Tomcat OverviewUNIXBusinessApplication

Tomcat is the #4 ranked solution in top Application Server tools. PeerSpot users give Tomcat an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Tomcat is most commonly compared to Oracle WebLogic Server: Tomcat vs Oracle WebLogic Server. Tomcat is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 58% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 25% of all views.
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What is Tomcat?
Apache Tomcat is an open source software implementation of the Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, Java Expression Language and Java WebSocket technologies. The Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, Java Expression Language and Java WebSocket specifications are developed under the Java Community Process. Apache Tomcat powers numerous large-scale, mission-critical web applications across a diverse range of industries and organizations.
Tomcat Customers
Walmart.com, The Weather Channel, E*Trade, Delta Virtual Airlines, General Motors, AppFuse, Bonhams, CardinalHealth, CarGurus.com, FarmDirectory.org, Millenium Pharmaceuticals, RecipeLand.com, WebShots, QuickCreative.net, MyOtherDrive
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Tomcat Pricing Advice

What users are saying about Tomcat pricing:
  • "The price of the solution is good."
  • "If it is a community version of the solution, no payment is required. However, if it is a Linux version, we must buy the solution from JBoss."
  • "The solution is open source so is free."
  • "I give the pricing an eight out of ten."
  • Tomcat Reviews

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    Mukulit Bhati - PeerSpot reviewer
    CTO at InsightGeeks Solutions Pvt.
    Real User
    Top 5
    Beneficial comparability, easy to manage database interactions, and large online support resources
    Pros and Cons
    • "One of the most valuable features of Tomcat is its compatibility with the Apache web server and its ease of configuration. It is simple to set up and maintain and allows for easy management of database connections, transactions, and isolation. Overall, Tomcat is a user-friendly application server that makes it easy to manage various aspects of database interactions."
    • "One way to improve the solution is by making the logging capabilities of Tomcat better by providing a logger within the server itself and making it easy to access and view the server logs. This can be especially useful when debugging issues with applications deployed on the Tomcat server. By having the ability to view both the application logs and the server logs, you can more easily identify the source of any issues and troubleshoot them more efficiently. Providing a connector or other similar feature that allows you to access the server logs from within your application can also be helpful in this regard. Having access to both the application logs and the server logs can be a valuable resource when trying to identify and resolve problems."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are using Tomcat and we are making the configuration with the help of Spring Boot only.

    Tomcat is cloud-based, and all the microservices are developed in Spring Boot.

    What is most valuable?

    One of the most valuable features of Tomcat is its compatibility with the Apache web server and its ease of configuration. It is simple to set up and maintain and allows for easy management of database connections, transactions, and isolation. Overall, Tomcat is a user-friendly application server that makes it easy to manage various aspects of database interactions.

    Tomcat is running a lot of services and operating to my requirements. 

    What needs improvement?

    One way to improve the solution is by making the logging capabilities of Tomcat better by providing a logger within the server itself and making it easy to access and view the server logs. This can be especially useful when debugging issues with applications deployed on the Tomcat server. By having the ability to view both the application logs and the server logs, you can more easily identify the source of any issues and troubleshoot them more efficiently. Providing a connector or other similar feature that allows you to access the server logs from within your application can also be helpful in this regard. Having access to both the application logs and the server logs can be a valuable resource when trying to identify and resolve problems.

    To make it easier to identify and troubleshoot issues, it can be helpful to have a single location where you can view both the application logs and the server logs together. This could include only the debug and error logs, rather than all logs, to make it easier to focus on potential issues. By having all relevant logs in one place, you can more easily scan for problems and identify their source, whether it is within the application or the server. This can save time and improve the efficiency of your troubleshooting efforts.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Tomcat for approximately five years.

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    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I have not had a problem where the solution failed.

    I rate the stability of Tomcat an eight out of ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have approximately 70 people using this solution in my company.

    I rate the scalability of Tomcat an eight out of ten.

    How are customer service and support?

    Tomcat itself does not need any support. Everything is on the internet. Proper documentation is there. I have never tried to contact or ask for support from Tomcat. Wherever there is no support, it is the best support for a solution.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    As the CTO, I compared Apache Tomcat with IBM WebSphere Application Server and Oracle GlassFish. In the end, I chose Tomcat because it is easy to understand, well-documented, and has a strong community of users and developers. It is also straightforward to debug any issues that may arise. Tomcat is a reliable and user-friendly choice for an application server.

    One of the advantages of using Tomcat is the strong community of users and developers that provides a wealth of knowledge and resources online. If you encounter any issues or problems while using Tomcat, it is likely that others have experienced the same issue and have shared their solutions online. This makes it easy to find answers and get support when you need it. In contrast, IBM WebSphere Application Server has a smaller user base, so there are fewer discussions and resources available online to troubleshoot problems. Tomcat's widespread use and strong online community make it a reliable and supportive choice for an application server.

