Objects on the Server: Are We Ready? (Panel Session).

ABSTRACTObject-oriented concepts such as reuse and encapsulation offer many benefits to application development, particularly in managing complexity and change. All the benefits of OO that apply to the client can apply equally well to the server. However, until recently, these concepts have proven to benefit only the client side. Could there be any intrinsic or conceptual reason for this? Or could it be a result of timing, the availability of the tools, and the conservative restraints that result from the mission-critical nature of server computing?This panel will explore the roles of objects on the server by examining the experiences of the panelists from a technology consumer's perspective. By doing so, we would like to provide insights for corporations that are making decisions on OO technology, point out pitfalls along the way, and identify potential opportunities for technology providers.All panelists have developed production level object servers. The panel will answer the question of whether we are ready for object servers by discussing the following issues:• Different server types: transactional server, data server, application server, web server, etc. Are they really that much different? Which one is the most important kind?• Experience in implementing and maintaining object systems on the server: the configurations of the systems and how they were arrived at; the tools and programming languages used.• Benefits and drawbacks of server object systems.• What's hard? What's easy?• What are the prerequisites for pervasive deployments of objects on the server? (e.g., standards, application types, customer situations, tools, and languages.)• What would be desirable for technology providers (researchers and vendors) to provide? (Tools, languages, execution environments that represents vendor opportunities.)• Practical advice to organizations interested in introducing objects to the server.