Application assembly consists of creating Java™ Platform,
Enterprise Edition (Java EE) modules that can be deployed onto application
servers. The modules are created from code artifacts such as Web application
archive (WAR) files, resource adapter archive (RAR) files, enterprise bean
(EJB) JAR files, and application client archive (JAR) files. This packaging
and configuring of code artifacts into enterprise archive (EAR) modules or
stand-alone Web modules is necessary for deploying the modules onto an application
server.
Before you begin
This topic assumes that you have developed code artifacts that you
want to deploy onto an application server and have unit tested the code artifacts
in your favorite integrated development environment. Code artifacts that you
might assemble into deployable Java EE modules include the following:
- Enterprise beans
- Servlets, JavaServer Pages (JSP) files and other Web components
- Resource adapter (connector) implementations
- Client applications
- Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) modules (SAR files)
- Other supporting classes and files
To assemble your code artifacts into deployable Java EE modules, you
can use a supported assembly
tool. The product supports IBM® Rational® Application Developer for WebSphere® Software
for developing, assembling, and deploying Java EE modules.
About this task
You assemble code artifacts into Java EE modules in order to deploy
the code artifacts onto an application server. When you assemble code artifacts,
you package and configure the code artifacts into deployable Java EE applications
and modules, edit annotations or deployment descriptors, and map databases
as needed. Unless you assemble your code artifacts into Java EE modules, you
cannot run them successfully on an application server.
This topic describes
how to assemble Java EE code artifacts into deployable modules using an assembly
tool. Alternatively, you can use a rapid deployment tool to quickly assemble
and deploy Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) 1.3 or 1.4 code artifacts.
Refer to "Rapid deployment of J2EE applications" for details.
Procedure
- Start an assembly tool.
- Optional: Read the online documentation for the assembly
tool.
- Configure the assembly tool for work on Java EE modules.
- Migrate J2EE 1.4 or earlier projects or code artifacts created
with the Application Server Toolkit, Assembly Toolkit, Application Assembly
Tool (AAT) or a different tool.
To migrate files, use the Migration
wizard or import the files to the assembly tool.
- Create an enterprise application project to which you can add archive
files. You can create an enterprise application project separately or when
you create archive files such as the following:
- Create a Web project.
- Create an enterprise bean (EJB) project.
- Create an application client.
- Create a resource adapter (connector) project.
- Edit the annotations or deployment descriptors as needed. You can
edit annotations or deployment descriptors for enterprise application, Web,
application client, and enterprise bean (EJB) modules.
Topics
in Rational Application Developer documentation provide extensive information
on editing annotations or deployment descriptors.
- Optional: Generate enterprise bean (EJB) to relational
database (RDB) mappings for EJB 2.1 or earlier modules.
- Verify the archive files.
- Generate
code for deployment for Web services-enabled modules or for enterprise
applications that use Web service modules.
What to do next
After assembling your applications, use a systems management tool
to deploy the EAR or WAR files onto the application server. "Ways to install
enterprise applications or modules" lists systems management tools available
for deploying Java EE modules on an application server. The systems management
tool follows the security and deployment instructions defined in the annotations
or deployment descriptors, and enables you to modify bindings specified within
an assembly tool. The tool locates the required external resources that the
application uses, such as enterprise beans and databases.
Package your application
so that the EAR file contains necessary modules only. Modules can include
metadata for the modules such as information on annotations, deployment descriptors,
bindings, and IBM extensions.
Use the administrative console at installation
to complete the security instructions defined in the annotations or deployment
descriptors and to locate required external resources, such as enterprise
beans and databases. You can add configuration properties and redefine binding
properties defined in an assembly tool.