Extending a J2EE(TM) server with dynamic and flexible resource management

The Java(TM) 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE(TM)) is the standard platform for hosting enterprise applications written in the Java programming language. A single J2EE server can support multiple applications much like a traditional operating system, but performance levels can be difficult to control, due to the absence of resource management facilities in the Java platform. The Resource Management (RM) interface addresses this problem by providing a flexible and extensible framework for managing resources that is applicable across a broad spectrum, from low-level resources like CPU time to higherlevel resources such as database connections. RM has been implemented in the Multi-tasking Virtual Machine (MVM), a scalable operating environment for multiple applications based on the concept of isolated computations. This paper describes the application of MVM and RM to the management of resources in a J2EE Server and shows that application performance can be controlled flexibly and easily with low overhead and minimal intrusion.