Getting started with JINI^TM 2.x

Introduction

If you come across other useful resources, have questions or would like to see more information on a particular aspect of JINI, please drop me a line at Dancres.org

• Jini 2.x Overview
• Getting Started
• Tools and Frameworks
• Code Examples
• JINI 2.x Security Resources
• Advanced Issues
• Networking Issues
• JavaOne Presentations
• Mailing Lists and Projects
• My Stuff

JINI 2.x Overview

• JINI Security
• Proxy Trust
• Object Integrity
• Security Constraints
• Dynamic Permission Grants
• JINI Extensible Remote Invocation
• Jini Starter Kit 2.x tightens Jini's security framework
• Call on Extensible RMI (Introduction to JERI)

Note: The information presented in the Bob Scheifler interviews is likely to be inaccurate in places as the result of changes between the JINI 2.x pre-releases and FCS. However, much of it is still useful background material.

Getting Started

Download JINI

Get it from starterkit.dev.java.net

Startup Scripts

• Configuration and startup scripts for JINI 2.1 beta or better reference services - highly recommended. Additional commentary can be found here.
• Scripts for releases prior to 2.1 - a previous release of the script package above.
• John McClain's configuration/startup scripts - Start all standard JINI services (reggie, mahalo...) in transient mode - great for early development work.
• Startup scripts from Proteus Technologies - includes a section covering commonly encountered setup problems.
• Example scripts from Inca X - startup Phoenix and an activatable Reggie instance.
• JavaSpaces Quick Start - A step-by-step guide to getting your first JavaSpaces example up and running.

Tutorials, Guides and Documentation

Writing Services

• Brian Murphy's Guide to writing/deploying JINI 2.x clients and services (html) and the Full length version (html).
• Jan Newmarch's JINI tutorial - includes source code.
• How to Write a JINI Service - My introductory guide to service construction including configuration, exporters etc.

Jini Documentation

• Complete documentation - Available online.
• Jini Javadoc - API Documentation - Available online.
• JINI Specifications - Available online.
• Jini Architecture - Available online.

Trouble Shooting

• Common Questions and Problems - A list of common issues and their resolutions.
• Quick Introduction to Debugging - a short guide to debugging your JINI services with JDB.

JavaSpaces

• JavaSpaces Guide - for JavaSpaces resources.

JERI / Transport

• JERI overview - a whirlwind tour of JERI and how it differs from RMI.
• Simple JERI tutorial - a quick introduction to creating remote objects with JERI.
• Using SSL with JINI 2.x - My guide to getting SSL up and running with JINI clients and services.

John McClain's Implementation/Porting Notes

A series of articles covering various of the boilerplate implementation tasks and issues one faces implementing a JINI 2.x service. Useful for those new to JINI or those porting version 1.x services to 2.x

1. Introductory Posting
2. Stop Relying on Automatic Stub Replacement
3. Use net.jini.config
4. Use net.jini.export
5. Implement Remote Method Control
6. Perform a JAAS login

Tools and Frameworks

• Ant Task for -dl.jar generation, handles preferred lists etc. From the Cheiron Project
• ClassDepAndJar - an Ant task to assist in the creation of -dl.jar's.
• Inca X - An IDE specifically designed for JINI - includes support for remote deployment of services.
• DebugDynamicPolicyProvider - Use this to auto-generate policy files for your JINI services or debug existing policy files. For more information, see Brian's presentation.
• CheckConfigurationFile - use this tool to check service configuration files for errors.
• McastTool - simple tool to test multicast between two or more machines.
• Multicast Monitor Tool - a command-line tool for monitoring JINI announcement and discovery packets.
• Maven JINI Plugin - for Eclipse.
• DeployUtil - utilities for deployment of a JINI service in a single .jar.

Code Examples

• Starter kit code examples.
• Code examples from Inca X - the JINI IDE people.
• Start NOW project - Utility classes for building JINI services.
• Example code for various JINI tasks - Such as, how do I verify a proxy?
• Example endpoints and an asynchronous method invocation layer for JERI - written by Bob Scheifler. Further discussion here.
• SubjectProxys - a means by which a single client can act on behalf of several different identities.
• Professional JINI - code examples from the no longer in print book (for JINI 1.x?).

JINI 2.x Security Resources

Security by it's very nature, touches many aspects of JINI usage. This section attempts to provide centalized coverage of this important topic (some of this information is repeated elsewhere). Unlike some other systems, a large proportion of JINI 2.0 security is handled via configuration leaving only a small amount of boilerplate code to write.

• Starter kit code examples. - The hello example illustrates many aspects of security in JINI 2.x.
• Configuration and startup scripts for JINI 2.x reference services - Contains many examples of security related configuration and appropriate scripts.
• Brian Murphy's Guide to writing/deploying JINI 2.x clients and services and the Full length version.
• Gregg Wonderly's Presentation on customizing JINI 2.x security - Supporting "pluggable authentication".
• How to Write a JINI Service - My introductory guide to service construction including configuration, exporters, security etc.
• Jini Security Presentation from SORCER - Documents their experience with using JINI 2.x security.
• JAAS introduction - introduction and resources.
• Using JAAS with JINI - Part of the moving code to 2.x series by John McClain.
• Using Java's Keytool - If you wish to use the JERI SSL Endpoint you will need to get to grips with Keytool

Advanced Issues

• Externalization vs Serialization
• Inside ClassLoaders
• Discussion of Proxy trust verification
• How do I load one proxy from within another proxy?
• Working with JINI and Tomcat
• Class Loading Issues in Java™ RMI and Jini™ Network Technology

Networking Issues

• Thinking of using JINI on a Windows machine with no network? - Full discussion and resources here.
• Managing JINI's use of Multicast - Understand how to configure/manage JINI's multicast behaviour.
• HowTo Project, Socket Relay Project, JERI presentation html (pdf) by Michael Warres - Useful references when dealing with firewalls.

JavaOne 2003 presentations

• Comprehensive Network Security for Jini Network Technology TS-1893
• Implementing and Deploying Secure Clients and Services with the Jini Network Technology Security Programming Model TS-1313

JavaOne 2002 presentations

• Comprehensive Network Security for Jini Network Technology TS-1171
• Jini Extensible Remote Invocation Technology: A Customizable Implementation of the Programming Model for the Java^TM Remote Method Invocation API TS-1333
• Jini Network Technology Nuts and Bolts: From the Source TS-1218
• The Jini Network Technology Programming Model--From the Source TS-1196

Note: To access any of the JavaOne presentations you'll need a Java Developer Connection account - don't worry, registration is free!

Mailing Lists and Projects

• JINI-USERS
• JAVASPACES-USERS

Bits and Pieces

Various bits and pieces of code (including Blitz JavaSpace) can be found here