Specify how namespaces are implemented
You can control how Microsoft Provisioning Framework (MPF)
implements each registered namespace and each of its procedures by
modifying the properties of the individual namespace or
procedure.
The properties that you can modify for each namespace
include:
Provider source
This property identifies the provider, if any, that the
namespace calls. The identifier is the COM PROGID of the
provider.
Description
This is a brief description of the functionality provided by the
namespace.
XML
The XML of a namespace documents the procedures of that
namespace. These procedures call a provider or another procedure,
including procedures of other namespaces.
The Microsoft Provisioning Framework Software Development Kit
(SDK) contains additional resources to help you implement the XML
schema. For more information on the SDK and how to use it, see
Microsoft Provisioning Framework SDK.
Security
You can specify users who have permissions to execute all
procedures of a namespace. For each user you add to MPF, you can
stipulate whether to allow or deny them permissions to execute
procedures.
By default, permissions propagate from the parent to the child.
Adding or deleting a user in a namespace adds or deletes the user
permissions in all procedures of the namespace, unless you
configure a procedure so that it does not propagate
permissions.
Caution
- Although you can use Provisioning Manager to access and modify
the XML for a namespace, doing so is not recommended because it can
cause unpredictable results. Instead, you should modify and test
the XML outside of the production environment, and then import it
after testing is complete.
- Modifying a namespace name cause significant problems. If you
must modify a namespace name, you should create a new namespace
with the new name, and then copy the XML and other namespace
information, including permissions, from the old namespace. Then
delete the old namespace.
For more information about how to configure namespace
properties, see View or modify
namespaces.
Specify how procedures are implemented
You can change the way MPF implements each procedure of a
registered namespace by modifying the properties of the individual
procedure.
The properties that you can modify for each procedure
include:
Procedure name
This property identifies the name of the procedure. You can
change the name of a procedure at any time.
Access type
Each procedure is either a public or private procedure. A public
procedure can be called from an incoming request outside of MPF,
but a private procedure can only be called from within MPF. The
default access type of a procedure is private.
Request type
This option specifies which functions a procedure can
invoke.
- Read
This request type invokes only an execute function to process
the request with no rollback function.
- Write
This request type invokes both an execute function to process
the request and a rollback function to implement after a
failure.
- Two-phase enabled
This request type invokes an execute function and a prepare
function to process the request. It also invokes either a commit
function or a rollback function, depending on whether the prepare
and process actions complete successfully.
Execute as
This option specifies the user credentials with which MPF
invokes this procedure. Only credentials previously defined in
Provisioning Manager can be selected. This option does not exist
for read-only namespaces, such as the Error Provider namespace.
Audit
This option specifies whether the procedure should save
information to the audit log.
Auto-generate performance counters
This option specifies whether to automatically implement
performance counters for the procedure. Note, however, that a
performance counter does not show up in the performance monitor
until the first time a procedure runs.
Save
data for rollback
This option specifies whether to automatically save the input
data that enables the rollback of a failed procedure.
XML
The XML implements each procedure necessary to call a provider
or another procedure, including procedures located in other
namespaces. You can modify any of the XML for a procedure.
Security
You specify who can execute each procedure and determine the
permissions to allow or deny each user. By default, permissions
propagate from the parent to the child (from the namespace to the
procedure), so changes made to the permissions of a namespace are
applied to all procedures of the namespace. For each procedure, you
can choose whether to propagate changes from the namespace to the
procedure.
Caution
- Although you can use Provisioning Manager to access and modify
the XML for a procedure, doing so is not recommended because it can
cause unpredictable results. Instead, you should modify and test
the XML outside of the production environment, and then import it
after testing is complete.
- Modifying a procedure name cause problems if other procedures
call it. If you modify a procedure name, be sure to also change the
XML of all other procedures that call that procedure.
- It is recommended that you not change the Save data for
rollback property. Doing so can cause data and system
corruption if a transaction fails.
For more information about how to configure procedure
properties, see View or modify
procedures.
Add or delete namespaces and procedures
You can add namespaces using one of the following options:
- Use Provisioning Manager to create a new namespace by entering
all namespace information, including the XML required to implement
the namespace in the appropriate dialog boxes.
- Incorporate a namespace that you have already created by either
importing it with Provisioning Manager or registering it from the
command line. This is the recommended method for a live production
environment.
You can also add one or more procedures to an existing
namespace. You cannot add a procedure to a read-only namespace. Nor
can you delete a read-only namespace or its procedures.
Caution
- Microsoft Provisioning Framework (MPF) does not maintain copies
of namespaces and procedures. If you delete a namespace or
procedure, you cannot add it back in unless you maintain a backup
copy.
Important
- Read-only namespaces, indicated by the red highlighting for the
namespace in the console tree, are critical to the operation of
MPF.
For more information about adding and deleting namespaces and
procedures, see Managing
Microsoft Provisioning Framework from the command line, Implementing custom providers and namespaces, To create a namespace, To
import a namespace, To delete a
namespace, To add a
procedure to a namespace, and To delete a
procedure from a namespace.