WSO2 has launched version 3.0 of its WSO2 Web Services Application Server (WSAS). The re-architected open source WSAS 3.0 is now based on WSO2 Carbon, the industry's first fully componentized service-oriented architecture (SOA) framework.
The componentized WSO2 WSAS 3.0 offers flexibility for configuring SOAs. Developers can separate the administration console logic from the service hosting engine of WSAS 3.0, making it possible to use a single front-end server to administer several back-end servers simultaneously. Additionally, developers can add any other WSO2 Carbon SOA components to their WSAS 3.0 instance with plug-and-play, eliminating the typical cost and complexity of integration.
Version 3.0 builds on the proven performance of WSO2 WSAS, the first application server to support the full XML-based WS-* stack and REST in a simple, lightweight model that makes it easier to develop, deploy, manage, and monitor Web services. The completely open source, enterprise-ready WSAS 3.0 is based on Apache Axis2, one of the world's fastest Java Web services engines. With more than 3000 transactions per second on a dual-core system, the highly tuned WSAS 3.0 runs four to five times faster than Axis1.
In WSO2 WSAS 3.0, the server framework has been re-architected as the core Carbon framework that provides not only WSAS 3.0, but all other Carbon-based products, with enterprise-class management, security, clustering, logging, statistics, tracing, and a Try-It wizard. Based on the OSGi standard and using the Eclipse Equinox engine, the WSO2 Carbon framework enables a composable server architecture. WSO2 WSAS also uses the graphical unified management console, which supports all Carbon components and provides enhanced administration.
Other enhancements in WSO2 WSAS 3.0 are:
- XSLT-to-XQuery transformation for Java and Data Services is provided through the ability plug in the ESB mediation pack, simplifying the creation of standard services.
- Enhanced administration user interface, offering a more logical and easy-to-use configuration model.
- WS-Policy Editor to configure services using the W3C standard.
- Improved support for Active Directory, allowing administrators to integrate WSO2 WSAS into existing user management infrastructure.