A thin client insurance system being written using Struts and regular Java classes has a component where Batch processing needs to be done. The processing should be user initiated, prefereably using the thin client app.

As of now we are thinking of the following solution. The user updates batch preferences in a table. There is a Java program being run using a cron job that polls the table. If the user has set the status of a particular job to be started, the java program then does the needful and updates a flag in the same table indicating success/failure of the job.

Any comments/suggestions are welcome. Is there a better way to do this?

How about looking at the asynchronous messaging option using JMS.

D.

Thanks for the post. JMS or any messaging was suggested and ruled out as the client will not be interested in acquiring new products. Also the module has been put on hold for now.