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Executive Technology Strategies
June 21, 2010
Experture
ETS 10-06-12
WebSphere (IBM) vs. Apache Tomcat (Sun/Oracle)
/RFG
…experts on demand
Client Challenge: Our client is looking to evaluate the respective strengths and weaknesses
between WebSphere application server solutions and the Apache Tomcat open source server
architecture.
WebSphere current version 7.0 (release date 9/08)
Tomcat current version 6.0.26 (release date 3/10)
This comparison is presented in two parts. The first is a high-level summary with
strengths and weaknesses and the second is a detailed feature comparison.
Apache Tomcat
IBM Websphere
Summary Description
Designed to be an open source “development Application server has been designed as part
kit” to enable different versions of XML and of the WebSphere brand and version 7.0 is
HTML to run in a mixed server/application focused on improved administration and
environment.
automation.
Tomcat implements the servlet and the
JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications from
Sun Microsystems. It's considered to be a web
server. The Tomcat servlet engine often
appears in combination with an Apache
webserver. Tomcat can also function as an
independent web server in itself: it operates as
such in development environments and others
with minimal requirements for speed and
transaction handling.
WebSphere was based on the IBM
SanFrancisco Java application framework and
its Component Broker, both of which predate
J2EE standards.
Sun’s policy with
compliance is1:
Websphere 7.0 is Java EE 5 compliant.
respect
to
Java
EE
Tomcat is based on the original implementation
of the JavaServer Pages (JSP) and Java
Servlet specifications, which was donated by
Sun to the Apache Software Foundation in
1999. Sun continues to participate in
development of Tomcat at Apache, focusing on
keeping Tomcat current with new versions of
the specifications coming out of the Java
Community Source Process (SM). Sun adapts
and integrates the then-current Tomcat source
code into new releases of the Java EE SDK.
Versions
1
http://java.sun.com/javaee/reference/faq/javaee_faq.jsp#Tomca
Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Frances Group and Experture, all rights reserved
20 Crooked Mile Road, Westport, CT. 06880; (203) 557-0856;
http://www.experture.com/; Contact: [email protected]
June 21, 2010
Executive Technology Strategies
ETS 10-06-12
Apache Tomcat
There are several versions of Apache Tomcat.
Each version builds upon the previous version2.
IBM Websphere
There are three versions of
Application Server3:
Apache Tomcat 6.0.26 (Current release date March 11, 2010) is the current focus of
development. It builds upon the improvements
made in Tomcat 5.5.x and implements the
Servlet 2.5 and JSP 2.1 specifications. In
addition to that, it includes the following
improvements:
 Memory usage optimizations
 Advanced IO capabilities
 Refactored clustering
WebSphere Standard Edition
WebSphere Standard Edition is a servlet/JSP
container layer that runs on top of an HTTP
server. It works with a number of popular HTTP
servers, including IBM HTTP Server, Microsoft
IIS, and Netscape iPlanet server. WebSphere
Standard Edition supports static HTML pages,
servlets, JavaServer Pages, and XML .
Apache Tomcat 5.5.x supports the same
Servlet and JSP Specification versions as
Apache Tomcat 5.0.x. There are significant
changes in many areas under the hood,
resulting in improved performance, stability,
and total cost of ownership.
WebSphere Advanced Edition
WebSphere Advanced Edition contains all the
features of Standard Edition, and also includes:
 Full
support
for
the
Enterprise
JavaBeansTM (EJB) component model
 Workload management (WLM) features to
support multiple servers within a single
administrative domain
WebSphere Advanced Edition is IBM's core
J2EE server.
Apache Tomcat 5.0.x improves on Apache
Tomcat 4.1 in many ways, including:
 Performance optimizations and reduced
garbage collection
 Refactored application deployer, with an
optional standalone deployer allowing
validation and compilation of a web
application before putting it in production
 Complete server monitoring using JMX and
the manager web application
 Scalability and reliability enhancements
 Improved Taglibs handling, including
advanced pooling and tag plugins
 Improved platform integration, with native
Windows and Unix wrappers
 Embedding using JMX
 Enhanced Security Manager support
 Integrated session clustering
 Expanded documentation
WebSphere Enterprise Edition
WebSphere Enterprise Edition includes all of
the features in Advanced Edition, and also
includes:
 Component Broker (CB), the IBM Object
Request Broker
 TXSeries,
the
IBM
transactional
middleware solution with two transaction
processing monitors: CICS and Encina
2
3
Websphere
In WebSphere Enterprise Edition, the
Component Broker serves both EJBs and
CORBA objects. TXSeries provides a pure
transactional environment, for applications that
don't require an EJB/component-based/objectoriented programming model. Depending on
your requirements, you could use either or
both.
