Before you start with load-balancing it might be an idea to start with an application client on one machine.
If you create an application client and package it correct (in the manifest file there should be a main-class entry) it is possible to start this package using webstart.
Upon starting webstart a application client container is downloaded to the computer you fired the request from (the client computer). Inside the container the class metioned in the main-class entry is started.
This application runs on the client and not on the server. This client is able to communicate with the server over the RMI-IIOP protocol. If you have many clients using this protocol you can use loadbalancing in order to spread the load of these request over multiple machines.
Whatever the setup the application client is running on the client machine and not on the glassfish server. If you have a client which is not communicating with the server the client might run without the server running.
In order to use webstart to get the application client running make sure:
1. the application client is packaged with a main-class entry in the manifest file
2. domains are located in the default domain dir $GLASSFISH_INSTALL_DIR/domains
3. if using a recent jdk version switch of caching internet files in your java preferences.
If you have this working you're ready to load balance these request.
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