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package org.apache.cloudstack.config;

import java.util.Date;

/**
 * Configuration represents one global configuration parameter for CloudStack.
 * Its scope should indicate whether this parameter can be set at different
 * organization levels in CloudStack.
 *
 */
public interface Configuration {

    /**
     * @return Category of the parameter.
     */
    String getCategory();

    /**
     * @return Server instance that uses this parameter.
     */
    String getInstance();

    /**
     * @return Component that introduced this parameter.
     */
    String getComponent();

    /**
     * @return Name of the parameter.
     */
    String getName();

    /**
     * @return Value set by the administrator.  Defaults to the defaultValue.
     */
    String getValue();

    /**
     * @return Description of the value and the range of the value.
     */
    String getDescription();

    /**
     * @return Default value for this parameter.  Null indicates this parameter is optional.
     */
    String getDefaultValue();

    /**
     * @return Scope for the parameter.  Null indicates that this parameter is
     * always global.  A non-null value indicates that this parameter can be
     * set at a certain organization level.
     */
    String getScope();

    /**
     * @return can the configuration parameter be changed without restarting the server.
     */
    boolean isDynamic();

    /**
     * @return The date this VO was updated by the components.  Note that this is not
     * a date for when an administrator updates the value.  This is when the system
     * updated this value.  By searching on this field gives you all the config
     * parameters that have changed in an upgrade.  Null value indicates that this
     * parameter is no longer used and can be deleted.
     */
    Date getUpdated();
}