Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, Third Edition

Enterprise Computing Demystified

Enterprise computing has a reputation for complexity and, for the uninitiated, is often shrouded with mystery. Here are some reasons enterprise computing can seem intimidating:

• Enterprise computing usually takes place in a heterogeneous network of systems, one in which the computers might range from large mainframes and supercomputers down to PCs, mobile laptops, and even handheld devices. The computers were purchased at different times from a variety of different vendors and run two, three, or more different operating systems.

• A variety of server applications run on top of the heterogeneous hardware. An enterprise might support application servers from three different companies, each of which covers a different functional subset of the enterprise and each of which includes different, incompatible interfaces and extensions.

• Enterprise computing involves the use of many different protocols and standards. Some standards overlap in small or significant ways. Many have been extended in various vendor-specific, nonstandard ways. Some are quite old and use a vocabulary and terminology that date back to an earlier era of computing. This creates a confusing alphabet soup of acronyms and abbreviations.

• Enterprise computing has only recently emerged as an integrated discipline of its own. Although enterprise development models are becoming more cohesive and encompassing, many enterprises are still left with lots of “legacy systems” that are aggregated in an ad ...