TLP Modules and Roles

TLP is based on a modular framework. Within the TLP tool, some modules are specific to the TLP server and other modules are specific to the client. This modular framework enables you to replace individual modules, which are independent from each other. You can add new functionality or modify the tool to changing conditions, such as replacing an existing patch analysis tool. You can also define different roles for different tasks. These roles are represented by interchangeable modules. The script that is used to create patch sets refers only to these roles, thereby enabling TLP to conform to changes in its environment. In addition, you can declaratively include new modules in the default configuration file. Existing modules can be used as a basis for the development of new modules. To fully understand TLP functionality, it is essential that you have a basic understanding of the modular architecture of the tool.

The following output shows a portion of the TLP server configuration file. In this example, you can see the association between roles and modules.

<Module sunsolve>
Class  Tlp::Loader::SunSolve	# Perl Module to use
       ....					 # Module specific config
</Module>

Loader sunsolve				 # Associate Module with Role

Note that the role Loader is associated with the module, sunsolve. The module sunsolve is associated with the class Tlp::Loader::SunSolve. If you chose to download patches from another location, you would modify the TLP configuration file, replacing this module with another Loader module.

For more information on the TLP server and client module definitions, see TLP Roles and Modules.