Mod_jk with sticky sessions routes requests based on the jvmRoute appended to the session id in the session cookie. The failure of one of your Apache nodes does not mean sticky sessions won't work, since such a failure doesn't affect the session cookies. For more on the sticky session recommendation see http://www.jboss.org/community/wiki/WebClusteringBestPractices. Not sure what you're referring to when you discuss JAAS replication. Perhaps https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/JBAS-1900 ?? That's another reason to use sticky sessions -- the web container's FORM authentication mechanism assumes the post of the login form will go to the server that issued the form. Re: UseJK=true and a jvmRoute when sticky session aren't used, it's valid in the sense that it doesn't break anything. The UseJK=true isn't doing anything for you; adds a bit of overhead. I'm not going to comment beyond what I already have on not setting the jvmRoute as it's not something I've really investigated. View the original post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4242482#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...