Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes + JBoss EAP for fast, lightweight, Java EE cloud applications

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Rich Naszcyniec

Have you read the announcement of the alpha release of Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes (RHOAR)? We also posted an introduction to the component in RHOAR earlier.

Red Hat Intends to include entitlements for the JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) as part of a Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes (RHOAR) subscription.  The reasoning for this is dead simple, there is still strong demand for a Java application platform the implements the Java EE specification. JBoss EAP 7 fits that requirements with certified full platform and web profile support for the Java EE 7 specification. Best of all, JBoss EAP offers Java EE 7 capabilities in a small, fast, cloud ready footprint. It has been available on the OpenShift Cloud Platform (OCP) since version 6. JBoss EAP is cloud ready and deserves to be included as a RHOAR component.

I want to believe. Prove that JBoss is small and fast!

First lets agree on what a Java EE application platform is. I propose a minimalist definition. That being, a Java EE application platform is verified to have implemented a specific Java EE specification. The current Java EE 7 specification is extensive and runs 290 pages long. Implementing the details is no trivial task. As of the date of this article, there are eight products that have been verified by Oracle to be Java EE 7 full platform compatible implementations. Red Hat JBoss EAP 7 is one of those products. However, Apache Tomcat, JBoss Web Server, and Pivotal tcServer are not on the list. Those products are not Java EE application platforms.

Continue reading “Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes + JBoss EAP for fast, lightweight, Java EE cloud applications”

New Open Source Project for Agile Integration in Low Code Environments

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Paul Hinz, senior director, middleware marketing, Red Hat, Inc

Sameer Parulkar, senior product marketing manager, Red Hat

At Red Hat Summit this week, Paul Cormier, executive vice president and president, Products and Technologies, demonstrated three stages of application modernization:

  1. rehosting / refactoring a monolithic app
  2. extending that app with OpenShift.io
  3. demoing how to manage applications and services in an integration platform as a service (iPaaS)

The iPaaS demonstration was the first public view of a new open source project focusing on low code integration capabilities on OpenShift.  The new project is available in open source as http://syndesis.io, and community members are encouraged to become involved in the project over the next several milestones.  

iPaaS provides a low code capability that supports non-technical users, that can quickly build integrations between common systems and data, but which is also built upon technology that supports full scale, mission critical enterprise integration projects.

What It Is

  • Syndesis provides an iPaaS implementation built on  Red Hat JBoss Fuse and Red Hat OpenShift technologies
  • The easy-to-use cloud-native integration toolset allows a low-code web interface to:
    • Create, connect and manage integrations quickly (no installation needed)
    • Create and connect APIs (using web based tooling)
    • Point and click tools to build, test & deploy integrations
    • Pre-built connectors to connect multiple apps and services
    • Build simple to complex connections
  • Built on Red Hat JBoss Fuse and Red Hat OpenShift, allowing the same underlying technology proven for large scale or sophisticated deployments

Why This Is Different

  • Syndesis is a curation of multiple open source communities, focusing on providing a fully open source iPaaS, low-code environment based on Apache Camel, JBoss Fuse, etc.
  • Focused on supporting the agile integration methodology
  • Fully integrated with Kubernetes and Linux containers (Docker/Moby)
  • Enables ubiquitous integrations: API-based hybrid integrations across on-premise, private or public cloud
  • Can be extended  with additional capabilities like Red Hat 3scale API Management, Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite, Red Hat JBoss BRMS and Red Hat JBoss Data Grid

What To Do Next

Eclipse MicroProfile continues its growth in the market

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Cesar Saavedra, technical marketing manager, Red Hat, Inc

Organizations that have already embarked or are thinking about starting a digital transformation journey are assessing and looking for ways to leverage their Java EE expertise. IT development and operations have built Java expertise over years, and there is a challenge to balance their existing skill base with new digitally transformative technologies, such as microservices, APIs, container-based architectures, and reactive programming. Eclipse MicroProfile is an open source project and one of those digitally transformative technologies that enables and optimizes the development of microservices — using familiar Java EE technologies and APIs.

