Chapter 35 Java Naming and Directory Interface

Java™ Naming and Directory Interface is an API used to provide naming and directory functionality to applications written in the Java programming language. This chapter provides information on how to the tool. It contains the following sections:

Overview

Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) is designed specifically for the Java platform using Java’s object model. Using JNDI, Java applications can store and retrieve Java objects of any type. In addition, JNDI provides methods for performing standard directory operations, such as associating attributes with objects and searching for objects using their attributes.

JNDI is defined independent of any specific naming or directory service implementation, enabling applications to access different (or possibly multiple) naming and directory services with one API. Assorted naming and directory service providers can be plugged in behind this common API to access information from a variety of existing naming and directory services, including Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Novell^® Directory Service (NDS), Domain Name System (DNS), and Network Information System/Yellow Pages (NIS/YP). In addition, JNDI enables the applications to coexist with legacy software and systems.



Note	A service provider is basically a set of classes that implement various JNDI interfaces for a specific naming and directory service - much like a JDBC driver implements various JDBC interfaces for a particular database system.

JNDI Service Provider for DSML

The DSRK includes the Early Access 1 release of the JNDI DSML v2 Service Providers.



Note	Directory Services Markup Language (DSML) is a markup language that enables you to represent directory entries and commands in XML.

The following components (and additional information including READMEs) can be found in DSRK_base/jndi-dsml.

dsmlv2.jar - An archive of class files for the service providers and utilities.

providerutil.jar - An archive of utilities used by service providers developed by Sun Microsystems. The DSML v2 service provider uses some of the classes in this archive.



Caution	This archive file is NOT interchangeable with the providerutil.jar file that you might have downloaded with any other service providers from Sun Microsystems althouh it is safe for other providers to use this providerutil.jar.

jndi-dsmlv2-ext.html - Installation instructions.

jndi-dsmlv2.html - Documentation of the service providers and utilities.

The Javadocs for the DSML v2 utility classes.

Examples of how to use the service providers and utilities.

JNDI Booster Pack for LDAP Service Provider

The DSRK includes the 1.0 release of the JNDI LDAP Booster Pack. This software is NOT an LDAP service provider; it works in conjunction with an LDAP service provider. It must be installed into a Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) SDK or Runtime Environment (JRE) that already has a JNDI/LDAP service provider.



Note	The recommended version of the J2SE platform to use with this release is 1.4.x.

The following components (and additional information including READMEs) can be found in DSRK_base/jndi-ldap.

ldapbp-install.html - Installation instructions for the booster pack.

ldapbp-overview.html - Documentation for the software in the booster pack.

doc/ldapbp/api/ - Javadocs for the public classes in the booster pack.

ldapbp.jar - An archive ("booster pack") for supporting various LDAP controls and extensions.