My company is considering purchasing a java web app (J2EE) using Websphere for the runtime. However, concerns have been raised because we generally run a strictly Microsoft shop. We’ve dealt with javascript before, on client-side web apps, but never java.
I’ve taken a peek at some of the code customizations behind this java web app, and it doesn’t look all that difficult. However, I know that I could be ignorant of some “big picture” items.
Can anyone tell me some of the pitfalls I could encounter by implementing, customizing and supporting a java application in a Microsoft shop?
I’ll put in my 2c worth to try and encourage some more comments!
There are a number of issues to consider here and a few clarifications that you could make to get more help.
Issues that you might have be envisaging are:
Running a J2EE server on Microsoft hardware
Running a J2EE server integrating with other Microsoft products (e.g. IIS)
Configuration issues for people not used to working with J2EE.
Programming issues for people not used to working with J2EE.
I would say that the first two aren’t really an issue. We run Weblogic on Windows Servers with IIS (as a lot of people do) with no problems whatsoever.
Issue 3 and 4 are really to do with the in-house skills that you have. J2EE is quite complex as far as programming and configuration is concerned. Most of the configuration is done through XML files rather than GUI’s so strong XML knowledge would be required. Programming of EJB’s is not a job for javascript programmers so it depends on the developers that you have working with you.
If this is all in the wrong direction perhaps it will help to draw out some more specific questions that you have.
This shouldn’t make too much difference as the server and JVM are written and maintained by third parties to run on Windows.
I should have mentioned in my previous post that a company with a large amount of Microsoft development experience may be more productive using .NET.
In house Java skills are minimimal. We do have strong XML skills. However, the Java application will be implemented and customized by a vendor. At least, the first round of functionality we are requesting will be customized by a vendor. One thing we want to make sure of is that we could gain an understanding of these Java apps in order to achieve perhaps 75% self-reliance. The concern by some right now is that we don’t know the hidden problems…I’m assuming that Java is not so delicate/finicky a system that one wrong line of code will crash the system forever. I’m assuming that I can look at java code that works and be able to write a few edits myself and test it in a dev environment without destroying the box. Are these wrong assumptions to make? Can you think of any “classic mistakes” a .net developer would make with a Java application?
You’re right that we’d be more productive using a .net app, but unfortunately, the only .net app of its kind out there has about a $400K difference in price, and less inherent functionality. I’d like to know if that $400K difference is less than the soft costs our organization would swallow if we have to ramp up to an understanding of a Java environment.