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:
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:
-
jntb.zip - Contains the JNTB runtime.
-
classes.zip - Contains the Java core classes and is typically installed
as part of the Java JDK. JDK 1.1.6 or better is recommended.
-
somojor.zip - Contains the IBM Java ORB and the CosNaming bindings.
-
ivbjfc.jar - When Component Broker Object Builder is installed, this file is also installed.
This file contains the Java JFC/Swing components. Alternatively,
you can use the swingall.jar file that is shipped as part of the Java JFC/Swing
distribution by Sun Microsystems.
Required files for WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition
You will need the following files or products:
-
jntb.zip - Contains the JNTB runtime.
-
classes.zip - Contains the Java core classes and is typically installed
as part of the Java JDK. JDK 1.1.6 or better is recommended.
-
ujc.zip - Contains the IBM Java ORB and the CosNaming bindings.
-
ejs.zip - Depending on the configuration, you may not need this file.
-
swingall.jar - When WebSphere Application Server is installed, this file is also installed.
This file contains the Java JFC/Swing components. Alternatively,
you can use the swingall.jar file that is shipped as part of the Java JFC/Swing
distribution by Sun Microsystems.
Configuration
You configure JNTB through the CLASSPATH and PATH environment variables.
There are two ways to update these variables:
- You can manually set your CLASSPATH and start JNTB from the command line.
- 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:
java -Dcom.ibm.CORBA.BootstrapHost=<Name Server
host name> com.ibm.CBNMTree.CBNameTree
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:
-Dcom.ibm.CORBA.BootstrapPort=<the port
number>
For example, if you want to browse a Name Server on host xyz that is
using port 1009, you must enter the following command:
java -Dcom.ibm.CORBA.BootstrapHost=xyz -Dcom.ibm.CORBA.BoostrapPort=1009
com.ibm.CBNMTree.CBNameTree
NOTE: Depending on your local Domain Name Service configuration,
you may have to specify the fully qualified domain name of
the Name Server host., e.g. xyz.austin.ibm.com instead of just xyz. You can alternatively
specify the TCP/IP address of the Name Server instead of its hostname.
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
-
JNTB was developed and tested primarily on NT.
-
JNTB will run on AIX. However, the popup menus do not work.
The popup menus contain the various name space manipluation actions.
Therefore on AIX, you can only browse the WebSphere Application Server name space.
-
If the name tree is updated from an application other than JNTB,
there is no refresh operation to update the JNTB user interface.
You have to stop and restart JNTB to view items added to, or removed
from the name space. The browser does update the user interface
when Naming context or bindings are removed or added.
-
The Java JFC/Swing classes do not provide optimum performance.
-
While the implementation of JNTB is fairly robust, error reports
and messages are limited.
-
There is no online help support.
-
JNTB is not internationalized.
-
Using the browser in a "secure" Java client setup was not tested .
-
JNTB is provided "as is" without any support from IBM. For this reason
this program's source code is provided.
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.