Java Distributed Computing - Softcover

Farley, Jim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1565922069 ISBN 13: 9781565922068

Publisher: O'Reilly Media, 1998

Synopsis

Distributed computing and Java go together naturally. As the first language designed from the bottom up with networking in mind, Java makes it very easy for computers to cooperate. Even the simplest applet running in a browser is a distributed application, if you think about it. The client running the browser downloads and executes code that is delivered by some other system. But even this simple applet wouldn't be possible without Java's guarantees of portability and security: the applet can run on any platform, and can't sabotage its host.Of course, when we think of distributed computing, we usually think of applications more complex than a client and server communicating with the same protocol. We usually think in terms of programs that make remote procedure calls, access remote databases, and collaborate with others to produce a single result. Java Distributed Computing discusses how to design and write such applications. It covers Java's RMI (Remote Method Invocation) facility and CORBA, but it doesn't stop there; it tells you how to design your own protocols to build message passing systems and discusses how to use Java's security facilities, how to write multithreaded servers, and more. It pays special attention to distributed data systems, collaboration, and applications that have high bandwidth requirements.In the future, distributed computing can only become more important.Java Distributed Computing provides a broad introduction to the problems you'll face and the solutions you'll find as you write distributed computing applications.Topics covered in Java Distributed Computing:

• Introduction to Distributed Computing
• Networking Basics
• Distributed Objects (Overview of CORBA and RMI)
• Threads
• Security
• Message Passing Systems
• Distributed Data Systems (Databases)
• Bandwidth Limited Applications
• Collaborative Systems

About this title

Review

This thorough guide explains how to harness the power of Java to create distributed systems, which the author defines as a group of "agents" working together across multiple systems.

In order to create distributed applications, Java programmers need to be familiar with a host of technologies and language features in Java. These include Java's networking capabilities, its threading model, CORBA, Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI), and the JDBC standard for connecting to databases. Java Distributed Computing is a step-by-step guide to all of these pieces of the puzzle, presented in a concise, usable format.

The author presents each topic in digestible increments with some illustrative Java code, including a distributed game of chess, a chat application, and a whiteboard application. Advanced chapters cover security issues and dealing with "limited bandwidth" applications (such as pagers or Web browsers). Useful appendices list the fundamentals of CORBA, RMI, and JavaSpaces to make it easy for the working developer to look them up. --Richard Dragan

From the Publisher

Java Distributed Computing shows you how to build software in which two or more computers cooperate to produce results. It covers Java's RMI (Remote Method Invocation) facility, in addition to CORBA and various strategies for developing your own distributed framework. It pays attention to issues that are often neglected, like protocol design, security, and bandwidth requirements. Database applications and collaborative applications are covered in detail.

Edition details

• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1565922069
• ISBN 13: 9781565922068
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384