Debashish Chakrabarty

A key turn-around event around infrastructure has been the virtualization of servers. We were told how this is good for performance, isolation and optimal use. However, I noticed with several of our clients who chose to use bare-metal servers citing performance gains, a particular client was running an OpenShift cluster with the master nodes on VMs but application nodes on bare-metal. Is this a trend? What are the implications? Are we turning away from VMs?

Hello Ranchers,

I am trying to invoke a Python script from a Spring Boot application which is bundled as a JAR. I added Maven dependency for Jython Standalone JAR. The following code throws error at the execfile call (the code is able to get the Python file as input stream correctly):

ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream(); ByteArrayOutputStream err = new ByteArrayOutputStream(); String[] result = new String[2]; Properties preprops = System.getProperties(); Properties props = new Properties(); //props.put("python.path", "?"); props.put("python.console.encoding", "UTF-8"); props.put("python.security.respectJavaAccessibility", "false"); props.put("python.import.site", "false"); PythonInterpreter.initialize(preprops, props, new String[0]); PythonInterpreter pyInterpreter = new PythonInterpreter(); try {    Resource resource = new ClassPathResource("myPythonFile.py");    pyInterpreter.set("args", "a string argument");    pyInterpreter.setOut(out);    pyInterpreter.setErr(err);    pyInterpreter.execfile(resource.getInputStream());    result[0] = out.toString();// reading the output    result[1] = err.toString();// reading the error } catch (Exception e) {    logger.error("Error in code: ", e); } finally {    try {        if (out != null)            out.close();        if (err != null)            err.close();        pyInterpreter.close();    } catch (IOException e) {        e.printStackTrace();    } }
Error thrown:

org.python.core.PyException: null        at org.python.core.Py.ImportError(Py.java:334) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.imp.import_first(imp.java:879) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.imp.import_module_level(imp.java:964) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.imp.importName(imp.java:1057) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.ImportFunction.__call__(__builtin__.java:1280) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.PyObject.__call__(PyObject.java:450) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.__builtin__.__import__(__builtin__.java:1232) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.imp.importOne(imp.java:1076) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.pycode._pyx1.f$0(<iostream>:251) ~[na:na]        at org.python.pycode._pyx1.call_function(<iostream>) ~[na:na]        at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:171) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.core.Py.runCode(Py.java:1614) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.util.PythonInterpreter.execfile(PythonInterpreter.java:296) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]        at org.python.util.PythonInterpreter.execfile(PythonInterpreter.java:291) ~[jython-standalone-2.7.1.jar!/:na]
My Python script is using the following imports:

import sys
import argparse
import re
import json

I assume that it is probably happening because I am unable to set the property "python.path", but I am not sure how could I do that (the Jython JAR is being bundled under BOOT-INF/lib by Spring Boot). Also, there is no way for me to actually provide an absolute path for the Python installation (if that is what Jython expects) as the JAR would be deployed on a PaaS where file-system access is not enabled.

Appreciate your help in solving this.

Wohooo! Thanks a lot Melissa and Javaranch. I feel special.

Thanks so much Melissa for your reply. My daytime job has been as a programmer, I deal now more on Management and Solutioning but I realize that while I help deliver software solutions at work, I really have done nothing for my own kids on this regard. I think I owe an hour of code at least every week for my younger one, you are right even those AI systems need to be built by someone. Your answer helps me take a resolve today My best wishes for your book to do well.

Delighted to hear about this book. My elder son is 15 and younger is 7. I actually never tried to teach programming to my elder one (he is in 10th Standard in India and his school curriculum does applied aspects of Computers e.g. how to use MS Office Suite or MS Paint etc. They also covered Scratch but very basic, no projects work given). With my younger son I have now found that there are many web tools available, especially liked Kodable). My question is how will a print book help where online tool kits are now a days available and secondly is it worth teaching programming to kids now (given that AI would probably take away all the IT jobs, as I hear).

I purchased my first Android phone a year ago (please don't laugh, I have been using a Symbian and my wife a Bada OS phone, since ages ). With the host of Android market place applications I am now keen to create an app of my own. I do however always end up empathizing with the developers who get a 1 start at Google play store, saying the application crashed on my so & so device or it doesn't even work etc. With the market full of scores of devices with various versions of Android and even customized Android I am sure it must be a nightmare for developers to take care of such customer complains. So my questions: are developers really are writing (and are supposed to writing) device or OS specific code? And secondly for a newbie like me (who has ample experience on Java) which is the bare minimum device/config I should target (of course I would be keen that it runs at least on my own smartphone, which is Redmi Note)?

BTW I have been a big HF fan, I cleared my SCWCD and PMP certifications taking help from HF books and look forward to the update HF Android book (hope you come up with an economy edition for India as well).

