Host Services
The DCE host services provide remote system management. Each host runs a DCE host daemon (dced) as the interface to the host services. In many cases dced automatically maintains the data and performs the functions. Some of the data that can be accessed (and maintained) remotely includes the host name, the host's cell name, configuration and execution data for all servers on the host, and a database of endpoints (server addresses) on which running servers can be found. Some of the functions that can be performed remotely include starting and stopping servers.
A security validation service maintains a login context for host identification and certifies for application programs that the DCE security daemon (secd) is legitimate.
The key table management service enables remote management of server key tables. A server uses private keys rather than human-readable passwords for authentication. This service can be used to add, remove, and change keys and entire key tables.
The endpoint mapper service maintains a local database (an endpoint map) associating port addresses that locate servers on a host with servers, interfaces, and objects. Remote procedure calls use this service via the RPC runtime to resolve bindings between clients and servers. The data can be remotely perused, and even changed, although changes to the database are usually performed automatically by dced and the RPC runtime.