Sun Microsystems 820433510 manual Jndi Resources, Java EE Naming Services

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JNDI Resources

The Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) is an application programming interface (API) for accessing different kinds of naming and directory services. Java EE components locate objects by invoking the JNDI lookup method.

JNDI is the acronym for the Java Naming and Directory Interface API. By making calls to this API, applications locate resources and other program objects. A resource is a program object that provides connections to systems, such as database servers and messaging systems. (A JDBC resource is sometimes referred to as a data source.) Each resource object is identified by a unique, people-friendly name, called the JNDI name. A resource object and its JNDI name are bound together by the naming and directory service, which is included with the Enterprise Server. To create a new resource, a new name-object binding is entered into the JNDI.

This section covers the following topics:

■“Java EE Naming Services” on page 77

■“Naming References and Binding Information” on page 78

■“Using Custom Resources” on page 79

■“Using External JNDI Repositories and Resources” on page 79

Java EE Naming Services

A JNDI name is a people-friendly name for an object. These names are bound to their objects by the naming and directory service that is provided by a Java EE server. Because Java EE components access this service through the JNDI API, the object usually uses its JNDI name. When it starts up, the Enterprise Server reads information from the configuration file and automatically adds JNDI database names to the name space.

Java EE application clients, enterprise beans, and web components are required to have access to a JNDI naming environment.

The application component's naming environment is a mechanism that allows customization of the application component's business logic during deployment or assembly. Use of the

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