Glossary

The following glossary lists terms introduced in this lesson. It also contains some terms that will be introduced later in this tutorial; they are listed here for completeness.
Term Definition

address A specification of a communication endpoint.

alias An object that contains the name of another object. The use of aliases allows one object to be named using different names.

application resource file An optional properties file named jndi.properties found in the classpath of the application/applet using the JNDI. All of the properties contained in all application resource files in the classpath are collected and added into the environment of the initial context.

atomic name An indivisible component of a name, as defined by the naming convention of the context in which the name is bound.

attribute Information associated with a directory object. An attribute consists of an attribute identifier and a set of attribute values.

binding The association of an atomic name with an object.

composite name A name that spans multiple naming systems.

composite name resolution The process of resolving a name that spans multiple naming systems.

composite namespace The arrangement of namespaces from autonomous naming systems to form one logical namespace.

compound name A name in the namespace of a single naming system. It is a sequence of zero or more atomic names composed according to the naming convention of that naming system.

context An object whose state is a set of bindings that have distinct atomic names.

context factory A specialization of an object factory. It accepts information about how to create a context, such as a reference, and returns an instance of the context.

control A modifier that accompanies an LDAP v3 request or an LDAP v3 response. A control that accompanies a request is called a request control. A control that accompanies a response is called a response control.

control factory A class that narrows a control into one of a more specific type.

directory A connected set of directory objects.

directory entry Same as directory object.

directory object An object that is in the directory. Sometimes called a directory entry.

directory service A service that provides operations for creating, adding, removing, and modifying the attributes associated with objects in a directory.

event listener An object that receives notification of events.

event source An object that fires (generates) events.

environment properties Properties used to specify various preferences and properties that define the environment in which naming and directory services are accessed.

extension A pair of "extended" operation request/response in LDAP.

federated namespace Same as composite namespace.

federated naming service A service that provides operations on a federated naming system.

federated naming system An aggregation of autonomous naming systems that cooperate to support name resolution of composite names through a standard interface. Each member of the federation has autonomy in its choice of operations and naming conventions.

initial context The starting point for resolution of names for naming and directory operations.

junction A binding in one naming system whose reference identifies a context in another naming system.

link reference A reference that contains a composite name. It is a symbolic link that can span multiple naming systems.

name A people-friendly identifier for identifying an object or a reference to an object.

name resolution The process of resolving a name to the object to which it is bound.

namespace A set of all names in a naming system.

naming convention The set of syntactic rules that govern how a name is generated. These rules determine whether a name is valid or invalid in the context in which the name is used.

naming service A service that provides the operations on a naming system.

naming system A connected set of contexts of the same type (they have the same naming convention).

next naming system The subordinate naming system in a federation of naming systems.

object factory A producer of objects that accepts some information about how to create an object, such as a reference, and then returns an instance of that object.

operational attribute An attribute maintained and used for administrative purposes. It is not visible to clients unless explicitly requested.
provider resource file
An optional properties file named [prefix/]jndiprovider.properties, where prefix is the package name of the service provider class with each period character converted to a forward slash character ("/"). This file is used by the JNDI when determining the values of the following JNDI-defined properties:
java.naming.factory.object
java.naming.factory.state
java.naming.factory.control
java.naming.factory.url.pkgs
referral An object that contains the name(s) and location(s) of other object(s). It is a generalization of an alias.

reference Information for accessing an object. It contains one or more addresses for communicating or referring to an object.

request control A control that accompanies an LDAP v3 request sent by the client. The JNDI has two types of request controls: those that are associated with connection establishment, called connection request controls, and those that are associated with a context, called context request controls.

response control A control that accompanies an LDAP v3 response sent by the server.

schema A set or rules that specifies the types of objects that a directory may contain and the mandatory and optional attributes that directory objects of different types are to have. It may also specify the structure of the namespace and the relationship between different types of objects.

search filter A logical expression specifying the attributes that the directory objects being requested should have. It is used by the directory to locate those objects.

service provider An implementation of a context or initial context that can be plugged in dynamically to the JNDI architecture to be used by the JNDI client.

state factory A factory that accepts an object and returns data representing the object to be stored in (and acceptable to) the underlying naming/directory service.

subcontext A context that is bound in another context of the same type (it has the same naming convention).

unsolicited notification A notification sent by an LDAP v3 server not in response to any client request.
Naming and Directory Concepts: End of Lesson
What's next? Now you can:

Continue on in this trail to get an overview of the JNDI.
Go to the Examples lesson to learn how to write some short programs for looking up an object and reading attributes from a directory service.
Go to The Basics trail for more in-depth lessons on performing naming and directory operations using the JNDI.

