Deploy Scale and Sleep at Night with JRuby
From Gogaruco 2012
Presenter: Joe Kutner
Difference between trains and cars is very similiar to difference between JRuby and MRI deployment systems
You can write pure Ruby apps and run them on the JVM
Integrating with java is optional
"Deploying with JRuby" has no Java or XML!
Charlie writes Java code, so developers don't have to
JRuby is the same as MRI at runtime
A sysadmin will notice difference between JRuby and MRI
The sysadmin will now get to sleep at night
A problem we introduce is normally cleaned up by sysadmin
This typically happens during deployment
There problems are root in general architecture (see slides)
Handle multiple HTTP requests with proxy in front of pool of resources
Problems
- Memory growth, more copies means heavier system
- Now we have to balance processes, introduce god to monitor and restart one at a time, rolling restarts, process management issues
- Replicated session state, database connection pools
Like copying cars when we need a new car
What is the root cause? Its the GIL!!! (see slides)
Matz won't remove GIL. Its there because Matz doesn't want that type of platform.
Concurrency is hard! Matz eliminates it to keep developers happy.
The JVM solves the Concurrency problem.
- Single process
- Single application instance
- Multiple execution threads handle request
- More like train!
This scales easier and is more performant (see slides for data)
MRI servers flatline when they reach the level all their processes can handle
Still a nagging questions with JRuby:
How do I get my applications into the real world?
- JRuby lint gem
$ jrlint
How do I handle deployment?
- Package entire application into a single file as a unit for deployment
- Clustering
- 3 Strategies implemented by 3 different technologies: Warbler, Trinidad and Torquebox
Warbler produces a war file which is a zip file that runs a bunch of conventions to package an application to a single file
tomcat or jetty can run war files
Container is run and deploy applications to it
We can hot deploy without bringing down server!
Can deploy multiple applications into a single server which allows separation of concerns by small components
Pros
- War files are very portable!
- War files can be encrypted
- Deployment process is quicker because there is no need for bundle install
- War files are very consistent
Cons
- You don't want to generate war file for each development task
- We are using lots of Java tools and this is tough
Still takes advantage of "inversion of control"
Pros
- Can still use cap so a lot more like MRI deployment
- Has a rich extension library!
Cons
- We aren't maximizing the JVM because it feels more like MRI
Feels comfortable and familiar but flexes the JVM
Installs as gem and gives you a tool
Real power comes its subsystems which make it an application server
It can run messaging or daemons; its not just for web apps
The most powerful subsystem is a Cluster
Cluster is a set of servers running in parrallel and communicating with each other
This scales very well!
You have to look at People, Processes and Technologies within your organization
Do you have MRI people or Java people?
Should development mirror production?
Which technologies do you already use?
Your sysadmin will love you
http://pragprog.com/book/jkdepj/deploying-with-jruby
coupon: JRubyGoGaKutner