    I find IBM WebSphere Application Server very difficult to configure and with Oracle GlassFish, there is no proper documentation.

    Tomcat is best for my use case.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup of Tomcat is straightforward compared to other options on the market, such as IBM WebSphere Application Server. In contrast to IBM WebSphere Application Server, which can be difficult to configure, Tomcat has a user-friendly setup process. Additionally, Tomcat has a default configuration that is optimized for performance, making it a good choice for those who may not be familiar with configuration settings. The default values in Tomcat are set to the best configuration, ensuring that even those who are not experts in configuration can use Tomcat effectively.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The price of the solution is good.

    I rate the price of Tomcat an eight out of ten.

    What other advice do I have?

    While Tomcat is a reliable choice for an application server, it may not be the best option for real-time tasks involving TCP connections, WebSockets, and socket programming. In these cases, Netty may be a better choice due to its stability and performance. In your experience, you found that Tomcat was prone to connection issues when used for socket programming, leading you to switch to Netty. It is important to consider the specific needs and requirements of your project when deciding which tool or technology to use.

    I rate Tomcat an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    PeerSpot user
    Principal Infrastructure Solution Architecture at National Bank of Kuwait
    Real User
    Top 5
    While the setup of the solution is straightforward, it needs a considerable number of bug fixes
    Pros and Cons
    • "Our company doesn't face any stability issues while using Tomcat."
    • "Vulnerability is one of the areas that can be considered an issue in the solution."

    What is our primary use case?

    Tomcat is there in most vendor solutions, and people rarely agree to port it to JBoss. So, most business applications have it. Additionally, multiple banking solutions are using Tomcat. Also, the solution runs on Solaris, AIX, Windows, and Linux.

    What is most valuable?

    Since I don't have too much exposure to the solution, I cannot comment on the features I like the most in the solution.

    What needs improvement?

    Vulnerability is one of the areas that can be considered an issue in the solution. Apart from that, there are no other issues with the solution. Also, I cannot comment on what additional features and changes need to be made in Tomcat.

    With the solution's community version, we always have some patches and bug releases. However, we cannot deploy it since the vendor doesn't certify the book fixes in the solution. In short, we cannot just use it in production and test it ourselves when the vendor does not certify it. If a vendor is using a Tomcat-based application, then the vendor should be prompt enough to fix the available bugs in that particular version, which is not the case in reality. Any vendor who releases a product on Tom Cat should keep revising the version of their product based on the latest available bug-free version. These are some of the areas which can be challenging for those using Tomcat.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Tomcat for a long time now. So, it is not a new thing. Previously, the only concern in our organization was that we were stuck with open-source Tomcat. Before, Tom Cat was available in Red Hat's version, which got removed later. Now, they have packaged it under JBoss. Currently, it is a challenge for us to maintain the solution as an open-source tool.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Our company doesn't face any stability issues while using Tomcat. The only challenge we face using the solution is the bug-fixing scenario. So, when the security does a scanning, especially vulnerability scanning, we get into trouble. The vulnerability scanning points out a lot of bug fixes. Also, the vendors are not ready to test, or they don't give us testing results in a timely manner. Since it remains a pending issue, specifically the vulnerability issues, we cannot close it on time since it is on an open-source platform. The open-source community has introduced a patched version, but when a company uses Tomcat, the vendor may not be prompt enough to certify it with the latest patches and bug fixes.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The number of users can vary greatly depending on the specific product they opt for, and since I don't have an inventory for all the products that users are using, I cannot comment on the numbers. Generally, there are both back-office users and customer-facing users in most solutions.

    Speaking about scalability, we use NGINX in front of Tomcat.

    I won't be able to provide a rating on the scalability of the solution since we don't have a requirement in a company to scale up as of now. Also, we don't see such uses in our company wherein we have to consider a need beyond the four people who use the solution in our company.

    How are customer service and support?

    There is no technical support since it is an open-source solution. In our organization, we attempted to secure paid support, but we were unable to reach a consensus internally to move in that direction.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    In our organization, we use IBM WebSphere.

    How was the initial setup?

    The solution's initial setup is straightforward since it is a file-based configuration.

    Steps in deployment involve installing the product and then copying the configuration.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    If it is a community version of the solution, no payment is required. However, if it is a Linux version, we must buy the solution from JBoss.

    What other advice do I have?

    In our company, we always favor products like IBM WebSphere as it is a vendor product for which we get the right amount of support we need. Also, we are using IBM WebSphere on AIX. Hence considering our use cases, we feel that IBM WebSphere is a more stable and reliable platform. So as a critical system, we are using the aforementioned solution. We use Tomcat in a company when we have no other options and are forced to use it, especially in scenarios where no other platforms are supported. So, if we have an option in our company, then we keep the usage rate of Tomcat low. Overall, I rate the solution a six out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    Sr. Devops Engineer at a media company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    Stable, easy to deploy, and user-friendly
    Pros and Cons
    • "The deployment process is very fast."
    • "It would be great if they offered more integration of monitoring tools."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution on our main e-commerce web page.

