What Is SLP?
SLP is an acronym for service location protocol, a protocol, or set of rules, for locating servers and other services on an IP (Internet protocol) based computer network. The protocol was originally developed by Apple in the 1980s, but came of age in 1998, when it was shipped as a plug-in for the Mac OS 8.5.
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Components
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SLP essentially consists of three components, or agents. A user agent (UA) is a piece of software looking for a service, a service agent (SA) is a piece of software advertising a service, and a directory agent (DA) is a piece of software that acts as a repository, or directory, for service location information.
How It Works
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Service agents register their services with directory agents, and directory agents respond to user agent requests, provided that a directory agent exists and is properly configured.
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Error Messages
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On networks where the older, and less robust, IPX (Internet package exchange) protocol is no longer routed, SLP must be used to locate services reliably. If SLP is not configured correctly, intermittent problems may occur on a computer network. Such problems are typified by "server not found" and "tree not found" error messages.
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