Previous section.

Distributed Software Administration - DCE Interoperability (XDSA-DCE)

Distributed Software Administration - DCE Interoperability (XDSA-DCE)
Copyright © 1997 The Open Group

XDSA-DCE RPC Interface Overview

This section presents an overview of the XDSA-DCE RPC interface:

XDSA-DCE Block Diagram

It is helpful to present a block diagram of an example implementation using the XDSA-DCE, in order to better understand the relationship of the RPC interface to the overall architecture.
Figure: XDSA-DCE Model
Referring to XDSA-DCE Model :

XDSA-DCE Roles and Processes

The XDSA-DCE implements the manager role as one manager process and the source and target roles as a set of daemon and agent processes as shown in XDSA-DCE Roles
Figure: XDSA-DCE Roles

The manager retrieves software information from the source. This can be used by a command line or graphical user interface to present software selections to the user. Then, both the GUI and command line interface send the resolved software selections to the targets.

The target is implemented using a daemon/agent pair of processes. The daemon is always running on each target host, and spawns an agent session for each target. The agent session can be a separate process, or part of the daemon process. The agent session performs the software operation, including retrieving information and files from the source.

The source is implemented as the same daemon/agent pair. The daemon is always running on each source host and spawns an agent session for each source request. The source agent serves information and files from the source software collection for the target agent and manager.

In this way, in relation to the POSIX 1387.2 standard software hierarchy where a host object contains a set of distribution and installed software collections, the daemon essentially manages the host object and each agent manages one software collection.

XDSA-DCE RPC Features

The XDSA-DCE RPC interfaces define parameters following the main components of the POSIX 1387.2 standard commands described above:

The key roles for the source agent is to provide files and data to the manager and target agent.

Both the source and target agent define sessions that maintain state from one call to the next, as shown in XDSA-DCE Target and Source Sessions

Figure: XDSA-DCE Target and Source Sessions

There are a number of points in this design:

The XDSA-DCE RPC interface also reflects a need to not have any requirements on management frameworks, while still allowing integration with these frameworks. This is important since installed software collection is needed for initial install of an operating system where the management framework may never exist, and for installed software collection and update of the management framework itself.


Why not acquire a nicely bound hard copy?
Click here to return to the publication details or order a copy of this publication.

Contents Next section Index