overriding JDBCRealm

[Yacov Wolfowicz]

Hi,

I'm trying to customize the way authentication is done.
I created a class, overriding JDBCRealm which delegates all calls to JDBCRealm. When using it in my server.xml file, I get some annoying exceptions and TOMCAT won't start.

What am I missing??


Thanks.

I use Tomcat 5.5, with eclipse.

the exceptions:


java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:295)
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.main(Bootstrap.java:433)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.await(Catalina.java:616)
at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.start(Catalina.java:576)
... 6 more



working server.xml:

       <Realm className="org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm" 
              connectionName="db2admin" connectionPassword="mypassword" 
              connectionURL="jdbc:db2://127.0.0.1:50000/MYDB" 
              debug="99" 
              driverName="com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver" 
              roleNameCol="ROLE" userCredCol="PASSWORD" userNameCol="USERNAME" 
              userRoleTable="DB2ADMIN.USER_ROLES" 
              userTable="DB2ADMIN.USERS"/>

NOT working server.xml

 <Realm   className="com.adphreak.services.CustomJDBCRealm"
                connectionName="db2admin" connectionPassword="mypassword" 
                connectionURL="jdbc:db2://127.0.0.1:50000/MYDB" 
                debug="99" driverName="com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver" 
                roleNameCol="ROLE" userCredCol="PASSWORD" 
                userNameCol="USERNAME" 
                userRoleTable="DB2ADMIN.USER_ROLES" userTable="DB2ADMIN.USERS"/>

my class

   
package com.mycode.services;

import java.beans.PropertyChangeListener;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.security.Principal;
import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;
import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
import java.sql.SQLException;
import java.util.ArrayList;

import javax.management.MBeanServer;
import javax.management.ObjectName;

import org.apache.catalina.Container;
import org.apache.catalina.Context;
import org.apache.catalina.LifecycleException;
import org.apache.catalina.LifecycleListener;
import org.apache.catalina.Realm;
import org.apache.catalina.connector.Request;
import org.apache.catalina.connector.Response;
import org.apache.catalina.deploy.SecurityConstraint;
import org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm;

/**
 * 
 */

public class CustomJDBCRealm extends JDBCRealm {

	/**
	 * 
	 */
	public CustomJDBCRealm() {
		// TODO Auto-generated constructor stub
		super();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#authenticate(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public synchronized Principal authenticate(String arg0, String arg1) {
		String strUserName = new String(arg0);
		return super.authenticate(strUserName, arg1);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#authenticate(java.sql.Connection, java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public synchronized Principal authenticate(Connection dbConnection,
			String username, String credentials) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.authenticate(dbConnection, username, credentials);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#close(java.sql.Connection)
	 */
	@Override
	protected void close(Connection arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.close(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#credentials(java.sql.Connection, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected PreparedStatement credentials(Connection arg0, String arg1)
			throws SQLException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.credentials(arg0, arg1);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getConnectionName()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getConnectionName() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getConnectionName();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getConnectionPassword()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getConnectionPassword() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getConnectionPassword();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getConnectionURL()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getConnectionURL() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getConnectionURL();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getDriverName()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getDriverName() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getDriverName();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getName()
	 */
	@Override
	protected String getName() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getName();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getPassword(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected synchronized String getPassword(String arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getPassword(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getPrincipal(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected synchronized Principal getPrincipal(String username) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getPrincipal(username);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getRoleNameCol()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getRoleNameCol() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getRoleNameCol();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getRoles(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected ArrayList getRoles(String arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getRoles(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getUserCredCol()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getUserCredCol() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getUserCredCol();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getUserNameCol()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getUserNameCol() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getUserNameCol();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getUserRoleTable()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getUserRoleTable() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getUserRoleTable();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#getUserTable()
	 */
	
