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (JBoss EAP) 7.2 is a certified implementation of the
Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) 8 specification. Major versions of JBoss EAP are forked from the
WildFly community project at certain points when the community project has reached the desired
feature completeness level. After that point, an extended period of testing and productization takes
place in which JBoss EAP is stabilized, certified, and enhanced for production use. During the lifetime of
a JBoss EAP major version, selected features may be cherry-picked and back-ported from the
community project into a series of feature enhancing minor releases within the same major version
family.

JBoss EAP provides preconfigured options for features such as high-availability clustering, messaging,
and distributed caching. It also enables users to write, deploy, and run applications using the various APIs
and services that JBoss EAP provides.

JBoss EAP includes a modular structure that allows service enabling only when required, improving
startup speed. The web-based management console and management command line interface (CLI)
make editing XML configuration files unnecessary and add the ability to script and automate tasks. In
addition, JBoss EAP includes APIs and development frameworks for quickly developing secure and
scalable Java EE applications.

Table 2.1. Features of JBoss EAP

Feature Description

Java EE 8 compliant Java Enterprise Edition 8 full platform and Web

Profile certified.

Managed Domain Centralized management of multiple server instances

and physical hosts, while a standalone server allows
for a single server instance. Per-server group
management of configuration, deployment, socket
bindings, modules, extensions, and system
properties. Centralized and simplified management
of application security (including security domains).

Management console and management CLI New domain or standalone server management
interfaces. The management CLI also includes a
batch mode that can script and automate
management tasks. Directly editing the JBoss EAP
XML configuration files is not recommended.

Simplified directory layout The modules directory contains all application server
modules. The domain and standalone directories
contain the artifacts and configuration files for
domain and standalone deployments respectively.

Modular class-loading mechanism Modules are loaded and unloaded on demand. This
improves performance, has security benefits, and
reduces start-up and restart times.

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 CHAPTER 2. OVERVIEW OF JBOSS EAP

Feature Description

Streamlined datasource management Database drivers are deployed like other services. In
addition, datasources are created and managed
using the management console and management
CLI.

Unified security framework Elytron provides a single unified framework that can
manage and configure access for both standalone
servers and managed domains. It can also be used to
configure security access for applications deployed
to JBoss EAP servers.

2.2. SUBSYSTEMS
Many of the APIs and capabilities that are exposed to applications deployed to JBoss EAP are organized
into subsystems. These subsystems can be configured by administrators to provide different behavior,
depending on the goal of the application. For instance, if an application requires a database, a
datasource can be configured in the datasources subsystem and accessed by that application after it is
deployed to that JBoss EAP server or domain.

2.3. HIGH AVAILABILITY

High availability (HA) in JBoss EAP refers to multiple JBoss EAP instances working together to provide
applications that are more resistant to fluctuations in traffic, server load, and server failure. HA
incorporates concepts such as scalability, load balancing, and fault tolerance.

2.4. OPERATING MODES

In addition to providing functionality and APIs to its applications, JBoss EAP has powerful management
capabilities. These management capabilities differ depending on which operating mode is used to start
JBoss EAP. JBoss EAP offers a standalone server operating mode for managing discrete instances and
a managed domain operating mode for managing groups of instances from a single control point.

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Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2 Introduction to JBoss EAP

CHAPTER 3. EXAMPLES
Below are several examples to illustrate how JBoss EAP works and where it fits into different
environments.

3.1. SIMPLE EXAMPLE

This example shows a simple JBoss EAP setup. The JBoss EAP instance has two applications deployed
to it. It is also configured to connect to a database using the datasources subsystem and a Kerberos
server which can use either the legacy security subsystem or the elytron subsystem. These connections
are exposed to the deployed applications. The JBoss EAP instance handles requests through the
undertow subsystem and directs those requests to the appropriate application. The applications use the
APIs exposed by JBoss EAP to connect to the database and Kerberos server, and perform their
implemented business logic. After completion, the applications send a response back to the requester
through the undertow subsystem.

3.2. EXPANDED EXAMPLE

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 CHAPTER 3. EXAMPLES

This example illustrates a more complex setup involving three JBoss EAP instances arranged in a
managed domain with either a load balancer or a web server. The three instances are also configured to
support high availability through load balancing using mod_cluster and session replication using
Infinispan. All three JBoss EAP instances have a web application, a web service, and EJB deployed. One
JBoss EAP instance has a JMS queue configured through the messaging-activemq subsystem. All
three JBoss EAP instances have connections to a database through the datasource. They also have a
connection to the LDAP server using either the legacy security subsystem or the elytron subsystem. In
addition, one JBoss EAP instance is configured to connect to an external message broker through the
messaging-activemq subsystem. Those configured connections are exposed to the applications, web
services, EJBs, and JMS queues deployed to that respective instance.

All inbound requests intended for the application, web service, or EJB are first received by the load
balancer or web server. Based on the configured load balancing algorithm and the information provided
by each JBoss EAP instance, the web server or load balancer directs that request to the appropriate
JBoss EAP instance. The JBoss EAP instance handles requests through the undertow subsystem and
directs those requests to the appropriate application. The applications use the APIs exposed by JBoss
EAP to connect to the database and Kerberos server, and perform their implemented business logic.
After completion, the applications send a response back to the requester through the undertow
subsystem. Any non-persisted information, for example session information, is propagated among the
JBoss EAP instances through the infinispan subsystem.

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Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.2 Introduction to JBoss EAP

Revised on 2019-05-02 08:54:23 UTC