Applying Enterprise JavaBeans 2.1: Component-Based Development for the J2EE Platform (2nd Edition)

As an authoritative resource for using Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) effectively to build and integrate even the largest systems, Applying Enterprise JavaBeans provides what IT managers and developers need to adopt this powerful component standard successfully in new Java projects.

Most books about EJB are strong on theory, but tend to leave out many details of how to implement components in real projects. That's where this text steps in, providing real code (and real design decisions) for implementing different kinds of JavaBeans, like session and entity Beans. Better yet, it contains a case study of a human resources benefits enrollment system that integrates data from different vendors and uses EJB to hold the data together. (Using fictitious vendor names like `Star Enterprise,` `Wombat,` and `Providence,` the book shows how EJB can lead to successful enterprise integration.)

Subsequent chapters look at different aspects of this system, from session Beans (including stateful Beans used to manage sessions) to detailed examples of entity Beans in action. There are plenty of state transition diagrams (that show the inner workings of EJB in a variety of scenarios) and source code (useful for Java developers). Without actually anchoring this material in an actual application server (which would make the book even more practical), it does a good job of fleshing out the EJB standard for real projects, exposing what really goes on between application server `containers` and the Beans they manage, including activation and passivation states.

Final sections examine transactions and security options for components, including the use of declarative statements in XML descriptors to simplify these aspects of EJB design. Finally, there's a reference for built-in EJB classes and APIs.

Overall, this book can help put EJB within reach for programmers and managers. Its mix of practical expert advice and sample source code will help demystify EJB components and how to use them to create successful, state-of-the-art enterprise systems. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Two-tiered vs. J2EE application architectures Advantages of EJB Business rules The structure of EJB Roles for EJB users (including developers, system administrators, and deployers) Session Beans (stateful and stateless session Beans) Session Beans and containers (including passivation and activation) Entity Bean basics (the Bean life cycle, storing and loading Beans) Case study for a health benefits enrollment system (including application integration through EJB) Transactions in EJB (including declarative and programmatic transaction management) Managing security with Beans (including security roles and declarative security mechanisms) EJB API reference

User review
A Solid, But Not Exceptional EJB Book
I'm a bit surprised by many of the reviews of this book. Overall, I think it is a fairly solid coverage of EJBs. However, I think it tocuhes on many topics without providing enough depth to make that topic clear and useful. One of the worst examples of this is Chapter 6, entitled Using JMS and Connectors For Communication. The chapter has a rather brief high level coverage of JMS which is too short and sporadic to be terribly useful. Then is jumps to J2EE Connectors which it discusses for one and a half pages. In those 1.5 pages it gives no examples and almost no concrete information about how to use connectors. The most useful thing it says is it tells you another book you can buy to actually learn how to use connectors. Since the chapter is called `Using JMS and Connectors,,.` I would expect more than 1.5 pages of fluffy coverage of connectors. But at least it told me what book I should have bought instead.
If you want a high-level view of a lot of topics, without a whole lot of depth, then I think this book is a good choice. If you want a more thorough coverage of EJBs, I'd recommend Head First EJB, Enterprise JavaBeans (O'Reilly Press), or Professional EJB (Wrox Press.)

User review
Example-filled & highly practical
Now in its second edition updated to take into account changes in the EJB 2.1 specification, Applying Enterprise JavaBeans: Component-Based Development For The J2EE Platform is the collaborative effort of computer experts Vlada Matena, Sanjeev Krishnan, Linda DeMichiel and Beth Stearns, and the latest in `The Java Series` of instructional computer programming books endorsed an authored by the creators of Java technology at Sun Microsystems, Inc. Covering support for Java Web services, security management, message-driven beans and integrating with Java Message Service, transaction management, EJB query language, and much more, Applying Enterprise JavaBeans is a hands-on, example-filled, highly practical and enthusiastically recommended instructional and reference resource.

User review
Gerbil on a treadmill
Several years ago, we tried using EJB 1.0 and were utterly underwhelmed. Despite using what was for its time a high powered computer, our clock cycles and memory seemed to get eaten up somewhere in the container. Searching the web revealed that many others had similar complaints.

Sun heavily improved the EJB standard in version 2. The Container Managed Persistence was totally rewritten, and Message Driven Beans were introduced because many users wanted loosely coupled asynchronous applications. Things are much better now, and Sun released this book as part of its official documentation set for EJB 2. As usual, it is clearly written and authoritative.

So the good news is, if you are running EJB 1, you really should jump, and EJB 2 is the logical and easiest destination to get to. If so, you might as well get this book to smooth the transition.

But there is an alternative which this book completely neglects to mention. In the last 3 years, a rival to EJB has arisen. The open source jBoss. In 2000, I heard its founder, Marc Fleury, claim advantages over EJB 1. Since then, in various newsgroups, it does seem that jBoss is at the very least on a par with EJB 2. And given that the jBoss source is available and free, you should seriously consider migrating to it.

You see, Sun had very little real choice but to produce EJB 2, and to write a book like this, in part simply to stay competitive with jBoss and other application servers like IBM's Websphere and BEA's Weblogic. Run and run just to stay in place.

User review
New edition is excellent
This new edition of ` Applying Enterprise JavaBeans` is a well written look at the Enterprise JavaBeans 2.1 specification. The explanations of the various topics are in-depth and yet easy to follow. The authors provide diagrams and supporting code samples demonstrating how to write the code for each topic covered. They also provide explanations of when a particular technology is appropriate for your applications. The book even has a glossary so that if you forgot what an acronym stands for, you can look it up.

The book covers all the usual topics one would expect in a book on EJBs. It starts with a general overview and then takes a look at each of the various bean types. Session beans (stateful and stateless), message driven beans, and entity beans are each covered. An application example is discussed which includes packaging of the application for production. The following chapter covers integrating web services into your EJB applications. Subsequent chapters cover transactions and security. The authors have done a great job of explaining not just how to code EJBs but also how they work within an application server, which you need to know to use EJBs successfully.

The book is similar to the O'Reilly book in size and scope although this book has the advantage of being more current. Overall, the book is well written, easy to follow, and extremely useful. If you are new to EJBs or if you are looking for a book to bring you up to date on the new specification then this book will make a good choice.

User review
Good book, but outdated.
As an entry level book to Enterprise Java Beans it was a good book, but nothing special. Currently this book (1st edition) is very much outdated because of the new EJB specs. You would do better buying another EJB book.