You can think of MicroProfile as minimal standard profile for Java microservices. As with Java EE, MicroProfile implementations across different vendors are fully interoperable.

MicroProfile is supported in WildFly Swarm on the recently announced Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes, our polyglot runtime platform powered by OpenShift, Kubernetes, and OpenStack. This delivers on the goal of simplifying the inherent complexity of developing cloud native applications.

There are a lot of reasons to begin adopting MicroProfile:

  • Open source, of course
  • Agility in developing microservices
  • Ability to leverage innovation
  • Architectural interoperability across different vendor offerings
  • No vendor lock-in
  • Fast learning curve for Java EE users (Java EE users can leverage their knowledge when using MicroProfile)
  • Ability to run on Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes 

Since MicroProfile was announced in June 2016, a lot has happened.  MicroProfile v 1.0 was released on September 19, 2016. Its implementation interoperability was demonstrated on November 2016 at Devoxx, where Red Hat, IBM, Tomitribe, and Payara demoed a unified web application with underlying microservices which had been developed separately by each vendor using MicroProfile. In addition, MicroProfile became part of the Eclipse Foundation as an incubation project back in December 14, 2016. New members have joined MicroProfile, such as SOUJava, Hazelcast, Fujitsu, Hammock, and kumuluzEE (the complete list of members can be found here).

Future releases of MicroProfile will build upon the existing foundation with organic growth by adding configuration, security, health check, and fault tolerance APIs, as well as adding support for later versions of CDI, JAX-RS, and JSON-P. The MicroProfile open source project plans to put out releases on an agile schedule and based on feedback from the open source community, which is accessible to everyone. Join the conversation and check out the MicroProfile site.

Announcing the Alpha release of Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes

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Rich Naszcyniec

Today Red Hat announced the alpha release of Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes (RHOAR). This is the first of many articles on the subject that will be published on the JBoss Middleware blog.

So what is RHOAR?

RHOAR provides application developers with a variety of application runtimes running on the OpenShift Container Platform. Specifically, the following application runtimes will be included in RHOAR:

  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) – existing Java EE / Spring apps.
  • WildFly Swarm running MicroProfile – Java EE centric MSA
  • Spring Boot / Cloud – Spring centric MSA
  • Vert.x – greenfield reactive Java
  • Node.js – greenfield reactive JavaScript

Continue reading “Announcing the Alpha release of Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes”

Summit Prep: Containers

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Deon Ballard

Containers, as a technology, bridge two critical aspects of modern application development: process (e.g., DevOps) and platform. This means that containers are a part of pretty much any long-term technology vision because they enable changes in how applications are architected, how teams interact, and how development cycles run.

The containers track at Red Hat Summit covers that range of topics, from the operational side of using containers to the architectural side of working with containers in microservices environments.

Challenges in a microservices age: monitoring, logging, and tracing in OpenShift

Thursday, 4:30, 105

Even new technologies still need to cover the basics of security and maintenance. While emerging technologies and architectures are more nimble and dynamic by being distributed, that increased complexity affects both security and maintenance. This looks at different options within OpenShift for managing enterprise-scale deployments of containers.

Red Hat container technology strategy

Tuesday, 11:30, 153A

This looks at some of the trends and emerging projects related to containers and orchestration.

From monolith to containers: How Verizon containerized legacy applications on OpenShift

Tuesday, 4:30, 153B

Unless you’re a startup, you already have existing infrastructure and apps that are central to your business. No matter how cool or innovative new technologies look, there is always the underlying question — how do you move from here to there? This looks at a proof-of-concept environment at Verizon and what lessons they’ve learned on transitioning from monoliths and legacy apps to containers and microservices.

 

A container-platform approach to digital transformation and DevOps

Thursday, 11:30, 154

Part of the reason that containers are so closely aligned with DevOps, conceptually, is because changing your technology only gets you so far — you really have to change your processes (your culture). This looks at that union of process and platform as central to digital transformation.

