Resource Adapter Archive (RAR) 

Definition

An archive file that is defined in the JCA specification as the valid format for deployment of resource adapters on application servers.

Use

You can deploy a RAR file on the AS Java as a standalone component or as part of a larger application. In both cases, the adapter is available to all applications using a lookup procedure.

Structure

The RAR file contains:

·        A JAR file with the implementation classes of the resource adapter

·        A META-INF/ directory that stores the ra.xml and the additional connector-j2ee-engine.xml.

The additional deployment descriptor is not required by the JCA specification. It is used for configuration purposes in the AS Java.