/*
 * CDDL HEADER START
 *
 * The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
 * Common Development and Distribution License, Version 1.0 only
 * (the "License").  You may not use this file except in compliance
 * with the License.
 *
 * You can obtain a copy of the license at
 * trunk/opends/resource/legal-notices/OpenDS.LICENSE
 * or https://OpenDS.dev.java.net/OpenDS.LICENSE.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions
 * and limitations under the License.
 *
 * When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
 * file and include the License file at
 * trunk/opends/resource/legal-notices/OpenDS.LICENSE.  If applicable,
 * add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the fields enclosed
 * by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying information:
 *      Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
 *
 * CDDL HEADER END
 *
 *
 *      Portions Copyright 2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 */
package org.opends.server.admin;



import java.util.Collection;

import org.opends.server.admin.client.ClientConstraintHandler;
import org.opends.server.admin.server.ServerConstraintHandler;



/**
 * An interface for enforcing constraints and dependencies between
 * managed objects and their properties. Constraints express
 * relationships between managed objects and their properties, for
 * example:
 * <ul>
 * <li>referential integrity: where one managed object references
 * another a constraint can enforce referential integrity. The
 * constraint can prevent creation of references to non-existent
 * managed objects, and also prevent deletion of referenced managed
 * objects
 * <li>property dependencies: for example, when a boolean property is
 * <code>true</code>, one or more additional properties must be
 * specified. This is useful for features like SSL, which when
 * enabled, requires that various SSL related configuration options
 * are specified
 * <li>property constraints: for example, when an upper limit
 * property must not have a value which is less than the lower limit
 * property.
 * </ul>
 * On the client-side constraints are enforced immediately before a
 * write operation is performed. That is to say, immediately before a
 * new managed object is created, changes to a managed object are
 * applied, or an existing managed object is deleted.
 */
public interface Constraint {

  /**
   * Gets the client-side constraint handlers which will be used to
   * enforce this constraint in client applications.
   *
   * @return Returns the client-side constraint handlers which will be
   *         used to enforce this constraint in client applications.
   *         The returned collection must not be <code>null</code>
   *         but maybe empty (indicating that the constraint can only
   *         be enforced on the server-side).
   */
  Collection<ClientConstraintHandler> getClientConstraintHandlers();



  /**
   * Gets the server-side constraint handlers which will be used to
   * enforce this constraint within the server.
   *
   * @return Returns the server-side constraint handlers which will be
   *         used to enforce this constraint within the server. The
   *         returned collection must not be <code>null</code> and
   *         must not be empty, since constraints must always be
   *         enforced on the server.
   */
  Collection<ServerConstraintHandler> getServerConstraintHandlers();

}