Apache Tomcat and Java EE Administration Training Course

Introduction to the Java Platform

• The JVM, JRE, and JDK
• Java SE versus EE
• Apache Tomcat as a lightweight servlet/JSP container, and how this differs from full-blown Java EE application servers such as WebLogic, WebSphere, JBoss, and GlassFish

• Understanding classes versus JARs
• Servlets
• JSPs
• JavaBeans
• JNDI and datasources
• Resources that your applications may call on other servers (web services, EJBs, etc.)

• Installing the Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
• Tweaking the JRE for performance
• Performing the actual Tomcat installation

• bin
• conf
• lib
• logs
• temp
• webapps
• work

• server.xml (detailed walkthrough)
• web.xml
• context.xml

• Packaging JARs for deployment to Tomcat
• Packaging WARs for deployment to Tomcat
• Application server-neutral configuration versus application server-specific configuration
• Overview of EARs and other archive types not supported by Tomcat, but supported by other Java EE application servers
• Versioning Java EE applications
• Managing the deployment of updated applications

• AccessLog and FastCommonAccessLog
• RequestFilterValve
• SingleSignOnValve (by request)
• RequestDumperValve (by request)

• Understanding Java garbage collection
• Using JAVA_OPTS, JMX and JConsole to monitor and tune Tomcat memory usage
• Sizing Tomcat's JVM memory heap
• Using JMX and JConsole to configure Tomcat via Tomcat's MBeans
• Updating Tomcat's configuration via JMX "on the fly" without restarting Tomcat
• Load testing with JMeter
• Using VisualVM (new monitoring tool built into JDK 6) and PSI Probe
• Controlling JMX MBeans via Ant

• JULI logging
• log4j logging
• Understanding exceptions and thread dumps
• Troubleshooting errors that occur in Tomcat
• Troubleshooting errors generated by your deployed applications
• Troubleshooting strategies applicable to application servers other than tomcat

• Classic JDBC approach
• Better approach: JNDI resources
• Setting up and monitoring database connection pools

• File system security
• Java security manager
• Realms, authentication, and authorization
• SSL

• Additional JVM tuning tips
• Enabling parallel garbage collection
• Building native connectors
• Disabling/removing unneeded applications
• Tuning incoming connections and database connection pools
• Turning off Jasper development mode
• Precompiling JSPs
• Preloading servlets
• Application-specific tuning suggestions
• Tuning levers available in other application servers

• Explanation of the Java EE APIs not supported by Tomcat: EJB, JMS, and many others
• 3rd party application frameworks overview (what they are and what administrators should know): Spring, Struts 1/Struts 2, JSF (including a discussion of ICEfaces, RichFaces, etc.)
• Data tier frameworks and what administrators should know (Hibernate, JPA, etc.)
• Features offered by WebLogic, WebSphere, and JBoss that are not found in Tomcat

• Memory leak prevention and detection
• Servlet 3.0, JSP 2.2, and EL 2.2 support (and the practical implications of this for Tomcat admins)
• Cross-site request forgery prevention (and how to configure)
• How Tomcat 7's new session management features prevent session fixation attacks
• Alias support (which allow static content to be stored outside the WAR file)

• Why run Tomcat behind Apache httpd or IIS?
• Installing mod_jk (Apache or Tomcat) or mod_proxy_ajp and mod_proxy_balancer (Apache 2.2 or later only)
• Proxying traffic to Tomcat via AJP
• Monitoring the status of your web server's connection to Tomcat
• Load balancing Tomcat via mod_jk or mod_proxy_balancer

• Configuring mod_jk (in Apache or IIS) or mod_proxy_balancer (Apache 2.2 or later only) as a load balancer
• Hardware load balancing as an alternative to software load balancing
• Sticky sessions
• Configuring a shared session back-end
• FileStore/JDBCStore (older approach, generally not recommended)
• Using the <Cluster> tag
• Configuring the application to be distributable
• Setting up and testing failover