Term	Definition
address	A specification of a communication endpoint.
alias	An object that contains the name of another object. The use of aliases allows one object to be named using different names.
application resource file	An optional properties file named `jndi.properties` found in the classpath of the application/applet using the JNDI. All of the properties contained in all application resource files in the classpath are collected and added into the environment of the initial context.
atomic name	An indivisible component of a name, as defined by the naming convention of the context in which the name is bound.
attribute	Information associated with a directory object. An attribute consists of an attribute identifier and a set of attribute values.
binding	The association of an atomic name with an object.
composite name	A name that spans multiple naming systems.
composite name resolution	The process of resolving a name that spans multiple naming systems.
composite namespace	The arrangement of namespaces from autonomous naming systems to form one logical namespace.
compound name	A name in the namespace of a single naming system. It is a sequence of zero or more atomic names composed according to the naming convention of that naming system.
context	An object whose state is a set of bindings that have distinct atomic names.
context factory	A specialization of an object factory. It accepts information about how to create a context, such as a reference, and returns an instance of the context.
control	A modifier that accompanies an LDAP v3 request or an LDAP v3 response. A control that accompanies a request is called a request control. A control that accompanies a response is called a response control.
control factory	A class that narrows a control into one of a more specific type.
directory	A connected set of directory objects.
directory entry	Same as directory object.
directory object	An object that is in the directory. Sometimes called a directory entry.
directory service	A service that provides operations for creating, adding, removing, and modifying the attributes associated with objects in a directory.
event listener	An object that receives notification of events.
event source	An object that fires (generates) events.
environment properties	Properties used to specify various preferences and properties that define the environment in which naming and directory services are accessed.
extension	A pair of "extended" operation request/response in LDAP.
federated namespace	Same as composite namespace.
federated naming service	A service that provides operations on a federated naming system.
federated naming system	An aggregation of autonomous naming systems that cooperate to support name resolution of composite names through a standard interface. Each member of the federation has autonomy in its choice of operations and naming conventions.
initial context	The starting point for resolution of names for naming and directory operations.
junction	A binding in one naming system whose reference identifies a context in another naming system.
link reference	A reference that contains a composite name. It is a symbolic link that can span multiple naming systems.
name	A people-friendly identifier for identifying an object or a reference to an object.
name resolution	The process of resolving a name to the object to which it is bound.
namespace	A set of all names in a naming system.
naming convention	The set of syntactic rules that govern how a name is generated. These rules determine whether a name is valid or invalid in the context in which the name is used.
naming service	A service that provides the operations on a naming system.
naming system	A connected set of contexts of the same type (they have the same naming convention).
next naming system	The subordinate naming system in a federation of naming systems.
object factory	A producer of objects that accepts some information about how to create an object, such as a reference, and then returns an instance of that object.
operational attribute	An attribute maintained and used for administrative purposes. It is not visible to clients unless explicitly requested.
provider resource file	An optional properties file named [prefix/]`jndiprovider.properties`, where prefix is the package name of the service provider class with each period character converted to a forward slash character ("/"). This file is used by the JNDI when determining the values of the following JNDI-defined properties: java.naming.factory.object java.naming.factory.state java.naming.factory.control java.naming.factory.url.pkgs
referral	An object that contains the name(s) and location(s) of other object(s). It is a generalization of an alias.
reference	Information for accessing an object. It contains one or more addresses for communicating or referring to an object.
request control	A control that accompanies an LDAP v3 request sent by the client. The JNDI has two types of request controls: those that are associated with connection establishment, called connection request controls, and those that are associated with a context, called context request controls.
response control	A control that accompanies an LDAP v3 response sent by the server.
schema	A set or rules that specifies the types of objects that a directory may contain and the mandatory and optional attributes that directory objects of different types are to have. It may also specify the structure of the namespace and the relationship between different types of objects.
search filter	A logical expression specifying the attributes that the directory objects being requested should have. It is used by the directory to locate those objects.
service provider	An implementation of a context or initial context that can be plugged in dynamically to the JNDI architecture to be used by the JNDI client.
state factory	A factory that accepts an object and returns data representing the object to be stored in (and acceptable to) the underlying naming/directory service.
subcontext	A context that is bound in another context of the same type (it has the same naming convention).
unsolicited notification	A notification sent by an LDAP v3 server not in response to any client request.

Naming and Directory Concepts