Web Servers or Servlet Containers?
In a recent meeting, as I was explaining about how most Java SOA applications require a web server such as Apache Tomcat or Glassfish, I was asked “what is the difference between apache and tomcat”.
After some confusion as to how a product can be different from its parent company (you don’t ask how Microsoft is different to windows), I was finally able to understand the question which in itself raised a valid point. The actual question being asked was “what is the difference between Apache web server and Apache Tomcat?” (Apache web server commonly being known by “Apache”).
Apache web server is a HTTP server used for hosting web pages, it currently has the largest of the market share hosting 50% of all websites. Apache Tomcat on the other hand is a servlet container designed specifically for java to host J2EE servlets and JSPs (Java server pages).
Web servers which can host java servlets account for only a small percentage of the market, any application developed using the traditional Java approach to SOA (using servlets) can only be hosted on these servers. This clearly limits the reach of any software developed within Java.
With the relaxing of java web security features (a web-start is not restricted locally like an applet) and the advancement of rich client programming in java. It is now a reality to have services supplied to customers without the use of traditional Java servlets.
The removal of a need to supply a dedicated servlet container to clients, allows ETAPIX to host and supply our Saas BI solutions virtually anywhere and for a fraction of the cost. A great benefit even to our customers who do not use our Saas service, as they no longer need to host a dedicated servlet server internally, since any traditional web server will do.
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Greatings,
Super post, Need to mark it on Digg
Thank you
Hobosic