Newbie needs help with terminology and theories

[jpmad4it]

Hello there,

I'm new to Java. I'm really struggling and getting confused about things I am looking into.

OK, I am evaluating systems to integrate with our current system at work. We need to use JDBC type 4.

Now to use JDBC type 4 do you have to install this within a Java Virtual Machine? And in-turn, does the Java VM have to be running on JDK? Which in turn has to be running on a J2EE server?!? See how I am getting confused here!

Also, are glassfish and tomcat types of J2EE servers? Can glassfish and tomcat utilise the JDBC type 4 drivers themselves within their own VM's? Or in-order to use the JDBC Type 4 does J2EE HAVE to be present?

Or is it true to say that glassfish and tomcat run on the J2EE environment meaning that JDK is present and there a JVM is present....hence the JDBC type 4 can be used regardless?

Its very confusing all this!

any help would be great to clear this mess up. My head is going to blow!

regards
Jp

[shyam]

Originally Posted by jpmad4it

Now to use JDBC type 4 do you have to install this within a Java Virtual Machine? And in-turn, does the Java VM have to be running on JDK? Which in turn has to be running on a J2EE server?!? See how I am getting confused here!

if u are going to use a jdbc type 4 driver u don't have to install anything...simply drop the driver jar in the classpath for ur application and ur good to go. for most applications a jre is sufficient but, j2ee servers compile jsps at runtime and hence require a jdk installation.

Originally Posted by jpmad4it

Also, are glassfish and tomcat types of J2EE servers? Can glassfish and tomcat utilise the JDBC type 4 drivers themselves within their own VM's? Or in-order to use the JDBC Type 4 does J2EE HAVE to be present?

this entirely depends on how you want to design ur application. almost all j2ee servers allow you to define container managed datasources (meaning the j2ee server takes care of maintaining a connection pool on ur behalf and lets u get a connection using a jndi lookup) and declare them as resource-references in ur application.
but, you could ignore this feature completely and setup ur own connection pool or use the driver to connect to the database directly.

Originally Posted by jpmad4it

Or is it true to say that glassfish and tomcat run on the J2EE environment meaning that JDK is present and there a JVM is present....hence the JDBC type 4 can be used regardless?

yea

[jpmad4it]

Originally Posted by shyam

if u are going to use a jdbc type 4 driver u don't have to install anything...simply drop the driver jar in the classpath for ur application and ur good to go. for most applications a jre is sufficient but, j2ee servers compile jsps at runtime and hence require a jdk installation.

this entirely depends on how you want to design ur application. almost all j2ee servers allow you to define container managed datasources (meaning the j2ee server takes care of maintaining a connection pool on ur behalf and lets u get a connection using a jndi lookup) and declare them as resource-references in ur application.
but, you could ignore this feature completely and setup ur own connection pool or use the driver to connect to the database directly.

yea

Ok I see, thanks. I have a diagram I have thrown together to show my proposed system architecture.



We have to use the JDBC driver type 4 to connect to our IDMS via TCP/IP from the web (using TYPO3). I know that this is probably not the best system, but I have to evaluate all possible routes. The problem lies in converting the PHP to Java - hence the PHP-Java bridge. Can you see where my questions originate from now?

I don't understand whether the JDK lies within the J2EE environment, or whether J2EE is needed or not? I have read that the PHP-Java bridge allows PHP to run in any J2EE environment and vice-versa. The bit i dont understand is that apache tomcat is the choice of server - can this be replaced by the J2EE server?

Man why can't I get my head around this stuff!!

Another option we have is to use websphere and develop our website using JSP instead of PHP, could you throw me together a quick diagram to show how websphere would fit in with the following flow, i.e. would the JDK and JSP be within the websphere environment?? Can JDBC Type 4 be used in a websphere environment?

IDMS---JDBC type 4---JVM ---JDK---J2EE---JSP---Web client

Sorry to be a pain, but if you could help you wouldnt believe how much of a massive help you're being

regards
Jp

[tagnu]

Originally Posted by shyam

if u are going to use a jdbc type 4 driver u don't have to install anything...simply drop the driver jar in the classpath for ur application and ur good to go. for most applications a jre is sufficient but, j2ee servers compile jsps at runtime and hence require a jdk installation.

this entirely depends on how you want to design ur application. almost all j2ee servers allow you to define container managed datasources (meaning the j2ee server takes care of maintaining a connection pool on ur behalf and lets u get a connection using a jndi lookup) and declare them as resource-references in ur application.
but, you could ignore this feature completely and setup ur own connection pool or use the driver to connect to the database directly.

yea

I respect your patience

[jpmad4it]

Originally Posted by tagnu

I respect your patience

I know I do too, and that of anyone else who can help

sorry for the newbie-ness!