Introducing WebSphere Application Server

IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) is a software platform designed to provide a management environment in which J2EE applications can run securely. WAS performs this management function for various IBM software applications such as Sametime and Lotus Quickr J2EE. In the case of Sametime, each of the Sametime server elements that run under WAS, such as Sametime Meetings, Media Manager, and Proxy Server, are separate J2EE applications with their own rules, security, and behavior. It is important to know that WAS by itself does not provide any functionality to a user beyond what the application installed under it provides.

What does this mean? First, many things that a Domino-based Sametime administrator may expect to see are not part of WAS. There is no mail engine; if you wish to send internet email from an application you must tell WAS where to find a SMTP server so the application can use it to send the email. Similarly, there is no built...