Java Naming and Directory InterfaceTM

Documentation Contents

The Java Naming and Directory Interface^TM (JNDI) provides naming and directory functionality to applications written in the Java^TM programming language. It is designed to be independent of any specific naming or directory service implementation. Thus a variety of services--new, emerging, and already deployed ones--can be accessed in a common way.

The JNDI architecture consists of an API (Application Programming Interface) and an SPI (Service Provider Interface). Java applications use this 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, allowing the Java application using the API of the JNDI technology to access their services.

Java^TM 2 SDK, v 1.4 includes JNDI and four service providers (listed below). These packages are also available separately for use with the JDK 1.1.x, the Java 2 SDK, v 1.2 and v 1.3.

Enhancements Since Version 1.4.0

DNS Service Provider

• Support for controlling timeouts when submitting UDP queries.
• Support for automatic discovery of DNS service.

LDAP Service Provider

• Support for connection pooling.
• Support for automatic discovery of LDAP service via DNS.
• Support for use of multiple URLs for configuration.

Enhancements Since Version 1.3

DNS Service Provider

An Internet Domain Naming System (DNS) service provider has been added. This component enables applications to read data stored in the DNS.

Security Enhancements to the LDAP Service Provider

These enhancements bring the LDAP service provider in conformance with standard LDAP security requirements (RFC 2829) and promote better interoperability with widely deployed LDAP servers.

• Support for the "Start TLS" (Transport Layer Security) extension (RFC 2830) and External SASL authentication mechanism. This enables applications to establish secure sessions over existing LDAP connections. This feature introduces two new classes.
  • javax.naming.ldap.StartTlsRequest
  • javax.naming.ldap.StartTlsResponse
• Support for the GSS-API/Kerberos v5 SASL authentication mechanism (RFC 2222). This enables secure, authenticated access to the Windows 2000 and XP Active Directory servers.
• Support for the Digest-MD5 SASL authentication mechanism (RFC 2831).

See the LDAP Service Provider documentation and the JNDI Tutorial for details and examples.

"corbaname" and "corbaloc" URL Support

The COS naming service provider supports the Interoperable Naming Service (INS) specification (99-12-03). This enables applications to use the "corbaname" URL from the initial context and to configure the provider by using the "corbaname" and "corbaloc" URLs.

JNDI Tutorial

• JNDI Tutorial - A tutorial introduction to the JNDI technology with programming examples.

JNDI Architecture Documents

• Executive Summary - also available in Postscript and PDF
• JNDI API - also available in Postscript and PDF
• JNDI SPI - also available in Postscript and PDF

• JNDI API and SPI Specification - A list of the packages included in the JNDI technology.

To use JNDI with a particular naming or directory service, you need a JNDI service provider, which is a module that plugs in beneath the JNDI API to access the naming or directory service. The Java Software Web site maintains a list of service providers available for JNDI.

Java 2 SDK, v 1.4 includes the following service providers:

• The LDAP Service Provider
• The COS Naming Service Provider
• The RMI Registry Service Provider
• The DNS Service Provider

For More Information

• Subscribe to the JNDI-INTEREST list
• Source to a demonstration namespace browser written using JNDI and Swing
• Related documents
• The JNDI Home Page

Copyright © 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please send comments to: jndi@java.sun.com

Java Software