Sun Java System Portal Server 7.1 Developer's Guide

Provider to Portlet Mapping

The 

Maps To (or can use) 

ProviderContext.getStringAttribute
("firstname");

Map ui = (Map)renderRequest.getAttribute
("javax.portlet.userinfo");
String firstname = (String)ui.get("firstname");
ProviderContext.getSessionProperty()
/setSessionProperty()
PortletSession.getAttribute(),
PortletSession.setAttribute()
ProviderContext.getDesktopURL()
PortletURL.RenderResponse.createRenderURL(),
RenderResponse.createActionURL()