    What is most valuable?

    Compared to Oracle Web Projects, it's very user-friendly and the administration is very simple. The navigation is very intuitive.

    The deployment process is very fast.

    The solution is very stable. 

    What needs improvement?

    I don't have too much experience with monitoring, however, it's possible it could be improved. It would be great if they offered more integration of monitoring tools.

    The management maybe can be improved a bit. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've used the solution for a small instance in the past. We have used it for three or four months now in a bigger instance. We've only used it for a few months at this point, and therefore, it's still pretty new to us.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is good. We haven't had any issues. There are no bugs or glitches. it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability is good. We have a structure that we can easily scale up or down. It's very simple for us.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We haven't contacted technical support. We haven't needed any assistance. Therefore, I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they are. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I've also used Oracle WebLogic. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is very easy to install. It's very easy. A company shouldn't struggle with the setup process.

    The deployment is fast.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I don't have any information on the pricing. I don't handle that aspect of the solution.

    That said, my understanding is it's less expensive than, for example, Oracle.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    I'm able to compare WebLogic with Tomcat, and I can say that Tomcat beats WebLogic on a number of fronts. It's easier, simpler to deploy, and less expensive. I prefer it. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We're just customers and end-users. We don't have a business relationship with Tomcat.

    We also use the solution on a private cloud as well as on-premises.

    I'd rate the product at an eight out of ten. We're pretty happy with it.

    I have experience with WebLogic and Tomcat. I'd recommend Tomcat over Oracle, as it's easier to manage and install. It's my understanding that the pricing is a bit lower as well. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Assistant Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    Easy to set up with good reliability and good GUI
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is easy to set up."
    • "If Apache can come up with a better solution to provide better security, that would be ideal."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use Apache Tomcat servers to host our Actimize application.

    What is most valuable?

    In terms of NICE Actimize, it is very useful. That said, it can host such wider options for such a heavy application. 

    The GUI is smooth. Whatever configurations are required, they're compatible in terms of the Actimize solution, and they tend to provide the best experience for the user.

    It is easy to set up.

    The solution can scale.

    It is stable. 

    What needs improvement?

    I've not used any other products in that space apart from the Apache versions. Having nothing to compare it to, it's hard to see what a weakness is. 

    Some items may be vulnerable due to IT attacks or IT security breaches. If Apache can come up with a better solution to provide better security, that would be ideal. It is something that could be improved in both Apache and NICE Actimize.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the solution for my entire career. I've used it for more than nine years at this point. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's quite scalable. I'm aware that it's used in other applications as well, not just NICE Actimize. 

    Most of the users are in IT support.

    How are customer service and support?

    I've never reached out to technical support. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I have not used a different similar solution in the past.

    How was the initial setup?

    The solution offers a straightforward setup. While I have not done it myself, I'm aware that it's relatively simple. It's been hosted in the cloud in my previous project, and we have experience implementing it on Windows. 

    I'd rate the ease of implementation eight out of ten.

    I can't say how long it takes to deploy the solution. That's handled by another team. We just have a part of Actimize hosted on that server. That's it.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I do not deal with the pricing. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. It's likely close to the latest version.

    Apache is well suited, at least for NICE Actimize. I'd recommend the product to others.

    Based on the exposure I have, since it's limited to just one application being hosted or using Apache Tomcat, I would rate the solution seven out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    SandeepKumar10 - PeerSpot reviewer
    System Administrator at MIRAKI TECHNOLOGIES
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    Web container solution that is really easy to use and offers a simple implementation process
    Pros and Cons
    • "The ease of use of Tomcat is its most valuable feature. Once we grade particular software, we simply download it and we keep an eye on if Tomcat is working."
    • "Sometimes we face issues with the private and public networks and ensuring that once Tomcat is installed, that it is secure."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use this solution for our website. When we have to integrate applications like scheduling tools with the website, we use Tomcat. We also use Tomcat to configure the applications that we have with either Automic scheduler or the D-Series scheduler.

    What is most valuable?

    The ease of use of Tomcat is its most valuable feature. Once we grade particular software, we simply download it and we keep an eye on if Tomcat is working. We have a link within Tomcat that tells us whether is working or not. 

    What needs improvement?

    Sometimes we face issues with the private and public networks and ensuring that once Tomcat is installed, that it is secure. This is an area of the solution that could be improved, possibly by adding an additional package for security. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for a few months. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    This is a stable solution. When we have experienced any issue, restarting Tomcat or completing an update has fixed the issue. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    This is a scalable solution. 