http://tomcat.apache.org/whichversion.html
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B12428_15/migrate.904/b10426/comparis.htm
Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Frances Group and Experture, all rights reserved
20 Crooked Mile Road, Westport, CT. 06880; (203) 557-0856;
http://www.experture.com/; Contact: [email protected]
June 21, 2010
Executive Technology Strategies
ETS 10-06-12
Apache Tomcat
IBM Websphere
Strengths
By far the most widely deployed web solution – Provides a wide range of support for both
100 million sites (64% of enterprises4) - packaged and legacy applications, reducing
because of comprehensive developer tools the degree of customized programming and
which enable different and non compatible web development.
based content to be combined in a defined
server environment.
Integrated architecture of provides higher
levels of performance, i.e., speed, to deliver
Top level ASF project.
improved service levels to end-users.
Has a small core developer group.
Has been around since 1999.
Offers both an Express and Community (open
source) version of their application server
solution.
It is actively developed; 1 new version per
month.
Lightweight – core is less than 10MB.
Flexible and configurable – supports many
configuration options; full HTTPS, Virtual Host
Functionality, Access logging, Multiple
deployment methods, any part of Tomcat can
be swapped out with a proprietary
implementation.
Robust and scalable – code base is mature,
enhancements are carefully screened.
As an open source application tool kit, Tomcat
is both cost effective and current in design and
functionality.
Is part of current trend to replace JEE
containers with lightweight containers.
Weaknesses
While utilized in some very large organizations, Regardless of the marketing claims, will be
the solution functions most optimally in limited more expensive (>$1,000) than open source
server environments.
solutions.
Although open source, it is still closely
integrated and associated with Sun – now part
of Oracle – and there is uncertainty about
resource commitment beyond the open source
community.
4
Can be a difficult vendor to manage as multiple
teams try to gain traction for hardware,
software, services and support.
Is not as lightweight – 600mb for Application
Server Express.
Tomcat in the Enterprise, Spring Source, 2008.
Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Frances Group and Experture, all rights reserved
20 Crooked Mile Road, Westport, CT. 06880; (203) 557-0856;
http://www.experture.com/; Contact: [email protected]
June 21, 2010
Executive Technology Strategies
ETS 10-06-12
In order to complete this comparison, Experture used the feature matrix provided by IBM
for its Websphere Application Server and filled in the table for Apache Tomcat.
There are some significant differences:
1. IBM has bundled some additional features that are not included in Tomcat since these
are usually provided by other vendors and are not considered in Tomcat’s scope – this
is reflected in IBM’s significantly larger footprint (600mb vs. 10mb).
2. The fundamental differences such as open source, code origin and support paradigms.
Features
Apache Tomcat 6.x
Websphere Application
Server 7.0
No
No
Yes
No
Partial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Partial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Web 2.0
AJAX Messaging
AJAX Development Tools
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Web Services Support
OASIS
Interoperability with vendors such as Microsoft®
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Security
Security Auditing
Kerbeos authentication and single sign-on
Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)
Common Criteria Assurance Level 4 Certification
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms Supported
Microsoft Windows
Linux
IBM AIX
Sun Solaris
HP-UNIX
IBM i
Linux on IBM
64 bit addressing
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Features
Runtime provisioning
Full Java EE 5 support
Enterprise Java Beans 3.0
Large-scale transaction support
24x7 product support
Broad operating-system support and database
connectivity
Simple failover
Reporting and chargeback: granular reporting on resource
consumption
Optimized to instantly run in VMware and other
virtualization environments
Open Source Based
Lightweight
Java Programming
Full Java EE, Version 5.0 support and EJB 3.0
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Frances Group and Experture, all rights reserved
20 Crooked Mile Road, Westport, CT. 06880; (203) 557-0856;
http://www.experture.com/; Contact: [email protected]
June 21, 2010
Executive Technology Strategies
ETS 10-06-12
The Bottom Line: Apache Tomcat was started in 1999. It is a top project for ASF and as such
gets a lot of attention; significant number of downloads and code change submittals.
In addition, according to numerous sources, Tomcat is used by a majority of enterprises.
Experture recommends that although IBM is already in place that Tomcat be reviewed as a viable
alternative.
Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Frances Group and Experture, all rights reserved
20 Crooked Mile Road, Westport, CT. 06880; (203) 557-0856;
http://www.experture.com/; Contact: [email protected]