Choosing embedded EJB 3.x container to run Java EE 5 app on Tomcat

Question

I am sorry in advance if my question sounds too generic - I am doing all preliminary research myself but nothing substitutes real experience...

My goal is to port a legacy Java EE application (pre-EJB 3.x) to Tomcat with embedded EJB container. My choices currently stand as follows:

• JBoss Embeddable EJB
• Apache OpenEJB
• OW2 Consortium EasyBeans
• anything else?

I am expecting to use JMS (with MDBs), Session beans (stateful and stateless), JPA and I am really excited about using JSF with Seam.

Now, given choices above, are there any advantages in using one or another embedded EJB provider?

Answer 1

Below are results of my own homework - hopefully someone finds this analysis of embedded EJB providers helpful on deciding if and which container to use.

I went with Apache OpenEJB since it offers rich set of features, partially supports EJB 3.1 and seems as the most active and well rounded-up offering.

As usual, which product should work best for you really depends on your actual requirements, goals, and environment.

Embedded JBoss

• License: LGPL
• Java: JDK 5.0
• Tomcat integration: Yes, modification to server.xml
• Tomcat Versions: 5.0 and above (?)
• Deployment to Tomcat: Embedded war
• List of features: JNDI (local), JBoss TS, JBoss Messaging, JCA, JNDI, EJB, JPA, local TX datasource/connection pool, EJB Security JNDI configuration: overrides Tomcat's JNDI implementation by layering itself on top of Tomcat's JNDI instantiation; Tomcat JNDI is read-only
• Deployment types: JAR only
• Management support: No
• Support: limited, built on top JBoss Microcontainer that is the core of JBoss 5.0, supported option for Seam on Tomcat
• JMS Provider: same configuration files as JBoss 5.x. JMS is configured in hsqldb-persistence-service.xml, and this can be adjusted to work with other databases
• XA Connection Pool: No
• EJB Timer Services: No
• *Persistence Providers:*Hibernate
• Limitations: no remote JMS; local interfaces only; local-only JBoss JNDI implementation
• Documentation: limited
• EJB 3.1: No

Apache OpenEJB 3.1

• License: Apache License
• *Java:*JDK 5.0 or 6.0
• Tomcat integration:Yes, modifications to startup shell script
• *Tomcat Versions:*Tomcat 6.x or 5.5
• *Deployment to Tomcat:*war file
• *List of features:*EJB 3.0 and 3.1, JTA, JAX-WS, JMS, J2EE Connectors, JPA, JNDI. OpenEJB uses several other open source frameworks such as OpenJPA to provide JPA and CMP persistence, ActiveMQ for JMS/MDB, and Apache CXF for JAX-WS features.
• *JNDI configuration:*flexible JNDI naming schema
• *Deployment types:*Collapsed EAR (war), JAR
• Management support: ActiveMQ JMX mbeans
• *Support:*Community support, mailing lists and forums, EJB container for Apache Geronimo
• *JMS Provider:*ActiveMQ
• *XA Connection Pool:*Yes
• *EJB Timer Services:*Yes
• *Persistence Providers:*OpenJPA, Hibernate
• *Limitations:*OpenEJB uses OpenJPA to provide JPA and CMP persistence, and OpenJPA currently requires a JavaAgent to function properly.
• *Documentation:*limited but better than others
• *EJB 3.1:*partial

EasyBeans

• *License:*LGPL
• *Java:*JDK 5.0 or 6.0
• Tomcat integration: Yes
• *Tomcat Versions:*Tomcat 6.x or 5.5
• *Deployment to Tomcat:*war file
• *List of features:*EJB 3.0, JAX-WS, OSGi support
• JNDI configuration:?
• *Deployment types:*JAR
• Management support:?
• *Support:*Community support and professional support, mailing list, JIRA, EJB container for JOnAS application server
• JMS Provider:?
• XA Connection Pool:?
• *EJB Timer Services:*Yes
• *Persistence Providers:*OpenJPA, Hibernate, TopLink, EclipseLink
• Limitations:
• *Documentation:*limited
• EJB 3.1: No