JBoss Application Server Administration

Length

4 days, 191 pages

Audience

This courseware is intended for system administrators who wish to learn how to manage JBoss Application Server and the J2EE applications running on it.

Prerequisites

This students being taught through this curriculum do not require Java or J2EE skills, but familiarity with web/application servers can be helpful.

Additional Notes

Based on JBoss AS 4.0.4

Includes a CD with the relevant examples and labs.

Outline

Below is the list of modules that are covered in this courseware. This course is typically delivered in four days but it can be customized to fit specific administrator training needs.

Module 1 - J2EE

• What is J2EE
• Overview of J2EE
• J2EE vs. other Web technologies

Module 2 - JBoss

• JBoss Organization
• History of JBoss AS
• Features of JBoss AS
• JBoss AS Architecture
• JBoss AS Services
• JBoss AS Requirements

Module 3 - Installation

• Getting and Installing Java
• Configuring Java
• Getting JBoss AS
• Building JBoss AS from source
• Installing JBoss AS
  • Unpacking
  • Running Java Installer
  • Understanding Differences

Module 4 - Directory Structure

• Explaining JBoss AS Directories
  • bin, client, docs, lib, server
• Explaining JBoss AS Configuration Sets
• Difference between minimal, default, all
• Internal Directory Structure
  • conf, lib, deploy, temp, work, data, log, etc.
• Logging on JBoss

Module 5 - Starting/Stopping

• Starting JBoss AS from command-line
• Starting JBoss AS as a service
• Verifying JBoss Startup
• Stopping JBoss (locally, remotely)
• Booting JBoss AS from network

Module 6 - Deployments

• J2EE Development/Deployment Lifecycle and Roles
• Deployment Descriptors (DTDs vs. Schemas)
• Deployment on JBoss AS
• JBoss Deployers (WAR, EAR, EJB, JAR, RAR, SAR, HAR, etc.)
• Deployment Dependencies
• Hot vs. Cold Deployment
• JBoss conf/jboss-service.xml file
• XMBeans

Module 7 - Services

• Tomcat Web Container
  • Architecture and Configuration (server.xml)
  • Concepts (Connectors, Engine, Host, Context, Valve, etc.)
  • Understanding web.xml (Filters, Servlets, Mappings, etc.)
  • Default web.xml
  • Serving Static Content
  • Virtual Hosting
  • Web Access Logging
• JNDI
  • Overview
  • JNDI on JBoss
• JavaMail on JBoss
• JMX
  • Overview
  • Architecture
  • JMX on JBoss
  • JMX Console
  • Twiddle command-line tool
  • Deploying JMX Services
  • Web Console
  • JBoss Monitoring
• JMS
  • Overview
  • Architecture
  • Domains (Point-to-Point vs. Publish-Subscribe)
  • JMS on JBoss
  • Configuration

Module 8 - Database Connectivity

• Installing/setting up MySQL
• Overview of JDBC
• Installing JDBC Drivers
• Defining Resource Requirements
• Describing Database Resources (Connection Pools)
• Resource Mapping
• Testing database access
• Embedded Hypersonic database

Module 9 - Security

• Securing Applications on JBoss AS
  • Filtering clients by IP/Hostname
  • Implementing JAAS-based declarative security
    • Authentication and Authorization
      • Plain-text
      • Database-based
      • Securing passwords
      • Basic vs Form login
      • Handling A&A failures
  • Data Transport Security (SSL)
    • Generating SSL certificates
    • Configuring embedded Tomcat for SSL
    • Requiring SSL by applications
• Securing JBoss AS
  • User and file system security
  • Securing console applications/tools
  • Securing other JBoss AS services
  • Running with Java Security Manager
  • Running behind a firewall

Module 10 - Performance

• JVM Tuning and GC Optimization
• Tomcat Tuning
• RMI/EJB Tuning
• Log4J Tuning
• Tuning other JBoss services
• Slimming JBoss

Module 11 - High Availability and Scalability

• Defining Requirements
• Overview of clustering architectures
• Fronting JBoss with Apache Web Server
  • Advantages
  • Installing and Configuring mod_jk
• Load Balancing with mod_jk
• Enabling sticky sessions (server-affinity)
• Clustered Session Replication
  • Clustered Single-Signon
• Clustering other JBoss AS Services
  • HA-JNDI
  • HA-JMS
• Cluster Farming Deployment