DCE Application Programming Guide

HP NonStop DCE Application Programming Guide—429551-003
Glossary-1
Glossary
agent. In HP NonStop DCE, a simplified type of DCE server that contains a single call
thread and receives all incoming calls from a distributor. See also distributor.
API. See application program interface (API).
application program interface (API). A set of services (such as programming language
functions or procedures) that are called by an application program to communicate with
other software components. For example, an application program in the form of a client
might use an API to communicate with a server program.
binding. In a remote procedure call (RPC), a relationship between a client and a server
involved in a remote procedure call.
binding handle. A distinguished type of a remote procedure call (RPC) parameter that
provides a reference to binding information that defines a client-server relationship.
See also fully bound binding handle and partially bound binding handle.
binding information. In a remote procedure call (RPC), information about one or more
potential bindings, including an RPC protocol sequence, a network address, an
endpoint, at least one transfer syntax, and an RPC protocol version number. See also
binding, endpoint, network address, RPC protocol, RPC protocol sequence and
transfer syntax.
call thread. In a remote procedure call (RPC), a thread created by the RPC run-time code
in a DCE server to process incoming calls.
CDS. See cell directory service (CDS).
cell. The basic unit of operation in HP NonStop DCE. A cell is a group of users, systems,
and resources that are typically centered around a common purpose and that share
common DCE services. At a minimum, a cell includes one cell directory service server,
one security server, and one distributed time service server. A cell can consist of one
system to as many as several thousand systems. The boundaries of a cell are typically
influenced by its purpose as well as by security, administration, and performance
considerations.
cell directory service (CDS). A central repository for information about resources in a cell.
See also cell.
client machine. A machine that has identified itself to the security and cell directory service
servers, allowing the machine access to an existing cell. Compare with server
machine.
context free. In a remote procedure call (RPC), a server that cannot maintain client context
across calls. See also context handle and context sensitive.