	@Override
	public String getUserTable() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getUserTable();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#open()
	 */
	@Override
	protected Connection open() throws SQLException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.open();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#release(java.sql.Connection)
	 */
	@Override
	protected void release(Connection dbConnection) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.release(dbConnection);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#roles(java.sql.Connection, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected synchronized PreparedStatement roles(Connection arg0, String arg1)
			throws SQLException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.roles(arg0, arg1);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setConnectionName(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setConnectionName(String connectionName) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setConnectionName(connectionName);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setConnectionPassword(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setConnectionPassword(String connectionPassword) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setConnectionPassword(connectionPassword);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setConnectionURL(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setConnectionURL(String connectionURL) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setConnectionURL(connectionURL);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setDriverName(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setDriverName(String driverName) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setDriverName(driverName);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setRoleNameCol(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setRoleNameCol(String roleNameCol) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setRoleNameCol(roleNameCol);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setUserCredCol(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setUserCredCol(String userCredCol) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setUserCredCol(userCredCol);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setUserNameCol(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setUserNameCol(String userNameCol) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setUserNameCol(userNameCol);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setUserRoleTable(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setUserRoleTable(String userRoleTable) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setUserRoleTable(userRoleTable);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#setUserTable(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setUserTable(String userTable) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setUserTable(userTable);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#start()
	 */
	@Override
	public void start() throws LifecycleException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.start();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.JDBCRealm#stop()
	 */
	@Override
	public void stop() throws LifecycleException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.stop();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#addLifecycleListener(org.apache.catalina.LifecycleListener)
	 */
	@Override
	public void addLifecycleListener(LifecycleListener listener) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.addLifecycleListener(listener);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#addPropertyChangeListener(java.beans.PropertyChangeListener)
	 */
	@Override
	public void addPropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.addPropertyChangeListener(listener);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#authenticate(java.security.cert.X509Certificate[])
	 */
	@Override
	public Principal authenticate(X509Certificate[] arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.authenticate(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#authenticate(java.lang.String, byte[])
	 */
	@Override
	public Principal authenticate(String username, byte[] credentials) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.authenticate(username, credentials);
	}

	@Override
	public Principal authenticate(String arg0, String arg1, String arg2,
			String arg3, String arg4, String arg5, String arg6, String arg7) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.authenticate(arg0, arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4, arg5, arg6, arg7);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#backgroundProcess()
	 */
	@Override
	public void backgroundProcess() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.backgroundProcess();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#destroy()
	 */
	@Override
	public void destroy() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.destroy();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#digest(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected String digest(String arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.digest(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#findLifecycleListeners()
	 */
	@Override
	public LifecycleListener[] findLifecycleListeners() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.findLifecycleListeners();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#findSecurityConstraints(org.apache.catalina.connector.Request, org.apache.catalina.Context)
	 */
	@Override
	public SecurityConstraint[] findSecurityConstraints(Request arg0,
			Context arg1) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.findSecurityConstraints(arg0, arg1);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getAllRolesMode()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getAllRolesMode() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getAllRolesMode();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getContainer()
	 */
	@Override
	public Container getContainer() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getContainer();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getController()
	 */
	@Override
	public ObjectName getController() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getController();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getDigest()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getDigest() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getDigest();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getDigest(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	protected String getDigest(String arg0, String arg1) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getDigest(arg0, arg1);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getDigestEncoding()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getDigestEncoding() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getDigestEncoding();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getDomain()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getDomain() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getDomain();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getInfo()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getInfo() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getInfo();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getObjectName()
	 */
	@Override
	public ObjectName getObjectName() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getObjectName();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getPrincipal(java.security.cert.X509Certificate)
	 */
	@Override
	protected Principal getPrincipal(X509Certificate usercert) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getPrincipal(usercert);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getType()
	 */
	@Override
	public String getType() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getType();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#getValidate()
	 */
	@Override
	public boolean getValidate() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.getValidate();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#hasMessageDigest()
	 */
	@Override
	protected boolean hasMessageDigest() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.hasMessageDigest();
	}

	@Override
	public boolean hasResourcePermission(Request arg0, Response arg1,
			SecurityConstraint[] arg2, Context arg3) throws IOException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.hasResourcePermission(arg0, arg1, arg2, arg3);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#hasRole(java.security.Principal, java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public boolean hasRole(Principal arg0, String arg1) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.hasRole(arg0, arg1);
	}

