# #################################################
# Design document for the Generic Factory
# Author: Gopi Kandaswamy
# Date: 8 Apr 2004
# #################################################

Some definitions:
=================

Service Provider (SP) : One who owns the application and runs the application
with his credentials i.e runs the application in his/her 'account'.

Application Factory (App-Factory) : Capable of launching instances of a specific
application on the same host as the App-Factory

Master Factory: A very generic factory service, capable of launching
App-Factories on any host using the SP's credentials

Features of GFac Version 0 (Prototype only)
===========================================

1. Capable of starting Application Factories on the local host and in
the same JVM as that of the GFac.

2. Capable of creating new Application Factories on the fly in the same JVM as
the GFac. App factories are created based on the information in the
ServiceMapDocument.

Features of GFac Version 1
==========================

1. The ServiceMap document will also contain the policy information for the
app factory. The policy information will be provided by the service provider
(one who creates the app factory). The service provider will also issue
capability tokens to people who can access the app factory

2. The schema document also has information on the lifetime of the app factory
This means that if the app factory dies before its lifetime expires, the Master
factory can restart the app factory with the credentials of the service
provider. This requires the following

    a) The credential used to start the app factory must have a lifetime equal
    to or greater than the lifetime of the app factory

    b) The Master Factory should maintain state information. ie. it must know
    how to obtain the SP's credentials without his intervention or must store
    the SP's credentials. Note: Not a good technique.

3. The schema document also has information on how to acess the App-Factory.