 

Summit Prep: Integration

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Deon Ballard

Integration is the multi-syllabic yet succinct way to say “getting a bunch of different things to work together usefully.” Looking at the integration track for Red Hat Summit, integration is the theme, but there are as many different paths as there are things to be integrated. This spans everything from messaging to API management to IoT — basically any system that requires things to communicate.

These are the sessions jumped out at me.

The three pillars that apply agile to integration

Tuesday, 3:30, 151A

One emerging phrase is “agile integration” — basically the ability to integrate things in fast moving environment. This explores three capabilities that are critical for integration to be agile: distribution, containers, and APIs.

Red Hat iPaaS – integration made easy

Tuesday, 4:30, 151B

“iPaaS” is the acronym for “integration platform as a service,” and is essentially shorthand for saying that different Red Hat integration projects are available as native OpenShift images — containerized integration.

Building secure IoT solutions

There are two challenges for IoT that conflict with each other — the need for security and the need for devices and services to communicate with each other. Addressing those challenges requires several different paths of integration, each bringing its own level of security and its ability to integrate different aspects of an environment, including Fuse (integration and messaging), BRMS, and 3scale API management.

Introducing JBoss AMQ 7

AMQ 7 introduces a new, more flexible architecture, including a new router component for automatic traffic routing and rerouting, a new high availability design which doesn’t require a centralized data store, and new messaging protocol support.

Summit Prep: Process Driven Apps

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Deon Ballard

The “process driven” part of process driven applications is fascinating because of how many different things it touches — complex event processing, low code development, DevOps processes. BPM is an engine for completely different and unique application workflows; and it also unites business analysts and developers in a unique way by visualizing or applying business logic within application designs.

There is a separate business automation track at Red Hat Summit, and a scan of the different session titles hints at the diversity of concept and application that falls under “automation.” These are just some of my favorites; check the catalog for the full list.

Transforming a process driven enterprise into a digitally engaged enterprise

Tuesday, 11:30, 157B

This looks at automation as a step beyond being responsive to events and as a point where customers can directly engage with an application (and organization).

A design approach to bridge DevOps and business automation

Tuesday, May 2, 3:30

DevOps is usually aligned with containers because of the need to rapidly and repeatedly spin up identical instances and environments for development, testing, and production. But if BPM is the intersection of business analytics and development, then there needs to be a way for the process and rules design to be as iterative and nimble as a DevOps environment.

End to end BPM

Wednesday, 3:30, 153C

This looks at an integration between Signavio’s modeling tools and JBoss BPM Suite as a business process engine.

Thyssenkrupp: Workforce optimization with business resource planner and OpenShift

Wednesday, 10:15, 153C

One of the core roles of BPM is workforce management, effectively and responsibly allocating people across an enterprise. This is an interesting session because it looks at the real life, practical application of BPM within a large enterprise and how they successfully created a dynamic system tat continuously incorporates changing data and patterns. Who doesn’t love a story with a good ending?

Using real-time data to enable real-time analytics

Tuesday, 10:15, 156C

This looks at in-memory computing and architectures that keep data “at the edge” of the environment for more responsiveness.

Summit Prep: Application Development Sessions

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Deon Ballard

As they say, Red Hat Summit is for developers. (And also architects, IT managers, operations, CTOs … it’s pretty diverse.) There year, there are several tracks dedicated to application development, from slightly different perspectives:

There are almost 350 different sessions, labs, and demos at Red Hat Summit, and over 100 just on application development and delivery — and they cover an amazing variety of topics. The ones that grabbed my attention most seem to be clustered around microservices (there ain’t no service like a microservice cause a microservice don’t stop!), but that goes back to my fascination with architecture and the underlying design of things. Check out the entire catalog, and you can create your own best-of list.

Developing microservices with Wildfly Swarm and Eclipse MicroProfile

Thursday, 11:30, 151B

There are two very cool projects covered here: WIldfly Swarm, which is a JBoss / Wildfly off-shoot focusing on fat jars or tiny containerized apps and Eclipse Microprofile, which is essentially a Java spec for microservices. Both of these use lightweight apps in flexible architectures, while leveraging the power (and familiarity) of Java.