    How are customer service and support?

    We have not needed to reach out to Tomcat for support during the last six or seven years. When we have had an issue, we have been able to resolve it on our own. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is really straightforward. Deployment takes between two and five minutes. If you are using Unix or Windows, you can click on the Tomcat website and you can download it from there. It's a very simple method and you can start and stop any time. If there is any problem, you can see the logs to understand what the issue is. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to other businesses. It is important to understand what approach you are going to take when it comes to installation. Tomcat is user friendly compared to solutions such as WebLogic or Oracle. 

    I would rate this solution an eight out of ten. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud

    If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

    Microsoft Azure
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    Riju Bhasker - PeerSpot reviewer
    Lead IAM manager at Gulf IT
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    Very robust functionality and fast website access but customer support is lacking
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution has very robust functionality."
    • "The solution cannot host .NET applications."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our company uses the solution as a web server for hosting items. Anyone in the world can access website that is hosted on top of the solution. 

    We implement the solution for customers in banking, investment banking, and government. All of our customers host with the solution. 

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is very, very fast and provides immediate website availability around the world. 

    You can host any compatible website. 

    The solution has very robust functionality. 

    What needs improvement?

    The solution cannot host .NET applications. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using the solution for eleven years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is very scalable and you can add any number of applications on top of it. 

    How are customer service and support?

    The solution is open forum so it is difficult to get technical support if you need it. We don't really require technical support. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup is straightforward and very easy. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We implement the solution for customers. Deployment takes a couple of hours depending on use case. 

    If you are deploying for normal users, then deployment will take a maximum of five or six hours. If you are deploying for direction users, then deployment will take eight or nine hours. 

    First, you need to get the binaries for the server. Once the binary is optimized, you need configure your server to optimal size based on your requirements. Then, you quickly start your server using the startup and do any stacking. 

    One developer good at JAVA and two developers good at networking can completely deploy and manage the solution for customers. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The solution is open source so is free. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I definitely recommend the solution for website hosting. I rate it a seven out of ten only because customer support is not available. 

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    Developer at GrupoBios
    Real User
    Top 20
    It's a simple, light open-source environment
    Pros and Cons
    • "Tomcat is a simple, light environment, whereas the full Red Hat Fuse solution is heavier."
    • "Security integration in Tomcat is complicated. We need to use another tool to solve the security issues."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our company is in healthcare, and Tomcat provides a backend server for our REST solution. Tomcat is widely used in Chile as a backend solution for web service and REST environments. Companies frequently use Spring Boot with a Tomcat environment. I'm a developer at a small company, and only 10 people use Tomcat here, but the company has around 100 employees in all. 

    What is most valuable?

    Tomcat is a simple, light environment, whereas the full Red Hat Fuse solution is heavier. 

    What needs improvement?

    Security integration in Tomcat is complicated. We need to use another tool to solve the security issues.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have used Tomcat for two years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    We have some problems with the performance in terms of transactions per second, but Tomcat is stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is easy to scale the solution if you use more CPUs.

    How are customer service and support?

    Tomcat is an Apache open-source project, so it doesn't have technical support. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We were using Red Hat Fuse for a Camel solution. Camel is another Apache product we use internally.  Two years ago, we switched our backend solution.  I was working with a bank, and we needed an integration platform. It was a relatively simple project.

    How was the initial setup?

    Deploying Tomcat is straightforward.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Tomcat is a free solution, but you need to pay the Java Oracle license in a commercial environment.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate Tomcat eight out of 10. My only issue with it is the security. You need to use another solution.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Gabriel-Medina - PeerSpot reviewer
    Sr. Software Architect at GxSoft
    Real User
    Top 5
    Easy to deploy, scalable, and has no cost
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable feature is how simple it is to deploy the solution."
    • "The disability and memory management is a problem with the solution and has room for improvement."

    What is our primary use case?

    The primary use case of the solution is for developing applications and installing applications on the web.

    How has it helped my organization?

    I prefer to deploy my Java applications on Tomcat, as it is free and provides excellent performance and solutions. Additionally, there are two or three more solutions such as JBoss and WebSphere from IBM, but Tomcat remains my preferred choice.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable feature is how simple it is to deploy the solution.

    What needs improvement?

    The disability and memory management is a problem with the solution and has room for improvement.

    I would like to have quicker Java application deployments.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using the solution for 20 years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I give the stability of the solution a seven out of ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I give the scalability of the solution an eight out of ten.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is easy and straightforward.

    What was our ROI?

    We have seen a return on investment with Tomcat quickly.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I give the pricing an eight out of ten.

    What other advice do I have?

    I give the solution an eight out of ten.

    Depending on the hardware an organization is using, there can be memory issues when using the solution.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Hybrid Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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