Discovering Tomcat

Apache Tomcat is an application server, otherwise known as a Web Container, developed by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF).

Tomcat implements the Java Servlet and the JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications from Sun Microsystems, providing an environment for Java code to run in cooperation with a web server. In addition, it adds tools for configuration and management, which can also be configured by editing configuration files that are normally XML-formatted, and includes its own internal HTTP server.


 

Discovering Tomcat

BMC Helix Discovery uses the ApacheFoundation.Tomcat.Tomcat pattern to discover the Tomcat instance, identify the home directory (catalina.home), identify the base directory (catalina.base), and determine the Tomcat version. The pattern extracts information from the Tomcat configuration files to create and populate a Tomcat SI and its attributes.

Extended Tomcat discovery is enabled by the activation of the Tomcat.ExtendedDiscovery.DiscoverTomcat pattern. This pattern is activated by default in a new installation of BMC Helix Discovery. In an upgraded appliance, it must be activated manually. The Tomcat.ExtendedDiscovery.DiscoverTomcat pattern is triggered by the creation or update of a Tomcat SI. The Tomcat.ExtendedDiscovery.DiscoverTomcat pattern is fully described in  Configipedia Open link .

Creation of a "JDBC Resource" Detail node triggers the CreateJDBCToDatabaseSI pattern, which searches the BMC Helix Discovery model for an SI representing that database. If the database SI is found, the pattern creates relationships between the Tomcat Application Server SI and the nodes representing the database. If the host that the database runs on has not been scanned, no further action is taken. Creation of a "J2EEApplication" Software Component node does not trigger any additional operations.

See the Tomcat documentation for additional information about Tomcat datasources.

Requirements for a full discovery

For a full discovery of Tomcat, the database or databases that it is using, and the relationships between them, you need the following credentials:

  • Tomcat host login credentials
  • Database host login credentials.
  • Database credentials.

Tomcat Discovery results

The following screen shows a successfully scanned Apache Tomcat instance.

The attributes section of the Tomcat SI contains sections for the following items:

  • Components—Software Component nodes representing J2EE applications on Tomcat.
  • Details—Detail nodes representing resources on Tomcat. These resources might be application specific or globally defined and can be one of the following:
    • Custom Resources—Any kind of JavaBean declared as a resource.
    • User Database Resource—Default Tomcat user management database.
    • Java Mail Resources
    • JDBC Resources
 

Related topics

Adding credentials


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