1.7. About the Domain Controller

A Domain Controller is JBoss EAP 6 server instance that acts as a central management point for a domain. One host controller instance is configured to act as a domain controller. The primary responsibilities of the domain controller are:
  • Maintain the domain's central management policy
  • Ensure all host controllers are aware of its current contents
  • Assist the host controllers in ensuring that all running JBoss EAP 6 instances are configured in accordance with this policy
The central management policy is stored by default in the domain/configuration/domain.xml file, in the unzipped JBoss EAP 6 installation file, on the domain controller's host's filesystem.
A domain.xml file must be located in the domain/configuration/ directory of the host controller that is meant to run as the domain controller. This file is not mandatory for installations on host controllers that are not meant to run as a domain controller though, the presence of a domain.xml file on such a server does no harm. The domain.xml file contains the configuration of the various profiles that can be configured to run on the server instances in a domain. A profile configuration includes the detailed configuration of the various subsystems that comprise a profile. The domain configuration also includes the definition of groups of sockets and the definition of server groups.