Yeah Right.. This is what happens if you have a long weekend of vacation!!!

[KUMARAN MANI <kumaranm@yahoo.com>]

Let us say, I have built a socket based Java
Client/Server Application. Here is the brief
description of it.

The client (Socket, could be a Java app or something
else.!!! does not matter to me) is running in a remote
place trying to open socket connection to the server. 

The server (ServerSocket) is launched on a port (eg;
9001)and is listening for new client connections on
that port. So far this is a simple application (jar
file) deployed in a JVM. 

Once the client initiates a connection request, the
server accepts the connection and a new session are
established. 

Further on this active connection, the client can send
data ((text/ xml/ ascii /etc) requests and receive
responses until the connection is closed or dropped. 

So far we are cool, no problems and things work. 

Here are my questions?

For some unexplainable reasons (let us not get into
those), I have to deploy this application in an
Application server. ?

Basically, I have two instances of Application servers
(they could be WAS / Weblogic) clustered and load
balanced (eg; network dispatcher as a load balancer). 

What I am trying to understand is;

How are things going to change? Can the client still
open a socket connection? Do they have to talk thru
the load balancer or do they need to know each IP
address of my app server boxes.?

Assuming the client talks thru the load balancer (like
a proxy IP for both those app servers), I guess, the
socket connection on each of these boxes need to be
maintained synchronously, meaning, once a client makes
a connection request to the load balancer, it needs to
/ will open two connections, one for each App. Server
and have to do the same thing for closing connections.
Am I right?

Basically I am getting confused, because of several
reasons; to begin with I clearly don’t understand the
logic behind the load balancer and clustered
environment. And how they have an effect on Socket
programming? So any explanations on those items are
welcome.

So if you can make out the question  and have some
suggestions / answers / solutions, please help. Email
me. Thanks.

Kumaran

I need a vacation.. 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free
http://sbc.yahoo.com