You can deploy ColdFusion applications either on a stand-alone ColdFusion MX 7 server or on leading enterprise Java application servers. The Enterprise Edition of ColdFusion MX 7 also includes a full version of Macromedia JRunT J2EE server. Alternatively, you can deploy ColdFusion applications on third-party J2EE servers, such IBM WebSphere and As a result, ColdFusion MX 7 is ideal for web applications that require data access, security, and scalability in a fast development cycle-systems for which the complexity of Java is not pragmatic-while leaving your elite Java team free to focus on larger, more strategic systems.

This white paper outlines specific considerations that technology and business managers should factor into their application development infrastructure choices and investments. These considerations provide a clear picture of the benefits of utilizing ColdFusion in conjunction with Java to build and deploy web applications of varying sizes and complexity. ColdFusion MX 7 deployed on a Java runtime continues to provide the most favorable total cost of ownership for the majority of web applications today. For many IT managers and business-focused decision makers, today's technology trends are presenting a unique and important inflection point. While Macromedia ColdFusion MX is widely used throughout a large majority of organizations today, the Java programming language is rapidly being considered or adopted in many of these organizations. As IT professionals investigate the use of ColdFusion versus Java, it is important to understand that ColdFusion is designed to be used in conjunction with Java, leveraging the powerful capabilities that the Java runtime offers while maintaining ColdFusion's hallmark benefits of rapid, low-cost development.

Many organizations today have chosen Java as core technology to build and deploy high-end web applications. Because a large percentage of web applications require faster, more productive development cycles, companies are choosing ColdFusion to extend their Java technologies. Combining ColdFusion with Java provides the best of both worlds-power and productivity.

The runtime environment of ColdFusion MX is fully compatible with Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE). This major architectural shift in ColdFusion MX enables it to leverage the benefits of J2EE fully while retaining the simplicity, power, and low TCO for which ColdFusion is renowned. ColdFusion MX 7 continues to build upon this powerful architecture further.

The ColdFusion Approach for Rapid Application Development Macromedia ColdFusion MX 7 is the fastest, easiest way to build and deploy powerful Internet applications.

Using proven tag-based scripting and the rich set of built-in services in ColdFusion MX 7, web application developers can easily harness the power of Java-without the complexity.

At the higher end, where you might want to create a complex system with redundancy and failover supporting one million transactions each day, ColdFusion MX 7 is the ideal complement to Java because it provides complexity-shielding abstractions, tools, and guides to enable a broader set of developers to contribute to the development cycle and collaborate with your highly skilled Java-knowledgeable team members.