Module 5

Understanding JNDI

At the end of this module you will be able to:

9 Describe naming and directory services
9 Detail the high-level architecture of JNDI
9 Define basic terminology
9 View the JNDI tree in WebLogic Server
9 Use the Administration Console to deploy a
startup or shutdown class

Understanding JNDI-1 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 237

 Road Map

1. Introduction to JNDI
– What Are Directory and Naming Services and How Do
They Work
– The High-level Architecture of JNDI
– Viewing JNDI Tree Via the Administration Console and
the Command-Line
2. Startup and Shutdown Classes

Understanding JNDI-2 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 238

 What Is JNDI?

f The Java Naming and Directory Interface is an API for

accessing different naming and directory services
uniformly.
f This is a major step forward because:
– Different services use vastly different naming schemes
– Java applications will be able to navigate seamlessly across
databases, files, directories, objects and networks

Understanding JNDI-3 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 239

 Why JNDI ?

f In WebLogic Server, JNDI serves as a repository and

lookup service for J2EE objects including:
– EJB home stubs
– JDBC DataSources
– JMS connection factories, queues and topics
– RMI stubs

Understanding JNDI-4 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 240

 JNDI Structure

Written by
Application Code Developer
JNDI API
Naming Manager JNDI API
JNDI SPI
WLS LDAP File Sys DNS
Other Purchased
Driver Driver Driver Driver

WLS LDAP File DNS

Other Service
Server Server System System

Understanding JNDI-5 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 241

 Naming Service

f A naming service provides a ID1

Objects
method for mapping identifiers to
entities or objects: ID2

ID3

ID4
f Naming Service vocabulary:

Term Definition Example

www.bea.com is
Association of an atomic name
Binding bound to
and an object 209.10.217.38
A set of unique names in a www.bea.com/
Namespace
naming system products

Understanding JNDI-6 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 242

 A JNDI Tree
Root R
Context

A binding associates an IC Initial Context

object with a logical
name and a context

Context “B”
is bound to
A B Initial Context
O1
Object “O1”
is bound to
Initial C
O2 O3 O3 O4
Context
Object “O2” Object “O3”
is bound to is bound to both
Context “A” Context “A” and “B”
Understanding JNDI-7 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 243
 Contexts and Subcontexts

f Subcontexts are referenced through dot delimiters (.)

f Subcontexts must be created before objects are placed
into them

If the following context exists:

com.bea.examples

you cannot bind:

com.bea.examples.ejb.SomeObject

without first creating:

com.bea.examples.ejb
10
0101
1110

Understanding JNDI-8 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 244

 JNDI for Administrators

f An administrator needs to understand JNDI because it

will be their job to:
– verify objects are bound in the JNDI tree
– set security on contexts within the JNDI tree

Understanding JNDI-9 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 245

 Viewing the JNDI Tree

4 5

Understanding JNDI-10 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 246

 Listing JNDI Contents

f WLST provides a command line utility for viewing

JNDI bindings.
f jndi() changes to the jndi tree and ls() lists the
bindings

10
0101
1110

Understanding JNDI-11 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 247

 Section Review

In this section we discussed:

9 What directory and naming services are and how they
work
9 The high-level architecture of JNDI
9 Viewing the JNDI tree via
the Administration Console
and the command line

Understanding JNDI-12 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 248

 Road Map

1. Introduction to JNDI
2. Startup and Shutdown Classes
– What Are Startup and Shutdown Classes and How Do
They Work
– Deploying a Startup or Shutdown Class Using the
Administration Console

Understanding JNDI-13 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 249

 What Is a Startup Class?

f A startup class is a class that is loaded and executed

when WebLogic Server boots.
f You can use a startup class to:
– initialize objects in memory
– reconstruct a JNDI tree
– load critical values from the database
– recover the system to the state that existed before shutdown

Understanding JNDI-14 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 250

 What Is a Shutdown Class?

f A shutdown class is a class which gets executed when

WebLogic Server is shutting down.
f Shutdown classes are usually used to free resources
obtained by startup classes.

Understanding JNDI-15 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 251

 Defining Startup/Shutdown Classes…

3
4

Understanding JNDI-16 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 252

 …Deploying Startup/Shutdown Classes

Understanding JNDI-17 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 253

 When Are Startup Classes Loaded?

f By default, startup classes are loaded after the J2EE

deployment units.
f J2EE deployment units load in this order: JDBC, JMS,
Connectors, EJBs, Web Applications.
f If “Run Before Application Deployments” is checked,
then startup class are loaded right before deploying
JDBC Data Sources.

Understanding JNDI-18 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 254

 Section Review

In this section we discussed:

9 What startup and shutdown classes are and how they
work
9 How to deploy a startup or shutdown class using the
Administration Console

Understanding JNDI-19 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 255

 Exercise

Working With Startup Classes and JNDI

f In this lab you are going to deploy a startup class that
binds objects into the JNDI tree.
f Ask the instructor for any clarification.
f The instructor will
determine the stop time.

Lab Exercise

Understanding JNDI-20 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 256

 Module Review

In this module we discussed:

– What naming and directory services are
– The high-level architecture of JNDI
– Terminology used in naming and directory services
– How to view the JNDI tree in WebLogic Server
– How to deploy a startup
or shutdown class
via Administration Console

Understanding JNDI-21 © 2006 BEA Systems, Inc. 257