WebSphere Application Server V7.0: Concepts ... - IBM Redbooks

The WebSphere rapid deployment set of tools can be useful for quickly testing an
application. For example, if you know you are going to test several versions of the
same application, you can use the automatic deployment feature to have the
rapid deployment tools automatically deploy the versions for you. There are
limitations and rules you need to follow when working with these utilities, and
most of the time you are significantly more productive using a full-blown
development environment, such as Rational Application Developer Assembly
and Deploy V7.5 or Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software
V7.5.
8.3.4 Which tools to use
Note: You can use rapid deployment tools for packaging applications at J2EE
1.3 or 1.4 specification levels. The rapid deployment tools do not support Java
EE 5 nor J2EE 1.2 specification level.
Which tool you choose depends on your requirements. If you need to develop,
deploy, and test applications on WebSphere Application Server V7.0 for fast
turnaround times, choose Rational Application Developer Assembly and Deploy
V7.5.
If you are developing applications that require the new features only available in
the WebSphere Application Server V7.0, such as JSR 286 events, you have to
use Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software V7.5. It is
feature-rich and has lots of productivity-enhancing features not found in the
Rational Application Developer Assembly and Deploy V7.5.
8.4 Naming conventions
Spending some extra time on application-related naming concepts pays off in
practice, because it can reduce the time spent on analyzing the source of issues
during standard operations of future Java EE applications.
8.4.1 Naming for applications
Generally, some form of the Version, Release, Modification, Fix (VRMF) schema
is used to organize code and builds, and commonly, a dotted number system
such as 1.4.0.1 is used. In this way, code management systems can be certain of
identifying, creating, and re-creating application builds accurately from the
correct source code, and systems administrators and developers know exactly
which version is used.
288 WebSphere Application Server V7.0: Concepts, Planning, and Design