24.1.1 Legacy Local and Remote Proxies

Proxies can also be bound to objects called handlers that necessarily implement the ProxyHandler interface. The methods of this interface are a subset of MBean server methods, as listed in 21.2.2 RemoteMBeanServer Interface. These are the only methods that a proxy needs to access its corresponding MBean and fulfill all management requests.

In versions of Java DMK prior to 5.1, the RemoteMBeanServer interface extends the ProxyHandler interface, meaning that proxy objects can be bound to any of the legacy connector clients. These are called remote proxies, because they are instantiated in an application that is distant from the agent and its MBean instances.

The implementation of the MBeanServer interface also implements the ProxyHandler interface, so that proxy objects can be bound to the MBean server itself. These are called local proxies because they are located in the same application as their corresponding MBeans. Local proxies help preserve the management architecture by providing the simplicity of performing direct method calls on MBeans, while still routing all operations through the MBean server.

The symmetry of remote and local proxies complements the symmetry that enables management components to execute either in an agent or in a management application. Provided that all proxy classes are available, management components that use MBean proxies can be instantiated in an agent and rely on the MBean server or can be instantiated in a remote manager where they interact with a connector client. Except for communication delays, the results of all operations are identical, and the same notifications are received, whether obtained through a local proxy or a remote proxy (see 22.1.3 Adding a Listener Through the Connector).

Figure 24–1 shows local proxies that are instantiated in an agent and bound to the MBean server, and the same classes instantiated as remote proxies in a management application and bound to the connector client. Management components located in either the agent or the management application can interact with the local or remote proxies, respectively. Management components can also access the MBean server or the connector client directly, regardless of whether proxies are being used.

Figure 24–1 Interacting with Local and Remote Proxies

This diagram shows all possible relations between management components, proxies and their MBeans. Standard proxies can only represent a specific standard MBean, and generic proxies can represent any standard or dynamic MBean. In a typical management scenario, the management components are located in only one application, and for simplicity, they rarely instantiate more than one type of proxy.

Throughout the rest of this chapter, we do not distinguish between local and remote proxies. A proxy object, either standard or generic, is used in exactly the same way regardless of whether it is instantiated locally or remotely.