Experience with Application Servers

[kumar thokkala]

Hi Ranchers,
After working as a contractor for last 2 years, recently I started my job search as my contract ended. I am in touch with all the latest developments in J2EE technlogy, but every J2EE job post I see on monster & career builder are asking for IBM Websphere experience. I have worked with J2EE applications for last 3 years without EJB part and never required to work on any application server and with this new requirement in every job post I am wondering how much does it matter if I don't have experience IBM Websphere.

Do I really need to have any experience with it if I am not using any EJB's? What exactly my role would be as a programmer be on Websphere.What I will be doing with Websphere, I assume some deployments, correct me if I am wrong. I am pretty much experienced with Sun One server, including configuring, deployment, scheduling etc. Will this experience be sufficient to start working Websphere or other application server.

How can I get some experience with application servers? Guys please post your opinions/suggestions.

Thanks.

[Vladas Razas]

I would learn EJB... Wouldn't hurt. Websphere you can download it and play with. Like deploy one of your applications. Unless you aiming at becoming administrator you can say you know it Duh. Those job listings are almost crazy. If anyone knew everything on average job posting they would be genius.

[kayal cox]

Originally posted by kumar kuamr:
Hi Ranchers,
I am pretty much experienced with Sun One server, including configuring, deployment, scheduling etc. Will this experience be sufficient to start working Websphere or other application server.

If you are experienced with other app servers, you will be able to manage with Websphere. There would be some gotchas, and other quirky things like class loader issues specific to Websphere, but those things happen all the time, even to experienced people. If you have WSAD, you can bring up the console for the Websphere test server. It is not as full-fledged as Websphere server console, but can give you an idea.

[Vladas Razas]

Funny thing about programmers job posting with usual: do you know this webserver, appserver, DB? Now as a programmer I don't have to know Oracle. I have to know SQL, JDBC, hibernate etc. Who cares what DB engine is that? Or what kind of app server is this? They all adhere to some standards and specifications. Of course that would be totally different if I would apply for DB or APP admin. But for Java programmer it just don't make sense. As for EJB it's even in certification exam: who deploys J2EE application? Deployer! It might be same person as developer, but it is not necessary.