JINI

(Pronounced jee-nee)

Overview:

Jini technology (developed and promoted by SUN) provides simple mechanisms which enable devices to plug together to form an impromptu community--a community put together without any planning, installation, or human intervention. Each device provides services that other devices in the community may use. These devices provide their own interfaces, which ensures reliability and compatibility.
Jini uses a lookup service with which devices and services register. When a device plugs in, it goes through an add-in protocol, called discovery and join-in. The device first locates the lookup service (discovery) and then uploads an object that implements all of its services' interfaces (join).
To use a service, a person or a program locates it using the lookup service. The service's object is copied from the lookup service to the requesting device where it will be used. The lookup service acts as an intermediary to connect a client looking for a service with that service. Once the connection is made, the lookup service is not involved in any of the resulting interactions between that client and that service. It doesn't matter where a service is implemented -- compatibility is ensured because each service provides everything needed to interact with it. There is no central repository of drivers, or anything else for that matter

Basically Jini is an INTERFACE technology that will provide technologists a way to interconnect all sorts of devices. Jini is based on the Java programming language and functions much in the same way that a standard Java "Object" would. Devices register themselves with a service manager and other devices that wish to interconnect do so with the lookup service.

Diagram of How the Lookup Service Works:

The most natural question that one would ask is: How is does this lookup and discovery service really work? The answer is simple, lookup and discovery are based on Sun's Java language and uses a specific procedure called Remote Method Invocation (RMI).

The potential impact of Jini technology is almost limitless, as it can be easily implemented in all sorts of hardware on all sorts of networks. It is conceivable that this technology will become the primary way that devices are networked in the future.

Another Cool Diagram!

Primary Links:

Jini by Example (A Tutorial)

Jini in the News:

The End of Protocols (This is a great Article!)

The Jini Vision

Jini and Java Spaces

A Demonstration of Jini Technology and the K Virtual Machine

JINI TECHNOLOGY LICENSEES WORKING TOGETHER TO FURTHER DEVELOP CONNECTION TECHNOLOGY