Is my installaton of CF MX 7 using JVM or not?

Report · Apr 30, 2008

I was recently directed to start using some "global logon" software with my application on our company intranet. I don't know if it is developed in-house or purchased.

When I talked to the person providing the software, he asked if I was running "Windows and Coldfusion without JVM" or "Coldfusion on Windows (using JVM)". I wrote it this way because that is the way he asked it. Unfortunately, I didn't know the answer to the question. That's not my expertise. We talked for a while and he decided I needed his version for "without JVM".

I've been working with the software for a couple of weeks now and it works, but only partially. It uses a cookie to provide security information back to the application, then the application is supposed to decrypt the cookie and get various pieces of info about the user. I'm only getting a small part of the information.

I'm trying to get more information to determine if he sent me the wrong version. How would I find out if I'm using JVM or not? When I look in the CF Admin module at the "Java and JVM" tab, I see the installation path for JVM is "E:/CFusionMX7/runtime/jre" and some "JVM arguments" in a lower box. When I look in the "jre" subdirectory, I find subdirectories for bin, lib, and javaws plus a bunch of "License" files.

I'm out of ideas to "fix" the software so I'm wondering if they sent the wrong one. Before you ask, I've already been on the phone with the provider and the tech support people with no help (obviously).

The server is running Windows server 2003, IIS, MySQL, and CF MX 7.

TIA

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Coldfusion 5 was a C application and didn't run on the JVM.

Coldfusion 6 (Coldfusion MX) and up are J2EE Web Applications, and thus run on the JVM.

If you're running Coldfusion 7, you need the "(using JVM)" version of the software.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Well, that was easy. Thank you for your help.

I don't really feel bad about my ignorance (you can't know everything). But, I really question why the provider doesn't know this. I would think they would just provide the "using JVM" version as a matter of course unless someone specifically the had CF 5.

Once again, thanks.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Richard Mossman wrote:
> Well, that was easy. Thank you for your help.
>
> I don't really feel bad about my ignorance (you can't know everything). But, I
> really question why the provider doesn't know this. I would think they would
> just provide the "using JVM" version as a matter of course unless someone
> specifically the had CF 5.
>
> Once again, thanks.
>

There is possible another way to look at this question.

Yes ColdFusion 5 and earlier where written in C and thus do not use a
JVM at all and ColdFusion 6 and latter are written Java and always use a
JVM. But that JVM can be subsumed inside of the ColdFusion application
and thus only available for use by ColdFusion or it can be installed
independently of ColdFusion and is thus available for use by other
Java|JSP applications.

In other words the question is are you using either the Standard or
Enterprise ColdFusion in Stand-Alone mode which embed the JVM into the
ColdFusion installation. Or are you using Enterprise in Multi-Home or
J2EE which install the JVM independently of ColdFusion and can be used
by other applications.

If this is the real question and you are using one of the first options,
you probably need the miss-named and confusingly asked 'non-JVM' version.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

quote:

Originally posted by: Ian Skinner
Yes ColdFusion 5 and earlier where written in C and thus do not use a
JVM at all and ColdFusion 6 and latter are written Java and always use a
JVM. But that JVM can be subsumed inside of the ColdFusion application
and thus only available for use by ColdFusion or it can be installed
independently of ColdFusion and is thus available for use by other
Java|JSP applications.

In other words the question is are you using either the Standard or
Enterprise ColdFusion in Stand-Alone mode which embed the JVM into the
ColdFusion installation. Or are you using Enterprise in Multi-Home or
J2EE which install the JVM independently of ColdFusion and can be used
by other applications.

CF, whether installed in Server configuration or Multiserver configuration, uses a JVM included with CF. In either of these configurations, JRun is also used as the J2EE application server that the CF web app is deployed on. The only difference between these 2 is this:
* In Server configuration, CF is installed with a stripped-down JRun designed to run nothing but the CF web app. You can't deploy other J2EE web apps, nor do you have access to the full JRun install. In this configuration, the JVM used to run the stripped-down JRun (and thus the CF web app) is installed at {CF_Install_Root}/runtime/jre.
* In Multiserver configuration, JRun is installed, then CF is deployed as a web app on the full JRun install. You can deploy other J2EE web apps on this JRun install as well as change/access whatever you'd like within JRun. The JVM included with the full JRun install and used to run it, and thus the CF web app, is installed at {JRun_Install_Root}/jre

CF, installed using J2EE configuration, is nothing more than a web app (.war) that needs to be deployed on your already-installed J2EE server.

The wording you use makes me think you confuse JVM with J2EE app server. Especially this sentence:
"But that JVM can be subsumed inside of the ColdFusion application
and thus only available for use by ColdFusion or it can be installed
independently of ColdFusion and is thus available for use by other
Java|JSP applications."
Replacing JVM with J2EE app server makes that sentence more accurate.

The J2EE configuration doesn't install a JVM at all. It simply packages up a .war/.ear file for you to deploy on your own J2EE app server.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Just to make sure I'm still following this: as far as I know, this is NOT a multi-server installation, simply a server configuration.

So, your saying "In Server configuration, CF is installed with a stripped-down JRun designed to run nothing but the CF web app" indicates that your original post where you said, "If you're running Coldfusion 7, you need the "(using JVM)" version of the software" is still correct.

I should have received the "Coldfusion on Windows (using JVM)" version.

Thanks to both of you for this great information.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Kronin555 wrote:
> * In Server configuration, CF is installed with a stripped-down JRun designed
> to run nothing but the CF web app. You can't deploy other J2EE web apps, nor do
> you have access to the full JRun install. In this configuration, the JVM used
> to run the stripped-down JRun (and thus the CF web app) is installed at
> {CF_Install_Root}/runtime/jre.

That is what I meant by my post. In these versions of ColdFusion the
Java is stripped down and inside the ColdFusion installation. It can
only be used by ColdFusion, not any other applications. To relate this
to the original post, I surmised this could equate to the "Windows and
Coldfusion without JVM" option. Technically it is there, but it can not
be used by an outside application.

> * In Multiserver configuration, JRun is installed, then CF is deployed as a
> web app on the full JRun install. You can deploy other J2EE web apps on this
> JRun install as well as change/access whatever you'd like within JRun. The JVM
> included with the full JRun install and used to run it, and thus the CF web
> app, is installed at {JRun_Install_Root}/jre
>

And this is what I was trying to equate to the "Coldfusion on Windows
(using JVM)" option of the original post. The complete JRun4 server is
installed with ColdFusion installed under it. Thus allowing other Java
applications to make use of the JRun4 server if so desired.

Report · Apr 30, 2008

Richard Mossman wrote:
> I'm trying to get more information to determine if he sent me the
wrong
> version. How would I find out if I'm using JVM or not? When I look in the CF
> Admin module at the "Java and JVM" tab, I see the installation path for JVM is
> "E:/CFusionMX7/runtime/jre" and some "JVM arguments" in a lower box. When I
> look in the "jre" subdirectory, I find subdirectories for bin, lib, and javaws
> plus a bunch of "License" files.

Having read your original posting it looks like you are using the 'non'
or more accurately 'embeded' JVM version of CF, probably Standard. If
you where using one of the other flavors you would have a JRun4 [most
likely E:/JRun4/ directory with ColdFusion installed as one or more
'Servers' in the Jrun4/servers directory.

Or if you where using some other Java Server, ColdFusion would be
installed under that product. But if that was the case, you probably
would know all of what I have said and not be asking this question.