Service configuration is expressed in properties that are set on services and service instances and stored in layers in the service configuration repository. Properties that are set on a service are inherited by all instances of that service. Properties that are set on an instance are used only by that instance. Service instances can customize the values of inherited properties and can define additional properties that are not defined for the parent service.
This section shows how to retrieve property values and how to identify whether the value is global for the service, is specific to an instance, was delivered with the software, or is an administrative customization.