Using JBossCache in rich internet application

[anodos]

I'm currently developing a rich internet application in Java. This rich client will be data entry heavy, and I'm attempting to solve the problem of how to persist the data entry to the server. In our situation, the hands down easiest solution would be the idea of JBossCache AOP, whereby we would share a large object on a cache that is shared between the client and server. There could be any number of clients and any number of servers. The clients simply manipulate the POJOs representing the object model, and those changes are replicated to all parties via JBossCache AOP. Basically a transparent, shared, distributed memory for Java. What I'm wondering is if JBossCache is capable of:
1. Running in a Java client without a J2EE container and still participate somehow in a distrubted cache.
2. Avoid firewall issues by connecting to a servlet on our web server in order to become a part of the cache.
3. Simulate two way communication via a stay-alive + piping HTTP connection or by connecting and polling on a regular basis (or a combination of these two).

Thanks,
Anodos

[belaban]

What I'm wondering is if JBossCache is capable of:
1. Running in a Java client without a J2EE container and still participate somehow in a distrubted cache.

Yes


2. Avoid firewall issues by connecting to a servlet on our web server in order to become a part of the cache.

Yes

3. Simulate two way communication via a stay-alive + piping HTTP connection or by connecting and polling on a regular basis (or a combination of these two).

Yes.

Issues #2 and #3 are JGroups specific. #2 JGroups allows you to use tunnelling to an outside router.
#3 JGroups has failure detection built in; the transport can be configured differently. Pinging and transport are 2 separate protocols.

Bela

[anodos]

Since it uses JGroups, I would imagine another way to bypass the firewall would be with a JMS implementation that provides a mechanism for messaging over HTTP (as some implementations do). While looking through JGroups I was surprised at the lack of a simple HTTP transport protocol, though it does provide a JMS transport protocol.

[belaban]

Do you want to write an HTTP transport protocol for JGroups and contribute it ?

Bela