Thanks for the reply. The IVTCF-ds.xml includes the explicit config <use-java-context>false</use-java-config> Also, the JMX-Console JNDIView 'list' operation confirms that "IVTCF" is bound in the JNDI Global Namespace. It remains puzzling that when I parameterize the InitialContext with Properties (from an extermal stand-alone application) that the ConnectionFactory cf = ic.lookup("IVTCF"); invoke always returns NULL. View the original post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4256323#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...