Open System Services Programmer's Guide

HP NonStop Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
HP NonStop Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) is an integrated set of services that supports
the development and execution of distributed applications between heterogeneous networked
computers. Each DCE environment (called a cell) maintains at least the following core DCE services:
• DCE Threads
• DCE Host Services
• DCE Cell Directory Service
• DCE Time Service
• DCE Security Service
With the exception of DCE Threads, all the core DCE services require administration in one way
or another. Some services, such as CDS and DCE Security Service, usually need more managing
than, for example, DCE Time Service, which needs practically no intervention after you have set
it up. If your DCE cell consists of just a few computers and their users, you could probably manage
the naming, time, and security needs of users, programs, and host systems by logging on to
individual hosts to perform any necessary administration tasks. However, most cells will consist of
many, perhaps hundreds or even thousands, of computers and their users.
Refer to OSF DCE Administration Guide-Core Components, OSF DCE Administration
Guide-–Introduction, OSF DCE Application Development Guide–Core Components, OSF DCE
Application Development Guide–Introduction and Style Guide, and OSF DCE Problem Determination
Guide for more information.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) originated in the Internet community in the late
1980s as a means for managing TCP/IP and Ethernet networks. Because of its relative simplicity,
SNMP has since gained widespread acceptance as a protocol for managing devices from multiple
vendors on a network.
HP uses subagents in its SNMP implementation. SNMP subagents are responsible for handling a
particular collection of resources. Some subagents are implemented as independent processes,
and some are bound into other processes, such as the SNMP agent process.
HP offers a Subagent Toolkit that helps programmers generate subagents that interoperate with
the SNMP agent process. Subagents make customer-written applications manageable by SNMP
managers. Refer to the SNMP Subagent Programmer’s Guide for more information about the
Subagent Toolkit.
HP also offers a Manager Services toolkit that allows C and C++ programmers to create SNMP
managers that run as NonStop operating system processes in either the Guardian or OSS
environment. Refer to the SNMP Subagent Programmer’s Guide for information about the Manager
Services toolkit.
Refer to the SNMP Configuration and Management Manual, the SNMP Manager Programmer’s
Guide, and the SNMP Subagent Programmer’s Guide for more information.
248 Using Subsystems From OSS