JBoss AS vs Tomcat = Portlet vs JSP/Servlet?

[alexeyg]

I just need a quick clarification… want to make sure I got this right.

Alfresco itself does not rely on JBoss, JBoss Portal or any JSR-168 implementation.

Alfresco CMS interface can run as a JSP/Servlet application in Tomcat, or as a Portlet in JBoss Portal.

JBoss Portal only works on JBoss AS.


Options if you want to use Alfresco in Portal environment (build custom Portlets that use JCR/CMS while using Alfresco for CMS, user administration, etc):

1) Use JBoss AS + JBoss Portal, run Alfresco as Portlet, write app Portlets.

2) Use Other AS, run another JSR-168 compatible Portal, run Alfresco as JSP/Servlet, write app Portlets.

3) Use Other AS, run another JSR-168 compatible Portal, deploy Alfresco as Portlet, write app Portlets.

Downside of 1: Locked into JBoss
Downside of 2: Alfresco not running as Portlet (is this really a downside?)
Donwside of 3: Have to configure Alfresco to work with a different Portal (standards… is this difficult?)

I'm new to JSF…  are there JSF-specific considerations for these options?  Also, are there benefits to running Alfresco as a Portlet? 

Basically, we need Guests to have view-only rights, Users rights to only add articles, and Admins to have full CMS access.  We are thinking about writting Portlets that interact with JCR for Guests/Users, and exposing full-blown Alfresco CMS to Admins.

[kevinr]

Hi,

You are correct in your assumptions.

1. Yes it's locked into JBoss if you want to use JBoss Portal.
2. Correct, i personally don't think it's a downside, but being able to run Alfresco as a portlet is definitely an up-side.
3. Yes you would have to do that. There are posts in the forums about deploying to other JSR-168 portals including eXo and LifeRay.

There are no JSF specific considerations as long as the portal you deploy too is JSR-168, as the JSF-Portal environment bridge code works with those interfaces.

Portlets is definitely a way of doing what you suggest for guests. There's also nothing stopping you accessing Alfresco for full CMS users as per item 2. if it's more appropriate for those users.

We are adding the notion of Guest access with view only rights to the system early next year.

Thanks,

Kevin