Open Source Software Up the Stack

Apache says its ActiveMQ effort has graduated from the Incubator to become a top level project (TLP). The Apache ActiveMQ, termed a so-called enterprise service bus (ESB) in some press articles, is a distributed messaging system that will support clients in Java (JMS), C++, Ruby, Python and other languages. Apache ActiveMQ is said to fully support JMS 1.1 and J2EE 1.4.

(I say so-called ESB for two reasons:
-- There is some question among those purists such as me whether Apache ActiveMQ is really an ESB
-- An ESB is just a type of MOM (message-oriented middleware) to me anyways)

Still, moving up the stack is an important step for Apache, which cut its teeth and claimed its fame on the web server of the same name. Now, it is working at additional levels of modern middleware (most notably with the IBM Gluecode application server development team as part of the Geronimo project). ESB and/or MQ-level activity can be thought of as even "higher level" than a web server or an application server. I don't want to characterize it in a way that implies that technical success might be harder to accomplish but I would say corporate acceptance might be harder. The heritage MQ brand's longheld meaning is one of "bullet proofness" in enterprises. And with any level of ESB-like functionality (whatever us purists say), we are beginning to see OSS supporting applications that enterprises really consider mission critical. The involvement of a key Amazon developer might help allay any CIO fears.

In terms of commercial backing (see my February 16 post on the taxonomy of OSS and the importance of commerical backing), Logic Blaze and its Fuse project are the only one mentioned on the Apache.org site at this time. Optaros also say it supports ActiveMQ via its SOA practice (and Optaros is a purist like me, making a distinction between an MQ-like message broker and a true ESB). If you know of any sources of ActiveMQ support, let me know via the comments link below.

In terms of OSS development efforts, the ActiveMQ project competes with the Celtix ESB effort out of CORBA-expert Iona (which, to further illustrate the intertwining of the OSS culture, sprung out of Apache "competitor" ObjectWeb). There is also a Mule effort.

In terms of competing closed source products, almost all the leading software suppliers have this covered both ways. Progress' SONIC ESB is the most well known of the commerical suppliers because its Dave Chappell literally wrote the book (and I would say Progress' SonicMQ is acually more the direct competitor). But IBM, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, BEA, TIBCO, Software AG and many more (including small pure-play providers such as Fiorano) provide ESBs and older generation MQ-like products as separately priced products or embedded elsewhere int their middleware offering--or most likely both. Progress' execs made the point to me in researching this subject that the big win for the commerical suppliers is the way in which they use OSS as components (Axis was cited as an example) and give back to the community with quality control on those components. Progress also participates by providing dedicated development resources; they have a guy on the Apache Synapse project for example.

Apache ActiveMQ is released under the Apache License, Version 2.0.

I opine that although the free download is as simple as any other OSS action, users are really getting into areas where documentation, training, and most important, previous experience are critical. Neither an ESB nor an old fashioned MOM is something you play around with in the sandbox for an afternoon even if it's free.