diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IIdentifierHolder.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IIdentifierHolder.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ac3ee44d87e8e1f06699f7ef58692952e1a9a63f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IIdentifierHolder.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2008 ETH Zuerich, CISD
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.shared.dto;
+
+/**
+ * A role that holds a identifier.
+ * 
+ * @author Christian Ribeaud
+ */
+public interface IIdentifierHolder
+{
+    /**
+     * Returns a <code>String</code> that uniquely identifies this object.
+     */
+    public String getIdentifier();
+}
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IMatchingEntity.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IMatchingEntity.java
index fd345cd5ca7e2fbfeb5c5fb791100aa723e740af..c7cc08a2f1726f7586cbd4b954fb8f0a5d7e6ac2 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IMatchingEntity.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/shared/dto/IMatchingEntity.java
@@ -23,14 +23,8 @@ import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.shared.dto.properties.EntityKind;
  * 
  * @author Christian Ribeaud
  */
-public interface IMatchingEntity
+public interface IMatchingEntity extends IIdentifierHolder
 {
-
-    /**
-     * Returns an identifier which uniquely identifies the matching entity.
-     */
-    public String getIdentifier();
-
     /**
      * Returns the registrator of the entity.
      */
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml b/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
index 548730b9c3fbeef1311ae75c23402830ef966f5a..7bcca259ec294a588a77b493fbff8d1ce68b25d1 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
+++ b/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@
         </property>
         <property name="hibernateProperties">
             <props>
-                <prop key="hibernate.cache.use_query_cache">true</prop>
+                <!-- Uncomment this if you want globally disable the second-level cache. 
+                    <prop key="hibernate.cache.use_second_level_cache">false</prop>
+                -->
                 <prop key="hibernate.cache.provider_class">
                     org.hibernate.cache.EhCacheProvider
                 </prop>