Chapter 1

Jini: An Overview

Chapter 1 discusses the issues and limitations of the current distributed computing architectures and provide a high level overview of Jini technology - the need for this technology, the technology components, myths about this technology, its competitors and its direction.

Chapter 2

Architecture Overview

Chapter 2 provides a closer look at Jini's architecture - its vision, assumptions, components, component-details and component’s working.

Chapter 3

Architectural Infrastructure Components

Chapters 3,4 and 5 delve into Jini's architectural component details -infrastructure, programming model and service components. The Infrastructure components cover Lookup service, Discovery protocol, Join protocol, Security component and RMI environment component. The programming model chapter covers leasing, distributed event-notification and distributed transaction. The service component chapter discusses Javaspaces, Jini Transaction Manager service, Lookup service, Lookup Discovery, Lease renewal and Event mailbox services. Each component discussion is organized as follows: Discussion of each component begins with a conceptual introduction - highlighting the need for such a component, general working of such concepts, it's similarities and differences with other related concepts (For example, the discussion of Lookup service component starts with naming/directory services).The discussion then moves into the more detail aspects of the component - the structural elements which makes up the component, the component interfaces, the component exceptions and the component usage.

Chapter 4

Architectural Programming Model Components

Chapter 5

Architectural Service Components

Chapter 6

Jini at work: Putting it together

Chapter 6 discusses the steps involved in forming a dynamic distributed community using Jini's architectural components. This chapter discusses the minimum component requirement to form a Jini community and elaborates the basic community interaction scenarios such as dynamic discovery, dynamic self-registration, dynamic self- configuration, self-management and partial failure management.

Chapter 7

Jini: A Service Network

Chapter 7 discusses the scope of service abstraction within Jini architecture. This chapter discusses the minimum requirements for a software component or a device to join a Jini community. This chapter also provides a peek into surrogate architecture and provides strategies to Jini-enable low-capacity devices (devices with no processor or memory or network capability).

Chapter 8

Jini and Other Java Technologies

Chapters 8,9 and 10 discuss the similarity and differences between Jini and other widely used technologies. In Chapter 8, Jini is positioned with respect to other Java technologies such as RMI, Javabeans, EJB and J2EE. In Chapter 9, Jini is positioned with respect to distributed technologies such as CORBA, DCOM/COM+, Microsoft DNA/.NET and T-Spaces Service Suite. In Chapter 10, Jini is positioned with respect to competing/related technologies such as UPnP, JetSend, Chai, e-Speak, CoolTown and Bluetooth technology. Each section of these chapters provides design strategies that can be adopted to collaborate the discussed technology with Jini technology.

Chapter 9

Jini and Other Distributed Technologies

Chapter 10

Jini and Other Competing Technologies

Chapter 11

Looking into the Future: Next-Generation Distributed Computing and Jini

Chapter 11 discusses the future of distributed computing. It begins with a rationalistic prediction, its requirements and evolving solution models. Jini is then evaluated and assessed against these identified requirements. This chapter summarizes the various challenges faced by Jini as of this writing and Sun's efforts in overcoming them. Finally, the chapter lists the various Jini's success stories as of this writing.

Chapter 12

Adopting Jini in your Organization

Chapter 12 provides you the information that you should know before adopting Jini in your organization. It covers the Sun community source code licensing (SCSL), Jini community organization and Jini community process. It then provides a simple introduction about Jini Technology Starter Kit (JTSK 1.1) and Jini Technology Core Platform Compatibility Kit (Jini TCK) and bids goodbye to make the transition to implementation.