Administrative Concepts
A realm is a namespace that defines resources and configurations available to application programs. (Those resources include endpoints, transports, and formats.)
Administrators use a graphical configuration interface to define the realm. Each process instance of an application program connects to a realm service to download the relevant parts of the realm definition. The TIBCO FTL base library caches that definition in a realm object. The base library consults the local realm object for information about endpoints, transports, and message formats. It is not necessary to involve the realm service each time a program sends or receives a message. If the realm definition changes, the realm service updates its application clients.
Administrators define transports within the realm. Notice that transports are not visible to application developers, rather, they are strictly the responsibility of the administrator. From the developer’s perspective, these details are hidden behind endpoints.
In addition to endpoints, transports, and formats, the realm definition also includes other definitions and configurations:
- The term
application can refer to an executable program that communicates using TIBCO FTL software, or to an administrative configuration in the realm (that is, an application definition).
Many application programs can use the default application definition. When needed, administrators can declare and configure specialized application definitions.
- The term
application instance can refer either to a process instance of an application program, or to an administrative configuration in the realm (that is, an application instance definition).
Many application processes can use the default instance definition. When needed, administrators can declare and configure specialized instance definitions.
Through a matching algorithm, one such configuration can apply to a set of process instances. When defining a configuration, administrators can assign different resources to specific sets of process instances, based on attribute matching, to achieve fine-grained control over communications traffic.
When defining an application instance configuration, the administrator must connect each application endpoint to one or more transports, which actually move message data.
Architects, administrators, and developers coordinate the detailed requirements of applications using coordination forms (see Coordination Forms).