Modularly developed from the ground up, the JBoss server and container are completely implemented using component-based plug-ins. The modularization effort is supported by the use of JMX, the Java Management Extension API. Using JMX, industry-standard interfaces help manage both JBoss/Server components and the applications deployed on it. Ease of use is still the number one priority, and the JBoss Server architecture sets a new standard for modular, plug-in design as well as ease of server and application management.

This high degree of modularity benefits the application developer in several ways. The already tight code can be further trimmed down to support applications that must have a small footprint. For example, if EJB passivation is unnecessary in your application, simply take the feature out of the server. If you later decide to deploy the same application under an Application Service Provider (ASP) model, simply enable the server's passivation feature for that web-based deployment. Another example is the freedom you have to drop your favorite object to relational database (O-R) mapping tool, such as TOPLink, directly into the container.

This chapter will introduce you to JMX and its role as the JBoss server component bus. You will also be introduced to the JBoss MBean service notion that adds life cycle operations to the basic JMX management component.