For more detailed information about EJB access beans, see Access beans and related topics.
Essentially, there are four types of access beans:
Java bean wrappers and copy helpers are part of the original access bean design that was used in VisualAge® for Java. Both types of access bean are also supported in the workbench. Although rowset access beans were also part of the original design in VisualAge for Java, they are not supported in the workbench.
EJB factory and data class access beans, by comparison, are part of a new access bean design that is used in the workbench.
If you have an existing application that employs access beans that were
created in VisualAge for Java,
you can use the access bean wizards to create or edit Java bean
wrapper or copy helper access beans. However, if you are developing a new
application, it is recommended that you create only data class access beans,
which employ the new design. EJB factories are automatically created by the
Create an Access Bean wizard regardless of whether you choose to create a
data class, Java bean wrapper, or copy helper. For this reason,
EJB factories do not appear on the selection page of the Create an Access
Bean wizard, where you specify the type of access bean that you want to create.
For information about creating access beans, see Creating EJB access beans.