Differences between Java CAPS 6 and OpenESB
One of the most common questions I get asked is, "Will Sun support OpenESB?" or "Is Java CAPS a supported version of OpenESB?" Developers want to get started now with functionality in Open ESB and feel confident that it will be supported by Sun with a Java CAPS license.
We do already have some JavaCAPS customers who are entering the development
phase of their projects with Open ESB in the knowledge that the
infrastructure will be a supported part of Java CAPS by the time they go
to production. Unfortunately, the answer to the original questions is a little
more detailed than simply "yes" or "no". Let me explain...
Java CAPS 6 is, to grossly oversimplify it, Java CAPS 5 + some OpenESB technology. However the first release of
Java CAPS 6 will not include all OpenESB components. This is for a couple of
reasons:
- Not all openesb components have been through the necessary QA to make them ready for production yet.
- Not all openesb components are developed by Sun, so it is impossible
for Sun to support them.
When Java CAPS 6 is released, it will consist of some openesb
components. For instance:
- JBI runtime.
- BPEL SE
- HTTP BC
- JavaEE SE
During the rest of 2008, Sun will continue to make other openesb
components production ready and make them supported parts of Java CAPS.
The exact content and timeline of these "Component Packs" or is still to be released, but you can probably expect them to include:
- IEP SE
- JDBC BC & SQL SE
- JMS BC
- XSLT SE
- File BC
- others.
Additionally, Sun may enter agreements with the companies who are
developing other openesb components and make them "supported" parts of
Java CAPS. So it is possible that OpenESB components that are not developed by Sun will also be supported by a Java CAPS license.
To give you an example. I currently have two Java CAPS 6 "customers", even though it has not yet been released.. They
have looked at their requirements and see that they need only components
which will be available in the initial release of Java CAPS 6 or will most likely be available in Component Packs in 2008. They have started development
work now and plan to be in production in 2009. By 2009, all OpenESB
components they need will be supported parts of Java CAPS.
Thanks Jason. This is again a very useful blog entry. Keep on going :)
Posted by Remold Krol on May 17, 2008 at 10:31 PM CEST #
It will be very interesting to ISVs to see if/when/how this licensing of 3rd party components for openESB works...
Though not entirely similar, there is some comparison with EJB components on application servers, which is a business Theory Center did some years back before being acquired by BEA...
IMO, it was the single most definitive acquisition of the early BEA J2EE dominance, as it demonstrated their developer-level value proposition for WebLogic...
This could be the same for openESB, if Sun is able to get the JBI components perhaps even without acquisition as a supported distribution...
all the best in this endeavor...
Posted by douglas dooley on May 20, 2008 at 08:24 AM CEST #
I agree, Douglas, this is a great opportunity to leverage Sun's distribution and platform (and community leadership) to create an ecosystem that will deliver value to all parties. We are planning to expand on what we just started on the GlassFish side with the partner program [1]. It seems a natural play for Sun to do.
- eduard/o
[1]http://sun.com/glassfishpartners
Posted by Eduardo Pelegri-Llopart on May 24, 2008 at 05:19 PM CEST #
Eduardo,
I have argued in my older blog about the software industry that providing ISVs with a distribution channel around Sun Services is a great value proposition especially considering the emerging competitive front with JBoss/Red Hat for account control:
http://douglasdooley.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-beat-jboss-via-glassfish.html
It looks like Sun and your group is really investing in the Glassfish distribution model for ISVs to help with business, and more can be done...that is really a remarkable group of ISVs you pointed to, it would seem that you have lots of potential acquisition opportunities/targets...
I think the move to integrate openESB in with the Glassfish development model, and with the CAPS distribution model is right-on, though i am of course more optimistic about the former than the latter...as always, i think u guys are doing great, keep it moving...
Posted by douglas dooley on May 24, 2008 at 10:59 PM CEST #
I could successfully deploy projects in Jcaps 6.0 which uses JMS BC, JDBC BC, and FILE BC but while creating the test cases for the Composite Applications, an error “The type of binding <binding name> is not supported” is encountered.
IS this because they are not supported parts of Jcaps 6.0?
Posted by Poorni on June 03, 2008 at 06:57 AM CEST #
It is true that JMS, JDBC, and File BCs are not supported components in the first release of JavaCAPS 6 - though they do work and will be supported soon. However, Composite Application Test Cases currently only work with the HTTP BC which I believe is the reason you see that error.
Jason
Posted by jason on June 03, 2008 at 07:43 AM CEST #
I tried using JBI Bridge to bridge a CAPS repository-based project to a JBI-based project. But while building the Deployment profile I am getting error as "Caught Compilation Error - Fix before proceeding". Kindly help in resolving this issue.
Posted by Poorni on June 04, 2008 at 12:56 PM CEST #
it is very difficult to tell why you experienced this problem. Can you ask on the JavaCAPS forum: http://forum.java.sun.com/forum.jspa?forumID=882
and provide more detail about what you did.
You should also provide details of which version of JavaCAPS6 you are using? It is not released yet so there is a good chance that the error has been resolved in one of the latest candidate builds.
jason
Posted by jason on June 04, 2008 at 04:27 PM CEST #
Is there any rough estimate ......how many customers are using JCAPS 5.x in there production env. as I am trying to gauge the reliability of the suite as such ..... I would also like to know how many customers are considering migration plans in near future from Seebeyond's eGate 4.x to JCAPS 5.x version....
Posted by Kunal Jain on September 11, 2008 at 08:57 AM CEST #
what do you preffer? openESB? you can't be CAPS-LOCK :)
Posted by Benzo_na on November 11, 2008 at 03:38 PM CET #
Jason, My Company wants to go JCAPS 6. in January 2009 and build close to 50 SOA Services on top of the JCAPS stack, instead of using a more commercial stack like TIBCO or SAG, or Oracle, etc., for better control and customization.(Not to mention Openness and adherence to standards). The SUN Sales Guys told us, o.k. give us $500k for a Enterprise License (1000 Employees)and another $100k for annual Support, and you can have JCAPS 6., But we feel that it's a bit much for a half way open source stack, that is component supported by the community, and SUN does not even touch that. Which Components can I take out from the BID, (Glassfish, Netbeans, etc) and tell them to only quote me for the "Commercial" portion of the JCAPS Stack? I want to try to lean out the bid, by using more open source "Supported components" and only order from SUN what I have to, and what They actually Support. Thanks for your insight on separating the stack for me...
doktor at army. com
Posted by Carl Schon on December 31, 2008 at 03:25 AM CET #
Carl,
If you want a supported version of the functionality, then you can choose between the GlassfishESB license or the full JavaCAPS license. You can think of GlassfishESB as a lightweight version of JavaCAPS. GFesb has a subset of the functionality and the support structure. Its important to identify what functionality and what level of support you need. Perhaps GFesb is enough for you to get started.
I think its best to continue this offline. However one additional thing to note is that there are multiple options for licensing JavaCAPS itself and perhaps the initial bid you received from the sales guy wasn´t the only license model available to you.
Jason
Posted by Jason on January 04, 2009 at 09:02 PM CET #