Architecture question role of webserver when using JSP/servlets

[borntorun]

Guys,

I understand what jsp/servlets do what i am trying to understand is the role of a webserver when you are also using tomcat/weblogic/websphere.

Why do you need a commercial webserver if the majority of the application is written using servlets or jsps?

I also don't understand how the two are communicating: IE is all the html being passed back through the webserver? What does the webserver do when it receives a request for a servlet or a jsp page?

Thanks for helping me.

I have browsed around the internet but not found any links that can help me over this one.

 

[sedj]

>>>> Why do you need a commercial webserver if the majority of the application is written using servlets or jsps?

You don't have to, but its quicker !
A standard static http server is used if sites have a lot of static content like images, and pure static html pages, because a pure static http server is quicker at serving out files than a servlet container.

How to link the two is vendor specific, but as an example, if you are trying to link Tomcat to Apache, then in the httpd.conf files a "JKMount" is used to map certain request URLs to the servlet container - ie for anything dynamic, the URL is served by Tomcat.

 

[evgeniosc]

Yes the resulting html (from a jsp or servlet) is passed from tomcat to the web-server and the web-server returns it back to the client.

So because the web server is faster than tomcat in servicing clients, it is better to connect the application server with a commercial web server.

So, the performance gain is not only in static content. Even if your application does not have static content at all it is better to connect the application server with a commercial web server.

 

[sedj]

evgeniosc : I think after 18 months, there is little point in replying to posts !!!

--------------------------------------------------
Free Database Connection Pooling Software

http://www.primrose.org.uk