IPX/SPX Programming Manual

Library Routines
HP NonStop IPX/SPX Programming Manual—528022-001
5-68
Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) Library Routines
Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) Library
Routines
This subsection describes programmatic access to the Service Advertising Protocol
(SAP).
SAP Description
SAP allows service nodes, such as file servers, print servers, and database servers, to
register their services and addresses in SAP tables maintained by each server. The
registration is done via SAP broadcasts every 60 seconds. If the broadcast of a
specific service stops, all other servers purge the service from their SAP tables within
about three minutes.
On the NonStop Kernel operating system, the SAP table is maintained by the
IPXPROTO process. The SCF STATUS SERV command returns information about the
SAP table.
Server applications use the SAP protocol to perform the following:
•
Add an entry for the service in the SAP table maintained by the IPXPROTO
process. The entry is then propagated to other NetWare servers by the IPXPROTO
process by broadcasts every 60 seconds. Clients can then view the advertised HP
service, as well as other services on the network.
•
Delete an entry for the service in the SAP table.
•
Display servers in the SAP table that are of a specified service type.
SAP Function Calls
The following function calls access and alter the SAP table:
Function Call Purpose
netware_set_name Sets the name of the IPXPROTO process that sap_open
will open.
sap_open Establishes a session between the application process and
the IPXPROTO process for SAP. You must execute this call
before executing any of the calls listed below.
sap_start or
sap_start_nw
Adds an entry to the SAP table in the IPXPROTO process.