provides access to a configuration database composed of one or more
storage backends containing settings used by software modules.
Configuration data is organized into layers which are selected
by components and entities.
Components are characterized by configuration schemas.
A component contains configuration data for a particular
application domain or software module.
Entities are organised hierarchically in organisations,
groups, roles and individual users. Each element of the associated
hierarchy corresponds to a layer that applies to an entity.
A layer contains data for multiple components
associated to a single entity.