WebFacing : Is this really Heaven?

[P.Goovaerts@xxxxxxxxxx]

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Common you guy's!  Someone must be using WebFacing and have an opinion on
it!  Or is it too early?

My opinion after deploying our first application which is tested by ourself
so far (not by the users):


1) Performance
To give an idea of our performance, here's a responsetable:
(Embedded image moved to file: pic10956.pcx)
The amount of time includes typing of various options and pressing 'enter'!
The first execution took 8minutes and 15seconds to
1) start the application
2) logon
3) type an option and enter at the MenuPanel
4) select a record and 'enter' in the BrowsePanel
5) select 'exit' at the HeaderPanel
6) select 'Exit' at the BrowsePanel
7) select 'exit' at the MenuPanel to end the application.
For an unknown reason, this first execution ended in error while quitting
the application (select 'exit' at the MenuPanel).  Of course this execution
includes the compilation and classloading and is therefore considered
'normal'.  The final execution (6th run) on the intranet (local, without a
firewall) took only 1minute and 5 seconds.  The Internetconnections are
passing a firewall.

2) My remarks:
- only 1 of 10 displayfiles had to be changed before conversion
- For an unknown reason, our WAS355 recompiles all JSP's
  over and over until WAS355 is shutdown and restarted.
      (See attached file: default_server_stderr after 1st restart 3rd
run.log)
- Performance using local Intranet is acceptable.
- Performance using a BroadBand-connection is just
  at the limit of 'acceptable' but could be better.
- Performance using V90 (56kbps) modem is unacceptable.
- a serious amount of (error)messages are generated
  while running the application.  This surely takes down
  the performance!
      (See attached file: default_server_stdout part with messages menu tot
header.log)

3) Conclusion so far:
Great tool to create WebApps on the fly using existing 5250-applications.
However, to use it for Internet applications, some performance issues must
be solved!  Specially the generation of the messages in the logs must be
checked.  On the other hand, I have to admitt that we have to check AS400
for performance too.  Our 720 is used to run a couple of Notes-servers for
email, WAS355 SE, development and, last but not least, about 150 users.


Now your opinions please!


Patrick Goovaerts
IT/Clipper Support nv





To refresh your memory I have included the original text.
*********************************************************
Hi, All web- and javaguru's.

My first impression of WebFacing (Brussels, may/june 2001) was:

"Looks good, but first see this in action.  Have seen some promissing
projects before..."

So, I went on learning WebDevelopment with all around it (WAS, HTML,
VAJAVA, STUDIO, JSP's, Servlets) which, for the obvious reasons, took a
long time.  Not all companies can afford to have 1 specialist for each
of the parts of web-development. Or am I wrong here?  We managed to
created some simple Client-Server apps, using Swing.  Also a simple
web-application (view of records from AS400 using DPC) and a more
intensive one which let a user create, delete, update, view, copy,...
records straight into our AS400 using JDBC and SQL.  Although the latter
is still in test and has to be fine-tuned.  And now, our 2002 present
from our ITC-manager arrived: V5R1M0 for the AS400 and an updated WDT400
V5.1 with WebFacing.

After installing the new releases, I could see this 'Masterpiece' in
action.  Yes, 'Masterpiece', I have no other words for 'WebFacing'!  I
took a running application which consist of 5 modules (about 10 panels)
and loaded it in WebFacing.  Convertion only show 2 serious problems
(indicators in dspf on 1 line) and placed the app in IBM WebSphere 3.5.2
Result: Complete web-application created in 15 minutes! (after cutting
of the time to overcome firsttime-usage problems).

With a basic knowledge of WebApplication Development one could create
WebApplications, based on running business-applications without changing
business code!  Yes! It's really true!

What are the Pitfall's?
Are there any?
Is there a dark side?
Am I wrong here?
Maybe I'm a little too over-excited, because of the stress of learning
and solving webdevelopment problems last year?

I want too here it from you guy's...


Patrick Goovaerts
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[ pic10956.pcx of type application/octet-stream deleted ]
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[ default_server_stderr after 1st restart 3rd run.log of type 
application/octet-stream deleted ]
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[ default_server_stdout part with messages menu tot header.log of type 
application/octet-stream deleted ]
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