3-Tier Server/Client at Work, Revised Edition

Rating:
Summary: 3-tier client/server at work
Review: Overall, this is a well-written book (though I stridently object to the overuse of the buzz-word 'architected', when other words like designed, created, or built are more appropriate, but that's the trend, I suppose...). "3-Tier Client/Server At Work" presents ten very useful case studies, and successfully finds common strategies among them for building 3-tier client/server systems.

The book begins with an explanation of the importance of a third tier to client/server computing. Part One focuses on a specific type of client/server computing (Transaction Processing) and a particular product (Tuxedo) to support that type of computing. Perhaps it's my own fault for not looking more carefully, but I sought a more comprehensive overview of available 'middleware', products and strategies, so I was disappointed (somewhat) with Part One.

Part Two, on the other hand, is a fantastic review of ten individual projects, and what engineers did to make them successful. The value, in my mind, of this section is that many of the important lessons are not strictly about 3-tier client/server computing, and, as such, are that much more useful. Throughout the case studies, Jeri Edwards enumerates the common strategies for successfully completing a software engineering project, like the importance of thoughtful design, completed well prior to any actual development.

The book closes with a higher-level review of the case studies, which I found to be useful following the detail of each case. Thanks to Jeri Edwards for 'giving birth' to this very handy book.

Rating:
Summary: Super Case Studies
Review: Overall, this is a well-written book (though I stridently object to the overuse of the buzz-word 'architected', when other words like designed, created, or built are more appropriate, but that's the trend, I suppose...). "3-Tier Client/Server At Work" presents ten very useful case studies, and successfully finds common strategies among them for building 3-tier client/server systems.

The book begins with an explanation of the importance of a third tier to client/server computing. Part One focuses on a specific type of client/server computing (Transaction Processing) and a particular product (Tuxedo) to support that type of computing. Perhaps it's my own fault for not looking more carefully, but I sought a more comprehensive overview of available 'middleware', products and strategies, so I was disappointed (somewhat) with Part One.

Part Two, on the other hand, is a fantastic review of ten individual projects, and what engineers did to make them successful. The value, in my mind, of this section is that many of the important lessons are not strictly about 3-tier client/server computing, and, as such, are that much more useful. Throughout the case studies, Jeri Edwards enumerates the common strategies for successfully completing a software engineering project, like the importance of thoughtful design, completed well prior to any actual development.

The book closes with a higher-level review of the case studies, which I found to be useful following the detail of each case. Thanks to Jeri Edwards for 'giving birth' to this very handy book.