This book is an excellent survey of WebLogic Server 8.1 and, more generally, building applications with J2EE. It describes each of the functional areas of the server - JSP and servlets, EJBs, JMS, JDBC, security, administration, etc. It also reviews other technologies, such as web services, XML, and SOA, and how they relate to J2EE. The example application is thorough and useful. This is an excellent book for someone new to WebLogic Server and J2EE or an expert looking to polish skills.