GlassFish v3 Prelude:
Save Session State
jan .l uehe@sun .com
November 6, 2008

Motivation
• redeploy = undeploy + deploy
• Undeploy:
> Removes any and all traces of a web application
(including its classloader, compiled JSPs, file-
persisted HTTP sessions, etc.)
> Destroys any active HTTP sessions
• HTTP sessions will need to be recreated following a
redeployment
• Tedious during development cycles

Retain HTTP sessions across redeployments
• GlassFish v3 Prelude adds support for preserving HTTP
sessions across redeploys
• Example usage:
asadmin redeploy --properties
keepSessions=true --name myapp
myapp.war
• Active sessions are stored in memory in serialized form for
the duration of the redeployment
• Will be deserialized using the classloader of the redeployed
application
• Classes used as session attribute values may evolve only
in backwards compatible fashion

Retain HTTP sessions across redeployments
(cont.)
• Leveraged by NetBeans Deploy on change feature:
> Instantly redeploys application as soon as one of its
class files or descriptors has changed
> Requires directory based deployment

Integration with NetBeans

Integration with GlassFish Plugin for Eclipse

Summary
GF v3 Prelude simplifies your development
cycles and makes you more productive by
allowing you to preserve HTTP sessions
across application redeployments.

Resources
• https://glassfish.dev.java.net/
• https://glassfishplugins.dev.java.net/eclipse34
• webtier@glassfish.dev.java.net
• http://forums.java.net/jive/forum.jspa?forumID=138

GlassFish v3 Prelude:
Save Session State
jan .l uehe@sun .com
November 6, 2008