1.3.3.1 Application Role

The application role is generally performed by user software programs that make use of transaction processing services to obtain greater reliability or reduce the complexity of error-handling tasks.

The application role is typically responsible for performing the following tasks:

• Determining when to begin a transaction

• Marshaling the transaction to other applications and to resource managers

• Propagating the transaction from one transaction manager to another

• Determining when to complete a transaction

• Performing administrative operations against a specific transaction

• Performing administrative operations against the transaction manager

In general, the motivations behind these tasks are application-specific. The protocol mechanisms by which these tasks can be accomplished are discussed in sections 2 and 3.