Building a flexible Rational ClearCase system using HTTP network technology, part 1th

Monitoring the Rational ClearCase run state in a Web browser

Developing a Web browser-based ClearCase monitoring program using the Java Language and Web 2.0 technology

Rational Clearcase is a comprehensive suite of software configuration management (Software Configuration MANAGEMENT,SCM) solutions. However, ClearCase system installation and operation Maintenance Management is very complex, many system operations related functions, status monitoring tasks and UCM project status query operations need to be through the system administrator on the server side of the complex based on the command line ClearCase directives. This process is complex and cumbersome and cannot be used by ClearCase ordinary users.

A total of two articles in this series, taking the development of a clearcase monitoring system used in an actual production environment as an example, provides readers with information on how to use java-based Web2.0 and Web Service Technologies to develop clearcase monitoring and UCM in a Linux environment Project query System. This article is the first part of the series that will show you how to develop a Web browser-based ClearCase system run and stateful monitoring program using the Java language and Web2.0 technology.

A total of two articles in this series, taking the development of a clearcase monitoring system used in an actual production environment as an example, provides readers with information on how to use java-based Web2.0 and Web Service Technologies to develop clearcase monitoring and UCM in a Linux environment Project query System. This article is the first part of the series that will show you how to develop a Web browser-based ClearCase system run and stateful monitoring program using the Java language and Web2.0 technology.

Introduction to the application scenario of the Rational ClearCase system run and State monitor program

Rational ClearCase (ClearCase) is a set of software systems built on the server-client architecture. To use the ClearCase version Control service, end users need to access the server host using various ClearCase clients (CCRC,CC Web and CC Native client, etc.). These clients provide only the functionality necessary to access the source code data stored in ClearCase, and do not provide the functionality required to monitor ClearCase server's running state. These server running state information can only be obtained by the administrator of the ClearCase system on the server host by using the Cleartool or operating system commands. However, in the development process of software projects and in the daily maintenance of clearcase systems, each member of the project needs to understand the running state information of some ClearCase hosts. For example, ClearCase system administrators need to monitor the running status of services such as ALDB, DB, VOB, and software project developers and project managers may need to know about the view server running status and System runtime license allocation status.

In the normal way, to obtain these server host state information, the ClearCase administrator needs to connect to the server host and execute the appropriate command-line statements, or write the appropriate shell command script and execute it. Project members, such as software project developers and project managers who do not have a ClearCase command statement using the environment and skills, can only turn to the system administrator for the information they need. Depending on the different geographic and administrative organizational structure of the software development team, this process can be very slow and inefficient, with a very large workload for ClearCase system administrators.

When using the Web browser-based ClearCase system run and State monitoring program described in this article, each member of the project team needs to open any Web browser and enter the Http address of the monitor program to get the various system running information needed in the browser window. The information has good organizational structure and graphical representation, which is easy for all types of users to understand. At the same time, you can eliminate a lot of repetitive work by ClearCase system administrators. Figure 1 is a process comparison using both of these methods.

Figure 1. General approach vs. process comparison using the Rational ClearCase System State Monitoring Program