Key Terms in This Chapter

This section explains key technical terms used in this chapter, with an emphasis on clarifying how these terms are used in the Java ES context.

directory

A special kind of database optimized for reading data rather than writing data. Most directories are based on LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol), an industry-standard protocol.

policy

A rule that describes who is authorized to access a specific resource under specific conditions. The rule can be based on groups of users or roles in an organization.

single identity

An identity that a user has by virtue of a single user entry in a Java ES directory. Based on this single user entry a user can be allowed access to various Java ES resources such as a portal and web pages and services such as messaging, calendar, and instant messaging.

single sign-on

A feature that allows a user’s authentication to one service in a distributed system to be automatically applied to other services in the system.