Key Concepts of Azul Intelligence Cloud
This section discusses key concepts of Azul Intelligence Cloud.
JVM / JRE / JDK
Each term refers to a Java installation or runtime:
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JVM is a Java Virtual Machine, referring to the Azul JVMs that are supported by Azul Intelligence Cloud.
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JRE is a Java Runtime Environment, used to run a Java application.
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JDK is a Java Development Kit, used to build, compile, and package Java applications.
Instance
An instance is a JVMs single run of a Java virtual machine. When you run the same app several times, each run is considered a separate instance. Each instance is given a unique ID called the "instance ID" or "vmID". You can use the instance ID to find your instance in the Azul Intelligence Cloud Web UI.
When your JVM connects to the Forwarder, the instance is registered automatically. Once connected, the JVM sends events and meta-information about the instance to the Azul Intelligence Cloud service. The JVM keeps sending events as long as the instance is running.
You can add tags to your instances. Tags are used to categorize, group, and filter instances in the Azul Intelligence Cloud Web UI. Read more about instances in the About Instances section.
Instance Property
Azul Intelligence Cloud collects metadata about instances such as information about the JVM instance, libraries used by the app, and so on. The metadata is stored in the form of properties. A property has a name and one or multiple values. For example, the version of Java that was used to start the instance is a single-value property. The list of libraries used in an app is a multiple-value property.
Connected Runtime Service
The Azul JVMs are enhanced with the Connected Runtime Service (CRS) that allows detection and communication with the Azul Intelligence Cloud Forwarder. This runs inside the Java process and collects information about the instance.
By default, CRS is disabled and does not affect the runtime. To let it connect to the Forwarder, you have to enable it and set connection parameters.
Component
A component is a Java library. When you run a Java app in a JVM, the app actually consists of the Java Class Library of the JVM, your application code in binary form, and your application dependencies (libraries). The Java Class Library is considered a component, your app code is another component, and each library is also a component.
Forwarder
The Forwarder is a component that facilitates communication between JREs on an internal network and Azul Intelligence Cloud. JREs communicate with the Forwarder, and it’s the only component to be configured to move through firewalls and segmented networks. It provides a single control point for organizations to monitor traffic.
Tag
A tag is a user-defined key-value pair that is associated with an instance. Tags are used to search, categorize, and group instances in the Azul Intelligence Cloud Web UI. Read more about tags in the Tagging Your Instances section.
CVE
A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) refers to a vulnerability that is publicly known and available in the CVE List. Vulnerabilities are ranked by score (severity). Azul Intelligence Cloud analyzes your instances to detect whether they are subject to any known CVEs.