JavaTM Name Tree Browser

 

Introduction

   The WebSphere Application Server Name Tree Browser is a Java (TM) application used to graphically view and manipulate the WebSphere Application Server name space. It could be an alternative to the DCE Director on NT or the DCE cdsbrowser on AIX. The browser allows you to:

  • view the WebSphere Application Server name space
  • create new Naming contexts
  • delete Naming context
  • unbind Name bindings
  • save to a file a string version of the IOR for a Naming context or Name binding.
  • The tool is available in source code from the IBM FTP site: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/websphere/info/tools/jntb

       The WebSphere Application Server Name Tree Browser, hereafter known as JNTB [Java Name Tree Browser], is a client program that uses the IBM Java ORB and the CosNaming client Java bindings to communicate with a WebSphere Application Server Name Server. The user interface is implemented with the Java JFC/Swing components. From NT or AIX, JNTB can browse a remote WebSphere Application Server Name Server running on any WebSphere Application Server platform. JNTB on the NT platform is particularly useful for viewing the Name Space on the OS/390 platform.  WebSphere Enterprise (Component Broker) on OS/390 does not use DCE as the backing technology for their name space -- they use LDAP.

        JNTB is lightweight.  It does not require DCE, nor does it require a running or installed WebSphere Application Server runtime environment.  It does use some .zip and .jar files that are found in any WebSphere Application Server installation though (WSA/WSEE). JNTB is packaged in a single .zip file [jntb.zip].

    Getting Started

       This section describes how to configure and run JNTB.

    Required files for WebSphere Application Server Enterprise Edition
    You will need the following files or products:
    Required files for WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition
    You will need the following files or products:

    Configuration

    You configure JNTB through the CLASSPATH and PATH environment variables.

    There are two ways to update these variables: 

    1. You can manually set your CLASSPATH and start JNTB from the command line.
    2. You can rename and update the provided nametree.bat files.
    Manually setting the CLASSPATH and starting JNTB from the command line
    The zip and jar files previously listed must be added to the CLASSPATH. On NT, the CLASSPATH can be set as follows: Also ensure that java is in your PATH environment variable. Run java at the command line.  If it is in your path, you will see a java usage message.

    The general format of the command line invocation is:
     

        java [[-D property] [-D property]] com.ibm.CBNMTree.CBNMTree


    Enter the following command to run JNTB browser:
     


    Where <Name Server host name> is the host name of a WebSphere Application Server host with a Name Server that is up and running.

    NOTE:  Only use the BootstrapHost property if you want to remotely browse a Name Server. If the browser runs on the machine hosting the Name Server, omit the BoostrapHost property.

    This invocation assumes WebSphere Application Server Name Server is using the default port of 900.  If another port is used, an additional property must be supplied to identify the port that the Name Server is using.  The additional property is:
     

    For example, if you want to browse a Name Server on host xyz that is using port 1009, you must enter the following command:
     


    There are additional properties that may be useful.  The properties  -Dcom.ibm.CORBA.CommTrace=true and -Dcom.ibm.CORBA.Debug=true, when used together, will display the in and out-bound ORB level packets that the Java ORB exchanges with a WebSphere Application Server Name Server.
     

    Using the supplied nametree.bat to configure and run JNTB
    The nametree.bat file has the same requirements on the CLASSPATH and PATH environment variables as the command line configuration. The main advantage of the .bat file is convenience: once the .bat file is properly configured, you only need to remember the name of the file to run the Java Name Tree Browser (JNTB).

    Edit the .bat file and change the paths to the zip and jar files based on your local installation.

    To run the .bat file, enter the name of the file at the command line and optionally pass the bootstrap host.  If you don't pass the bootstrap host, the local host is assumed to be running a WebSphere Application Server Name Server.

    An example of running the .bat file and specifying a remote bootstrap host follows:
     

    nametree.bat someserver.austin.ibm.com

    Limitations

    Warnings

    Since JNTB allows you to remotely manipulate a name space, it is possible for you to maliciously, or inadvertently,  remove Naming contexts or Name bindings. Removing items from the name space should be done with caution since the WebSphere Application Server runtime uses the name space repository for many Lifecyle/Factory related operations.