The truth about microservices

Wednesday, 4:30, 153C

This is the real life application of microservices (something frequently called a unicorn because of its not-very-real-life concept). Practical applications are very appealing, and this looks at both the pluses and minuses of using microservices for a hosted customer service.

An open platform to support digital transformation

Wednesday, 11:30, 102B

There is a lot of buzz around the watercooler for this one because of the introduction of OpenShift Application Runtimes — a container-based platform for running a variety of different runtimes, including MicroProfile, Vert.x, and Springboot.

Reactive programming with Vert.x

Thursday, 3:30, 151A

So how many things are reactive? A lot. A lot of things. This session will break down what “reactive” means (and its many meanings and contexts) and what that means practically for any app that has to interact with something else, whether microservices or any architecture.

How to handle the complexity of migrating to microservices from 10 years of monolithic code

Thursday, 10:15, 153B

A lot of CTOs just felt their palms start sweating at this title. For a lot of organizations, any kind of “digital transformation” feels a lot less exciting and a lot more terrifying. Legacy apps are working and are generally tightly intertwined with the core operations of an organization … so how would you begin to unravel that, if you even want to?

Modern Java and Devops lightning talks

Tuesday, 4:30, 101

Most of the sessions I was drawn to focused on architecture, but this lightning talk hits two other critical factors for any infrastructure: process and platform. This looks at how technology can support process (containers and devops) and how platforms can support both existing and cloud-native applictions (Java and MicroProfile).

Summit Prep: Get Connected, Stay Connected

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Deon Ballard

There is a lot going on this week for Red Hat Summit. You can set up a schedule through the session catalog when you’re logged in — but there is still too much to see and do! As with everything, your smartphone and Twitter is your friend. Definitely follow the #RHSummit hashtag; it’s the primary tag for everything Summit-related on Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, and LinkedIn. But there is also going to be live-tweeting, photos, and blog recaps and coverage across a lot of different Red Hat sites, and this is a kind of cheatsheet to follow them all.

Livestreaming Summit

If you can’t be at Summit live, you can still experience it live. The Red Hat Summit general sessions will be live-streamed on Silicon Angle TV. There will also be one-on-one interviews throughout the week, and you can watch them live on theCube (also Silicon Angle TV). Many interviews and general sessions from Red Hat Summit 2016 are viewable now; you can also check out our Red Hat Summit YouTube channel.

The full agenda for streaming sessions is available here.

Summit-Specific Sites

There is a very cool social page on the Summit site, which allows you to pick a social media platform, and see the latest posts there. Definitely book mark that.

Middleware Social Media

Main Red Hat Sites

Special / Product Focused Accounts

Are you in? Red Hat Summit countdown: 3 days

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Deon Ballard

With technology, there are a lot of things that you kinda know, you’ve heard of, you think you know … but you need to know more. There are so many changes — containers, microservices, reactive programming, agile development, devops, mobile applications, IoT — and the technology directions are constantly shifting.

Red Hat Summit is one of the places that you can go to get a realistic perspective on where technology is going and what is specifically means to your applications and IT planning. This is something that hits an unbelievable array of topics, from the new hotness like microservices to the known (yet somehow still evolving) areas like security, storage, and automation. There are developer-centric tracks and even a new collaboration track that focuses specifically on organizational culture and processes.

And the sessions hit every experience level: there are high level conceptual overviews, product-centric roadmaps, hands-on labs and codestarters where you can actually apply knowledge, and customer use cases where real life people walk through how they used open source. In real life.

There’s also a balance to the voices. Yeah, there are a lot of Red Hatters with a long history in open source, but there are a lot of other innovative and technical people there from companies like Microsoft (Azure), Google (Cloud), Dell, Ericsson, and HP.

You can still register, if you haven’t already. Early registration is $1600; onsite registration is $1800 (and guest passes are sold out, so it’s full pass or bust).

And if this isn’t yet your year, no worries — the general sessions are streaming live on SiliconAngle TV, and there will be interviews with a variety of different people streamed live on the Red Hat Facebook page (and available to view post-Summit, too).