Solaris 8 Features and Benefits: Service Location Protocol

Service Location Protocol (SLP)

Description

Service Location Protocol (SLP) for the Solaris^TM 8 Operating Environment is based on a proposed IETF standard.

For Solaris services and clients, SLP provides with a single consistent method of discovering services available over the network.

For example, a printer added to a network can become quickly visible to the clients. When removed, it is no longer visible.

Key Features

Dynamic Service Tracking
When service instances are added, they are quickly visible to clients. When they are removed they are no longer visible.
Ease of Administration
Administrators do not need to help clients find new services or to remove services when they no longer are available.
Security
When enabled by security, clients can verify that services are officially sanctioned using cryptographically strong authentication.
Ease of Development
SLP's well defined APIs and protocol semantics allow service developers to rapidly provide network services

Requirements

Benefits

No configuration or changes on the client side are required to provide ISV services on a network.
Customers do not need to set up configuration files in order to find out if services are available or not.
Major vendors support SLP.