- Why Use an App Server?
- BEA WebLogic
- IBM WebSphere
- Oracle 9iAS
- Conclusion
IBM WebSphere
IBM's WebSphere has grown from a single J2EE application server product to a complete enterprise application and integration solution. Like the Oracle solution I will discuss later, IBM's product offerings manage to meet the needs of nearly all mobile application developers. Capabilities include transcoding for delivery of markup content to multiple device types, database synchronization for disconnected mobile clients, notification services, voice application development, and enterprise application integration through messaging services.
The cornerstone of these offerings is the WebSphere Everyplace Suite, an application suite built on WebSphere that also includes the WebSphere Wireless Gateway, the WebSphere Transcoding Publisher, MQSeries Everyplace, the WebSphere Mobile Data Synchronization Server, and the WebSphere Everyplace Authentication Server. IBM describes the Everyplace Suite as an "edge of network" product, designed to interface wireless devices and networks with internal business applications. Distinguishing features of the Everyplace Suite include the MQSeries Everyplace messaging middleware for a variety of platforms and the Wireless Gateway for WAP applications.