Increase in wages, perhaps no. Not for SCEA (which I am yet to pass), but from my experience in passing PMP at own expense (my organisation didn't reimburse me as I was not at "Manager" level or above), a senior leadership person convinced me during appraisal discussions that "it was a waste of money, and that I should have asked him before going for it". So I don't see that our bosses will appreciate it, but yes I do get the respect from fellow project management practitioners, who realize the value of the certification and the effort involved in completing it. Certification thus, for me, is possibly a matter for great personal achievement, it makes me feel worthwhile and competitive.

Thanks Jeanne for posting this, indeed this was me who asked you this question and I forgot posting this question yesterday. Looking forward to the answer. An additional curiosity I have is the number of questions that the test engine covers, and whtehr its a trial version of the engine or a full-blown version.

Dear authors: just noticed that the book is now available at Amazon.in and Flipkart.com, however sad to see that the book doesn't have an Indian edition yet. The imported edition is very costly (INR 3000) and I am wondering if the publishers are planning to bring an Indian edition around soon at an affordable cost.

Hi Paul, Joseph: I am really excited to learn that your book is released, I am happy because my employer recently agreed to sponsor the OCMJEA certification and I target to finish it before the end of the year where your book would come handy indeed.

My question is more broad and not exactly on the book. Do you think the OCMJEA certification is relevant in today's scene? My own view is that the exam is testing core system design skills, using UML and therein the ability to understand the requirements well, handle NFRs etc. However, more and more enterprise applications are now moving towards a cloud based architecture, where one needs a broader understanding of PAAS/IAAS in addition to core architecture skills, knowledge about J2EE stack alone won't perhaps suffice here. We have seen new roles of Cloud architects emerging. There are several other pieces of puzzle involved line NoSQL DBs, ESB, Integration frameworks etc. In addition, the development method for such applications has transitioned towards Agile, which poses challenges related to iterative development (where the design may not be created upfront, alike waterfall model) and continuous integration. The Architects are also expected to prepare DevArch related artifacts (example: application development standards, code review checklists etc) and hence are inherently expected to have been coding a while, and are expected to be aware of concepts of DevOps. IMHO the exam doesn't really care about these real-world issues and I am afraid and OCMJEA may still find himself in-adept in dealing with such situations. What are your views about this? And is Oracle contemplating any change in this regard in the exam curriculum?

Not sure if there is a buzz around this in this forum but I noticed that a book on OCMJEA 6 will be available on Amazon in Aug 2014, by Paul & Joseph who have previously also written a guide on the subject. Are you folks pre-ordering it?

Rishi, there should not be any confusion, please see my reply above.

There are few things we must understand:

Prometric will gradually get rid of Sun certification data and hand-over to Oracle

Prometric data will only be Oracle's property so natually Pearson would not have access to it and cannot show it to you

Oracle will gradually (by mid June 2011 as they say) make the Sun Certification data available on Oracle Cert View, we all need to be patient

Here is a reply that I got from Oracle, and should clarify things more:
We are in the process of transferring all certification data from certmanager.net/sun into the CertView database. We expect that all records will be uploaded by mid June 2011. You will be able to authorize your account, view your certification history, download your logos and verify your certification to a 3rd party at that time. We appreciate your patience. We strongly urge you to subscribe to our certification blog to stay up-to-date on the most current Oracle Certification Program information. We will announce on the blog when your records become available in CertView. We will also provide detailed instructions on how to authorize your CertView account.

Rishi Shehrawat wrote:Just to add to the confusion ... I called up Pearson. As per them the results from Prometric will not be visible on Pearson as Prometric data cannot be shared with Pearson, however these will be availiable on certmanager.net/sun. As per him Prometric data cannot be shared with Pearson as these are seperate companies. He also said that in case certification has multiple steps & you have cleared part of it at Prometric, you can progress with the rest with Pearson. I was trying to see my part 1 results @ certmanager.net/sun, however results are not visible. There might be a time lag between passing & data being made availaible to Oracle by Prometric. I have written to Oracle regarding this.

You can send an email to pvapcustomerservice at pearson.com with the Voucher number and get a confirmation regarding that. I recently did the same for a Part-1 Prometric voucher that I had purchased in March 2011 and is valid till March 2012 and they confirmed back that the voucher is valid for Oracle exam 1Z0-864 and I can visit pearsonvue.com/oracle to schedule my exam.

ananthakrishnan ramachandran wrote:
I bought the prometric voucher for part 3 last week and i am planning to appear for the exam next month. Will the prometric voucher be valid next month?

To view your previous test details you should (A) create an account at Pearson VUE and then (B) at http://certview.oracle.com, provide the Oracle Testing ID (which would be your prometic ID for people who have taken this earlier), Full Name, City etc. Please allow 48 hours for the records to show up.