The LabVantage laboratory information management system (LIMS) runs on JBoss, a fast and efficient open-source Java-based enterprise application platform (EAP) server, developed by Red Hat. JBoss version 7.4 had been an industry-leading platform, but as it reaches its end of life this year, it has been supplanted by the most recent JBoss EAP 8.0.
The JBoss platform has been integral for LabVantage functionality, providing a runtime environment while hosting Java applications and web services, which are integral for smoothly accessing the LIMS. It enables various services like configurable network security, transaction management to ensure lab data reliability, resource management, and clustering to maximize performance, all to support scalable, enterprise-grade applications. And JBoss EAP 8.0 will underpin our forthcoming LIMS release, LabVantage 8.9.
Modernization Brings Benefits
JBoss EAP 8.0, one of the first application servers to support the full Jakarta EE 10 specification, is a major improvement in EAP. Its powerful advances include features like simplifying application development and improving the functionality and interactivity of web applications – which is critical for multisite data management. Overall, the enhancements helped LabVantage improve our new platform’s performance, flexibility, and security.
- Performance:
- The highly modular design of JBoss EAP 8.0 makes it faster than previous iterations, shrinking memory usage, abbreviating start-up time, and accelerating data retrieval.
- LabVantage 8.9 will be better suited for cloud environments and applications that need horizontal scaling, thanks to JBoss EAP 8.0’s enhanced clustering capabilities.
- JBoss EAP 8.0’s new features to support high-demand web apps – including the Undertow web server for high-demand applications, better support for HTML5, RESTful services and WebSockets, as well as its redesigned Command-Line Interface and web-based management console – enable broader capabilities and the tools to manage them.
- LabVantage 8.9 LIMS is also better able to support applications that handle large amounts of data, thanks to native support for JAX-RS 2.0, JMS 2.0, and more efficient and scalable batch processing.
- Flexibility:
- The modular architecture of JBoss EAP 8.0 means that LabVantage 8.9 users can customize application configurations.
- The new interfaces give administrators more control over configurations, deployments, and resource management.
- Security:
- Compliance with Jakarta EE 10 standard updates have enabled additional security features, including an improved management interface for flexible configurations, role-based access control, and improved integration with standard security protocols.
Upgrading to LabVantage 8.9
JBoss EAP 8.0 has presented an exciting opportunity to advance our forthcoming release, LabVantage 8.9, which is compiled with Java JDK 17. Our latest LIMS will leverage JBoss EAP 8.0’s modern, lightweight application server architecture to provide notable enhancements in performance, modularity, and scalability. Thanks to these significant improvements to JBoss EAP 8.0, LabVantage 8.9 is even better positioned to manage complex laboratory workflows and high-throughput or multisite data needs. We are confident that LIMS users new and old will be impressed by the performance, flexibility, ease of use, and security of LabVantage 8.9.
There are numerous advantages of JBoss EAP 8.0 over earlier JBoss versions, which will make LabVantage data safer and easier to handle. The distinctions do mean that upgrading to LabVantage 8.9 from previous iterations requires appropriate consideration and planning.
First, existing LabVantage components – including its integrated electronic laboratory notebook, laboratory execution system, scientific data management system, and advanced analytics – will not work with LabVantage 8.9. The move to JBoss 8 included a switch from Java EE 8 to Jakarta EE 10 for better performance and stability. As a result, all components need to be updated for Jakarta EE 10 before they can be used in the newest LIMS platform, but the improvements will be worth making the switch.
In addition, LabVantage 8.9 dependencies have also gone through significant changes. For example, reporting and analytics have been upgraded to Jasper version 7, for superior integration with Jakarta EE 10. This means all report files will need to be resaved in Jasper Studio 7, but result in better performance and security. Also, the html component has been deprecated, so any reports with an html component will need to be redesigned.
Business Objects will no longer be available as a reporting tool, and related internal buttons will be disabled. However, external execution of Business Object reports will still function.
Other removed dependencies:
- iText pdf library
- Joda-Time library
- Xalan
- Xerces code
Web services have been upgraded from Axis to Apache CXF, which will be used to serve SapphireWS and SapphireBasicWS, both now updated to use JAX-WS. As with other upgrades, these will improve integration with Jakarta EE. With 8.9, the platform has also switched from Encoded format to the current standard form, Document/Literal, with significant impact on incoming and outgoing requests. However, legacy clients will continue to be supported with adapters that modify the incoming and outgoing requests before marshaling.
To leverage the latest Java infrastructure support through an upgrade to LabVantage 8.9, please contact your professional services team or account manager, who can help you understand all of the ramifications and talk you through the migration process.
