21.2.2 RemoteMBeanServer Interface

All connector clients implement the RemoteMBeanServer interface to expose the methods needed to access and manage the MBeans in a remote agent. This interface allows all management operations that would be possible directly in the agent application. In fact, the methods of the connector client for accessing MBeans remotely have exactly the same name and signature as their equivalent methods in the MBeanServer interface.

Table 21–1 lists the methods that are defined identically in both the MBeanServer and the RemoteMBeanServer interfaces.

These methods are defined in the ProxyHandler interface (see 24.1.1 Legacy Local and Remote Proxies).

Components of a management application that rely solely on this common subset of methods can be instantiated in either the agent or the manager application. Such components are location-independent and can be reused either locally or remotely as management solutions evolve. This symmetry also allows the design of advanced management architectures where functionality can be deployed either in the agent or in the manager, depending on runtime conditions.

The other, unshared methods of the RemoteMBeanServer interface are used to establish and monitor the connection. 21.2.3 Establishing a Connection shows how to establish a connection and access MBeans directly through the connector client.21.3 Legacy Heartbeat Mechanism shows how to monitor a connection and detect when it is lost.