What does a JBoss development/runtime environment look like?

[muttlike]

I know, the question I'm posing above is very broad, let me elaborate a bit on what I'm asking. 

Currently, the environment I work in is a proprietary data integration environment (EAI).  This environment consists of a closed IDE which limits functionality and a dying application server which won't have many more enhancements in the future.

We are looking to move to a totally open source development/runtime environment to replace the extremely high cost of licensing.   The goal is to design a flexible J2EE development/runtime environment that can be an "end state" system rather than one that requires constant forced (and extremely difficult) upgrades.

As I am writing this in a JBoss community post, we are seriously considering using JBoss as I understand it is the best open source application server out there and the community is stellar.  The open questions are what else makes up this J2EE environment?  Library and build management will be a must and a powerful IDE which integrates all will be ideal.

Would anybody please be kind enough to share what their environments look like and share experiences as to what is believed to be the most beneficial toolsets to acquire?

[peterj]

If you want open source AND no license fees, then JBoss AS 5.1 or 6.0, latest Eclipse and JBoss Tools.

If you want a tightly integrated system and don't mind paying licensing fees, then JBoss EAP 5 plus JBoss Developer Studio.

And welcome to the JBoss Forums!

[muttlike]

Thank you much.  Both are valid options.  I would assume that the open source model would come first and then once value is proven a license based model would be ideal. 

I know my follow-up question stretches the intent of this category but here goes...

Does the JBoss tools environment also include canned adapters for connectivity to common databases as well as other systems (similar to iWay universal adapter)?

[peterj]

Does the JBoss tools environment also include canned adapters for  connectivity to common databases as well as other systems (similar to  iWay universal adapter)?

I'm not familiar with iWay. In JBoss AS (or EAP) you use an XML file to describe the database and in the Java code use JDBC, JPA or some other framework such as iBatis or Hibernate. There are probably database plugins for Eclipse but I haven't used any. What functionality are you looking for?

[muttlike]

We currently use JavaCAPs which contains adapters for simplified connectivity to JMS, Siebel, FTP, SQL Server, Oracle , Oracle Apps, etc.  Most functionality can be replicated within java but my superiors are looking for some canned connectivity functionality in BPEL and/or java classes (preferably the latter) in the solution we decide to use.  This would aid in B2B activities as well as some simple data integrations.

I do apologize for the spawning question however any/all information is greatly appreciated.

[peterj]

Hmm, I recently (actually, that was a year ago - my how time flies!) worked with JBoss Riftsaw which is a BPEL engine. I had to roll everything by hand. Definitely much harder than the BMC Atrium Orchestrator, that I also evaluated, which contained dozens of built-in adapters for all kinds of external systems. So if you are looking for prepackaged connectors, you are mostly out of luck.

[muttlike]

Adapter will be nice but not 100% necessary.  I will look into whether there is a way to integrate external  adapters into JBoss.  I did see a press release concerning iWay and JBoss from a few years ago but really nothing since. 

My largest need is a solid application server, tools to make development and operations simple.  Given our current environment runs on Glassfish, there is not much opportunity going forward.

Thank you for your time, this was very informational.  Look forward to chatting in the forums in the future.