Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server v2.1.1 Administration Guide

Java EE Naming Services

A JNDI name is a people-friendly name for an object. These names are bound to their objects by the naming and directory service that is provided by a Java EE server. Because Java EE components access this service through the JNDI API, the object usually uses its JNDI name. When it starts up, the Enterprise Server reads information from the configuration file and automatically adds JNDI database names to the name space.

Java EE application clients, enterprise beans, and web components are required to have access to a JNDI naming environment.

The application component's naming environment is a mechanism that allows customization of the application component's business logic during deployment or assembly. Use of the application component's environment allows the application component to be customized without the need to access or change the application component's source code.

A Java EE container implements the application component's environment, and provides it to the application component instance as a JNDI naming context. The application component's environment is used as follows:

Each application component defines its own set of environment entries. All instances of an application component within the same container share the same environment entries. Application component instances are not allowed to modify the environment at runtime.