Java Reference
In-Depth Information
valuable when many different Java programs will be installed on the same computer, and
developers can save bandwidth, packaging their applications without the related JRE.
F
IGURE
3.9
The JRE Maintenance Facility in Java Web Start.
N
OTE
Some detailed features of Web Start are competitive with other more complex com-
mercial products, intended for corporate enterprise scenarios. The versioning specifi-
cation allowable in JNLP, for example, is more sophisticated than other more
powerful deployment solutions such as DeployDirector.
3
We will see the details of Web Start when we extensively cover its underlying foundation, the
JNLP protocol, from the developer's viewpoint in Part III, “JNLP.”
Commercial Solutions
Let's take a look at some commercial Java deployment solutions. We will focus on three major
representative cases of some real-world Java deployment problems.
Sitraka's DeployDirector
Sitraka's DeployDirector offers full coverage of all the deployment circuit's stages for Java
applications, leaving out only the Software Development Phase. (Sitraka was formerly known
as KL Group).
Getting into the deployment lifecycle details, it covers almost all the phases in Figure 2.5
except for a few. The AH On-The-Run Management stage is partially covered, apart from a
sound logging system, whereas the Publication Phase is unstructured, making it difficult for
third-party Distributors to adopt this deployment solution. Despite these limitations,
DeployDirector is currently one of the most complete deployment solutions available for Java.
