we are using EJB3 in our application. Our design aim is to separate persistence layer from Business Layer. So we have developed XXXbean classes to be used as SLSB and XXXRepository classes to be used as persistence classes. We also have POJO that implement reusable NON business logic(get list of countries etc) and we call then service/helper Classes. We use EJB3 JPA (using Hibernate provider) and Repository classes has all the methods for CRUD operation and the get methods for data access. Currently XXXRepository classes are all POJO and we instantiate these classes directly from the bean XXXClasses or from the service Objects. Should the XXXRepository classes be SLSB ? what would be the benefits and pitfalls of converting them to SLSB?