A Java Meta-registry for Remote Service Objects

In this paper we propose a meta-registry system, in what follows referred to as Netlab Java Meta-Registry (NJMR), that integrates in a single access point the content of several RMI registries. N-JMR associates the same NJMR service name to the absolute addresses of different instances of the same RMI class. As a consequence NJMR can select the best remote service, among those associated to the same N-JMR service name, according to some evaluation criterion, selected among those provided by the system. In addition it is possible to define and add new evaluation criteria to the system. Furthermore, NJMR extends the functionality of the RMI naming service by a directory service, thus making it possible to associate any information of interest to N-JMR services names. This information can be accessed both at run-time by client applications and by programmers of distributed systems through web applications.