application lifecycle - part1

Application Updates

limitations in websphere application server v5
-Since the update support only accepted an EAR file, the entire EAR file had to be  packaged even for a simple change.
-If an application was updated while running, then the entire application is recycled (stopped and restarted) on the target nodes when the application files were  replaced.
-Since the application update performs application uninstall followed by an install, any application configuration performed post deployment (like the configuration of shared libraries) is lost during the update.

features in websphere application server v5
 -Fine-grained contents updates.
      Individual application files
      Module files
      Partial application
      Complete application update

 -Fine-grained recycle behaviour upon update.
     -any change to EJB, then entire app is recycled
     -no restart of WAR, untill no change affects META_INF or WEB_INF directories.
     -no restart of app, untill no change affects app level META_INF.

Note:- exception to the recycle behaviour is when application classloader mode is SINGLE.