Sun Java System Web Server Architecture

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Sun Java System Web Server Architecture

Web Server incorporates a modular architecture that integrates seamlessly with all products in the Sun Java System family of servers. In addition, Web Server supports a variety of APIs and programming technologies that enable you to do the following:

• Generate dynamic content in response to client requests
• Modify and extend the behavior of the server
• Modify the content that is stored in the server

Sun Java System Web Server includes a number of software modules, which are discussed in the following topics in this section:

• Content Engines
• Server Extensions
• Runtime Environments
• Application Services

Content Engines

Web Server content engines are designed for manipulating customer data. The following three content engines make up the Web Publishing layer of the Sun Java System Web Server architecture:

• HTTP (Web Server)
• Content Handling
• Search

The HTTP engine represents the core of Sun Java System Web Server. The Web Server architecture resides on top of this engine for performance and integration functionality.

The Content Handling engine enables you to manage your server’s content. You can create and store HTML pages, JavaServer Pages files JSP™, and other files such as graphics, text, sound, or video on your server. When clients connect to your server they can view your files provided they have access.

The Search engine enables Web Server users to search the contents and attributes of documents on the server. As a server administrator, you can create a customized text search interface that works with various types of document formats. Web Server converts many types of non-HTML documents into HTML as it indexes them, so users can use a web browser to view the documents that are found for their search.

Server Extensions

Web Server extensions enable you to extend or replace the function of the server to better suit your business operations. The following server extensions are part of the core Web Server architecture:

• Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
• NetscapeServer Application Programming Interface (NSAPI)
• Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP)

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a stand-alone application development interface that enables you to create programs that process your client requests dynamically.

Netscape Server Application Programming Interface (NSAPI) implements the functions and server calls when processing a request. Server Application Functions or SAFs these functions, provide the core and extended functionality of Web Server. They enable the server to process requests and divide the requests into small steps that can be arranged in a variety of ways for speed and flexible configuration.

Java servlets and JavaServer Pages extensions enable all servlet and JSP meta functions, including instantiation, initialization, destruction, access from other components, and configuration management. Servlets and JSP files are reusable Java applications that run on a web server rather than in a web browser.

Runtime Environments

Web Server includes a set of runtime environments that support the server extensions. These runtime environments include the following:

• CGI Processor
• NSAPI Engine
• Java Virtual Machine JVM for the Java platform tool interface.

Application Services

The Web Server architecture includes a set of application services for various application-specific functions. These application services include the following:

• Security and access control
• Session management service
• File system service
• Mail service