Sun Microsystems iPlanet Integration Server 3.0, Process System Manual

Page: 139 / 368

About Registration
Chapter 5 Managing Registrations 139
What Does Registration Do?
The entity actually registered when you register a process definition, assignment
rule, user profile, or user validation is a library. (Aliases are not libraries and this
section does not apply to them—see
“About Aliases” on page 143 .)
A library (often referred to as a shared library) is code that can be loaded into
memory at runtime, and then referenced by any number of executing programs. A
library distribution is the set of distribution files used to install one or more
libraries on any particular node.
In the case of iIS engine registration, library distributions are installed on the nodes
hosting iIS engine units so the libraries can be dynamically loaded and executed by
the engine unit or units running on the node.
iIS library distributions are generated automatically when a developer selects the
File > Distribute command in the Process Definition, Assignment Rule, User
Profile, and Validation workshops. Code in the central development repository is
extracted and made into library distribution files, which are then placed in a
standard location on the central server node.
A special registration service (WFEnvAgent) running on the central server node
keeps track of the iIS library distributions (process definitions, assignment rule
dictionaries, user profiles, and validations) that have been made from the process
development workshops or Conductor Script. Whenever an iIS library distribution
is made, its compatibility level is augmented to distinguish it from any previously
generated distributions.
After a library distribution has been made and it is located on the central server
node, you, as a system manager, can use the iIS Console or Conductor Script to
register the library with any number of engines. (iIS process developers can also
register iIS library distributions for test purposes using a Register option of the File
> Distribute command in the process development workshops.)
Registration consists of two steps, illustrated in Figure 5-1 , both transparent to the
user performing the operation.
NOTE
You can also generate library distributions using the
MakeConductorDistribution
Conductor Script command, if you
have access to the central repository where development code
resides. (iIS Console does not provide this capability.)