JNDI Overview
Naming and directory services play a vital role in intranets and the Internet by providing network-wide sharing of a variety of information about users, machines, networks, services, and applications.
JNDI is an API specified in Java technology that provides naming and directory functionality to applications written in the Java programming language. It is designed especially for the Java platform using Java’s object model. Using JNDI, applications based on Java technology can store and retrieve named Java objects of any type. In addition, JNDI provides methods for performing standard directory operations, such as associating attributes with objects and searching for objects using their attributes.
JNDI is also defined independent of any specific naming or directory service implementation. It enables applications to access different, possibly multiple, naming and directory services using a common API. Different naming and directory service providers can be plugged in seamlessly behind this common API. This enables Java technology-based applications to take advantage of information in a variety of existing naming and directory services, such as LDAP, NDS, DNS, and NIS(YP), as well as enabling the applications to coexist with legacy software and systems.
Using JNDI as a tool, you can build new powerful and portable applications that not only take advantage of Java’s object model but are also well-integrated with the environment in which they are deployed.
Lesson: Overview of JNDI
The Java Naming and Directory Interface™ (JNDI) is an application programming interface (API) that provides naming and directory functionality to applications written using the Java™ programming language. It is defined to be independent of any specific directory service implementation. Thus a variety of directories -new, emerging, and already deployed can be accessed in a common way.
Architecture
The JNDI architecture consists of an API and a service provider interface (SPI). Java applications use the JNDI API to access a variety of naming and directory services. The SPI enables a variety of naming and directory services to be plugged in transparently, thereby allowing the Java application using the JNDI API to access their services. See the following figure:
Packaging
JNDI is included in the Java SE Platform. To use the JNDI, you must have the JNDI classes and one or more service providers. The JDK includes service providers for the following naming/directory services:
- Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
- Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) Common Object Services (COS) name service
- Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) Registry
- Domain Name Service (DNS)
Other service providers can be downloaded from the JNDI page or obtained from other vendors.
The JNDI is divided into five packages:
The next part of the lesson has a brief description of the JNDI packages.
Lesson: Overview of JNDI
The Java Naming and Directory Interface™ (JNDI) is an application programming interface (API) that provides naming and directory functionality to applications written using the Java™ programming language. It is defined to be independent of any specific directory service implementation. Thus a variety of directories -new, emerging, and already deployed can be accessed in a common way.
Architecture
The JNDI architecture consists of an API and a service provider interface (SPI). Java applications use the JNDI API to access a variety of naming and directory services. The SPI enables a variety of naming and directory services to be plugged in transparently, thereby allowing the Java application using the JNDI API to access their services. See the following figure:
Packaging
JNDI is included in the Java SE Platform. To use the JNDI, you must have the JNDI classes and one or more service providers. The JDK includes service providers for the following naming/directory services:
- Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
- Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) Common Object Services (COS) name service
- Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) Registry
- Domain Name Service (DNS)
Other service providers can be downloaded from the JNDI page or obtained from other vendors.
The JNDI is divided into five packages:
The next part of the lesson has a brief description of the JNDI packages.