Externalized classloader information for application servers

• US 20060156295A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Keith Martin, Michael Levi Fraenkel, Thomas R. Gissel
• Original Assignee: Brian Keith Martin, Michael Levi Fraenkel, Thomas R. Gissel
• Inventors: Martin, Brian Keith, Gissel, Thomas R., Fraenkel, Michael Levi
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A process and system for externalizing classloader information to non-application modules such as tool modules that do not reside within the same Application server virtual machine such as a J2EE AppServer JVM. Tools that read and display classloader information typically need to co-reside within the AppServer because of the virtual machine security mechanisms that prevent classes outside the virtual machine itself to introspect the classloaders. This presents a problem for tooling vendors because most server owners do not want anything other than their applications running within the AppServer virtual machine. The invention allows tooling vendors to create a classloader tool that is external to the AppServer virtual machine, and which is running in a completely separate virtual machine, thus having minimal overhead on production systems, but which allows classloading through standard or open (e.g. non-proprietary) interfaces.

Claims

1. A process for externalizing classloader information for object-oriented application programs through an interface at runtime, the process comprising the steps of:

notifying a manageable component factory by an application module being executed by an application server virtual machine of a need to load class information regarding a class of object running externally to said application server virtual machine;

using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server; and

loading said class information by said application module from said manageable component server.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing one or more application module components comprises providing one or more JAVA Management Extension MBean components.

3. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of executing said application module(s) within an application server virtual machine comprises executing one or more JAVA modules in a JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE (JVM).

4. The process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE is a JAVA Platform Enterprise Edition JVM.

5. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server comprises using an Extensible Markup Language descriptor.

6. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server comprises registering class information with a JAVA Management Extension MBean Server.

7. The process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an IBM WEBSPHERE application server.

8. A computer readable medium encoded with software for externalizing classloader information for object-oriented application programs through an interface at runtime, the software performing the steps of:

notifying a manageable component factory by an application module being executed by an application server virtual machine of a need to load class information regarding a class of object running externally to said application server virtual machine;

using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server; and

loading said class information by said application module from said manageable component server.

9. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said software for providing one or more application module components comprises one or more JAVA Management Extension MBean components.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said software for executing said application module(s) within an application server virtual machine comprises software for executing one or more JAVA modules in a JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE (JVM).

11. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said Java Virtual Machine software is JAVA 2 Platform Enterprise Edition JVM software.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said software for using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server comprises software for using an Extensible Markup Language descriptor.

13. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said software for using a descriptor of said external object class to register class information to a manageable component server comprises software for registering class information with a JAVA Management Extension MBean Server.

14. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 further comprising software for providing an IBM WEB SPHERE application server.

15. An object-oriented system for loading external class information into an Application Server virtual machine, said Application Server virtual machine running one or more application module manageable components, said system comprising:

a notification to a manageable component factory from an application module under execution by an application server virtual machine of a need to load class information regarding a class of object running externally to said application server virtual machine;

a descriptor of said external object class to register class information accessible to said manageable component factory;

a registration of said descriptor by said factory of a manageable component associated with said externally running object class; and

a manageable component server receiving said registration, and loading said class information for said requesting application module.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said application module components comprise providing one or more JAVA Management Extension MBean components.

17. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said application server virtual machine comprises a JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE (JVM).

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE is a JAVA 2 Platform Enterprise Edition JVM.

19. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said descriptor comprises an Extensible Markup Language descriptor.

20. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said manageable component server comprises a JAVA Management Extension MBean Server.

21. The system as set forth in claim 15 further comprising an IBM WEBSPHERE application server.