Initial context support

All naming operations begin with obtaining an initial context. You can view the initial context as a starting point in the name space. Use the initial context to perform naming operations, such as looking up and binding objects in the name space.

The default initial context depends on the type of client. Different categories of clients and the corresponding default initial context follow.

WAS V5.0 JNDI interface implementation

The JNDI interface is used by EJB applications to perform name space lookups. WAS clients by default use the WAS CosNaming JNDI plug-in implementation. The default initial context for clients of this type is the server root of the server specified by the provider URL.

For example, if a naming client specifies an application server name service port in the provider URL, the server root is the context root. If a naming client specifies a node agent name service port in the provider URL, the node root is the context root.

WAS JNDI interface implementation prior to V5.0

WAS clients running in releases prior to WAS V5.0 by default use WAS's V4.0 CosNaming JNDI plug-in implementation. The default initial context for clients of this type is the cell persistent root, also known as the legacy root.

Other JNDI implementation

Some applications can perform name space lookups with a non-WAS CosNaming JNDI plug-in implementation. Assuming the key NamingContext is used to obtain the initial context, the default initial context for clients of this type is the cell root.