	@Override
	public boolean hasUserDataPermission(Request arg0, Response arg1,
			SecurityConstraint[] arg2) throws IOException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.hasUserDataPermission(arg0, arg1, arg2);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#init()
	 */
	@Override
	public void init() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.init();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#postDeregister()
	 */
	@Override
	public void postDeregister() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.postDeregister();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#postRegister(java.lang.Boolean)
	 */
	@Override
	public void postRegister(Boolean registrationDone) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.postRegister(registrationDone);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#preDeregister()
	 */
	@Override
	public void preDeregister() throws Exception {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.preDeregister();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#preRegister(javax.management.MBeanServer, javax.management.ObjectName)
	 */
	@Override
	public ObjectName preRegister(MBeanServer server, ObjectName name)
			throws Exception {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.preRegister(server, name);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#removeLifecycleListener(org.apache.catalina.LifecycleListener)
	 */
	@Override
	public void removeLifecycleListener(LifecycleListener listener) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.removeLifecycleListener(listener);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#removePropertyChangeListener(java.beans.PropertyChangeListener)
	 */
	@Override
	public void removePropertyChangeListener(PropertyChangeListener listener) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.removePropertyChangeListener(listener);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setAllRolesMode(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setAllRolesMode(String allRolesMode) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setAllRolesMode(allRolesMode);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setContainer(org.apache.catalina.Container)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setContainer(Container container) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setContainer(container);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setController(javax.management.ObjectName)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setController(ObjectName controller) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setController(controller);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setDigest(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setDigest(String digest) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setDigest(digest);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setDigestEncoding(java.lang.String)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setDigestEncoding(String charset) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setDigestEncoding(charset);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see org.apache.catalina.realm.RealmBase#setValidate(boolean)
	 */
	@Override
	public void setValidate(boolean validate) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.setValidate(validate);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see java.lang.Object#clone()
	 */
	@Override
	protected Object clone() throws CloneNotSupportedException {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.clone();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see java.lang.Object#equals(java.lang.Object)
	 */
	@Override
	public boolean equals(Object arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.equals(arg0);
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see java.lang.Object#finalize()
	 */
	@Override
	protected void finalize() throws Throwable {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.finalize();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see java.lang.Object#hashCode()
	 */
	@Override
	public int hashCode() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.hashCode();
	}

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see java.lang.Object#toString()
	 */
	@Override
	public String toString() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return super.toString();
	}
}
 

[Ulf Dittmer]

I'd start by looking at which object is null, and what the code that throws the exception is doing; that may provide a clue for further investigation.

[Yacov Wolfowicz]

Thanks for the reply.

I put a breakpoint at the constructor of my class and never get there, so i suspect something in the configuration is broken, which i cannot see. Or, am I missing something else?

[Ulf Dittmer]

By "code" I meant the Tomcat code, since that's where the exception originates.

[Tim Holloway]

It is certainly possible to subclass JDBCRealm. I've got one I wrote that allows for case-insensitive userids, since the standard JDBCRealm doesn't support this common convention.

You can set up a general intercept for NullPointerException if you're using Eclipse/RAD as your debugger. This isn't always the best solution, since some apps throw and catch exceptions internally and thus may bury you in spurious breakpoints. However, I think Tomcat's fairly clean in that regard these days.

You might also want to just browse Tomcat's source code for the org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina class and see what objects are being worked with near line 616. It might give you an idea on what objects of your own need checking.

[Yacov Wolfowicz]

a week went by....

I still can't figure out what's wrong with my configuration. I'll take the chance of appearing stupid, and ask the stupid question:
The class I'm implementing is actually part of the servlet. Should I make it a "library" class for Apache?

[Ulf Dittmer]

Tim and I both suggested to take a look at the Tomcat source code around the line where the exception is thrown; did you do that?

[Tim Holloway]

Yacov Wolfowicz wrote:a week went by....

I still can't figure out what's wrong with my configuration. I'll take the chance of appearing stupid, and ask the stupid question:
The class I'm implementing is actually part of the servlet. Should I make it a "library" class for Apache?

That's not a configuration problem. The Realms are not part of the webapps. They're part of the container environment, so they're on a different classpath than any of the webapps. Meaning that the Realm class can't find classes in any of the WARs. Each webapp has its own unique classpath consisting of the J2EE environment plus the WEB-INF/classes and the contents of the jars in WEB-INF/lib, but nothing outside that particular webapp shares that classpath. And security is outside all webapps.

Which is why it's called container-based security!

[Yacov Wolfowicz]

So, If I'm following you right, I should place the CustomRealm.class, somewhere in Tomcat's classpath, right?

[Tim Holloway]

Yacov Wolfowicz wrote:So, If I'm following you right, I should place the CustomRealm.class, somewhere in Tomcat's classpath, right?

Yup. Best results are if you just jar it all up and place it in the Tomcat server lib directory, same as you would for pooled database drivers and such.