Sun Java Calendar Server
Encyclopedia
The Sun Java System Calendar Server is Sun's calendar (scheduling
) server. The currently available version is 6.3 which is now part of the Sun Java Communications Suite.
User can access their calendar and task list items using a variety of clients. Web browsers will be able to access Calendar data using Sun Java System Communications Express
as an HTML-based client. Microsoft Outlook
users can access their calendar data using the Sun Java System Connector for Microsoft Outlook. Mozilla Thunderbird
users can add fully functional calendar access to the Sun Calendar Server to the email software by adding the Mozilla Lightning extension for WCAP (Web Calendar Access Protocol
). Finally, starting in 2008, the Sun Java Communications Suite 6 will include an AJAX-based Web client which will provide better "thick client-like" user interactions.
A useful feature of Calendar Server is the notification service. This service will send an e-mail or an SMS to the calendar owner. These messages are sent to the calendar owner if he/she has been invited to an appointment or as a reminder of an upcoming appointment. These reminders are directed to a person's cell phone by using their phone carrier's email address assigned to their phone.
The notification services are also useful for developers to implement their own software applications. Calendar reminders and change events are published to a Java Message Service
using Sun Java System Message Queue.
Developers may use the WCAP interface to write their own applications which access calendars, tasks, and look up "free busy" information on users. This interface returns calendar data in a number of formats including XML
and iCalendar
. JSON
(JavaScript Object Notation) format was added to support AJAX development in the latest patch of Calendar Server 6.3.
Since 2003, the Calendar Server has been included as part of Sun's Java Enterprise System, a collection of infrastructure software applications and tools. It is also available as part of the Sun Java Communications Suite, a smaller collection of messaging and collaboration services that includes Sun Java System Messaging Server
, Sun Java Instant Messaging Server, and Sun Java Communications Express. Supporting server software for the Calendar Server includes Sun Java Directory Server, Sun Java Access Manager, and Sun Java Web Server. The supporting software is included in the Communications Suite bundle with limited-use license rights.
Calendar Express was the original web-based client interface for the Calendar Server. This HTML
client allowed Calendar owners to create appointments, invite others to meetings, and to subscribe to other calendars. The Calendar Express web-client was dropped from support starting with Sun Java Calendar Server 6.3. This client functionality has been replaced by Sun Java Communications Express.
The Calendar Server version 6.3 is supported on multiple operating systems including Sun's Solaris
and Red Hat Enterprise Linux
. HP-UX
and Microsoft Windows
have since been dropped from support starting with version 6.3.
Calendaring software
Calendaring software is software that minimally provides users with an electronic version of a calendar. Additionally, the software may provide an appointment book, address book, and/or contact list. These tools are an extension of many of the features provided by time management software such as...
) server. The currently available version is 6.3 which is now part of the Sun Java Communications Suite.
User can access their calendar and task list items using a variety of clients. Web browsers will be able to access Calendar data using Sun Java System Communications Express
Sun Java System Communications Express
The Sun Java System Communications Express provides an integrated web-based communication and collaboration client to the Sun Java Communications Suite. It consists of three client modules: Calendar, Address Book, and Mail. The Calendar and Address Book client modules are deployed as a single...
as an HTML-based client. Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
users can access their calendar data using the Sun Java System Connector for Microsoft Outlook. Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox, a project aimed at creating a web browser...
users can add fully functional calendar access to the Sun Calendar Server to the email software by adding the Mozilla Lightning extension for WCAP (Web Calendar Access Protocol
Web Calendar Access Protocol
Web Calendar Access Protocol is a protocol for remote client-server calendar access and scheduling based on the XML, HTTP, iCalendar, and vCard Internet standards. WCAP was created for use with the product that eventually became Sun Java Calendar Server, but is also used by the open source Buni...
). Finally, starting in 2008, the Sun Java Communications Suite 6 will include an AJAX-based Web client which will provide better "thick client-like" user interactions.
A useful feature of Calendar Server is the notification service. This service will send an e-mail or an SMS to the calendar owner. These messages are sent to the calendar owner if he/she has been invited to an appointment or as a reminder of an upcoming appointment. These reminders are directed to a person's cell phone by using their phone carrier's email address assigned to their phone.
The notification services are also useful for developers to implement their own software applications. Calendar reminders and change events are published to a Java Message Service
Java Message Service
The Java Message Service API is a Java Message Oriented Middleware API for sending messages between two or more clients. JMS is a part of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition, and is defined by a specification developed under the Java Community Process as JSR 914...
using Sun Java System Message Queue.
Developers may use the WCAP interface to write their own applications which access calendars, tasks, and look up "free busy" information on users. This interface returns calendar data in a number of formats including XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
and iCalendar
ICalendar
iCalendar is a computer file format which allows Internet users to send meeting requests and tasks to other Internet users, via email, or sharing files with an extension of .ics...
. JSON
JSON
JSON , or JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange. It is derived from the JavaScript scripting language for representing simple data structures and associative arrays, called objects...
(JavaScript Object Notation) format was added to support AJAX development in the latest patch of Calendar Server 6.3.
History and use
Sun's Java System Calendar Server has a long history, drawing technology from Sun Internet Calendar Server (SICS) and Netscape Calendar Server (NCS). The software undergone several name changes; in addition to the above, it has also been marketed as iPlanet Calendar Server and Sun ONE Calendar Server. The code base has been carried on throughout these name changes with only feature/packaging enhancements and bug fixes.Since 2003, the Calendar Server has been included as part of Sun's Java Enterprise System, a collection of infrastructure software applications and tools. It is also available as part of the Sun Java Communications Suite, a smaller collection of messaging and collaboration services that includes Sun Java System Messaging Server
Sun Java System Messaging Server
Oracle Communications Messaging Exchange Server is Oracle’s highly scalable and robust messaging server software. The software was obtained by Oracle as part of the company's acquisition of Sun in 2010....
, Sun Java Instant Messaging Server, and Sun Java Communications Express. Supporting server software for the Calendar Server includes Sun Java Directory Server, Sun Java Access Manager, and Sun Java Web Server. The supporting software is included in the Communications Suite bundle with limited-use license rights.
Calendar Express was the original web-based client interface for the Calendar Server. This HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
client allowed Calendar owners to create appointments, invite others to meetings, and to subscribe to other calendars. The Calendar Express web-client was dropped from support starting with Sun Java Calendar Server 6.3. This client functionality has been replaced by Sun Java Communications Express.
The Calendar Server version 6.3 is supported on multiple operating systems including Sun's Solaris
Solaris Operating System
Solaris is a Unix operating system originally developed by Sun Microsystems. It superseded their earlier SunOS in 1993. Oracle Solaris, as it is now known, has been owned by Oracle Corporation since Oracle's acquisition of Sun in January 2010....
and Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a Linux-based operating system developed by Red Hat and targeted toward the commercial market. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is released in server versions for x86, x86-64, Itanium, PowerPC and IBM System z, and desktop versions for x86 and x86-64...
. HP-UX
HP-UX
HP-UX is Hewlett-Packard's proprietary implementation of the Unix operating system, based on UNIX System V and first released in 1984...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
have since been dropped from support starting with version 6.3.