Methods and apparatus for performing a remote procedure call

1. A method of supporting automatic service selection in a name server, wherein connection information associated with a selected service is provided for calling the selected service on a remote server, comprising:

receiving a first registration message at the name server from a first server, wherein the first registration message includes an IP address and a port number to call a specified service;

storing the IP address and the port number in association with the specified service in a directory;

receiving a request at the name server for connection information for the specified service from a client;

providing the connection information for the specified service to the client, wherein the connection information includes the IP address and the port number to be used to call the specified service;

receiving a second registration message at the name server from a second server, wherein the second registration message includes an updated IP address and an updated port number to call the specified service when the specified service is no longer supported by the first server at the IP address and the port number;

receiving a subsequent request at the name server for updated connection information for the specified service from the client;

providing the updated connection information for the specified service to the client when the connection information is no longer valid, wherein the updated connection information includes the updated IP address and the updated port number to be used to call the specified service; and

deleting a first entry associated with the first server from the directory within the name server when notice is received that the first server is non-functional, the first entry including the IP address and the port number.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a notification to the client when the specified service is available.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein sending a notification is performed in response to a request for notification when the specified service is available.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the name server supports automatic service selection via RPC on a remote server.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , providing the connection information comprises:

transmitting a session handle including the IP address and the port number.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein providing updated connection information comprises:

transmitting a client handle including the updated connection information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first registration message further identifies the specified service and one or more versions of the specified service.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second registration message further identifies the specified service and one or more versions of the specified service.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

storing the updated IP address, the updated port number, the specified service, and the one or more versions of the specified service received from the second server in a second entry in the directory.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein deleting the first entry in the directory is performed when the second registration message is received.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein receiving the second registration message is performed after the first server becomes non-functional for the specified service.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the request further identifies one or more versions of the specified service.

13. An apparatus for supporting automatic service selection in a name server, wherein connection information associated with a selected service is provided for calling the selected service on a remote server, comprising:

means for receiving a first registration message at the name server from a first server, wherein the first registration message includes an IP address and a port number to call a specified service;

means for storing the IP address and the port number in association with the specified service in a directory;

means for receiving a request at the name server for connection information for the specified service from a client;

means for providing the connection information for the specified service to the client, wherein the connection information includes the IP address and the port number to be used to call the specified service;

means for receiving a second registration message at the name server from a second server, wherein the second registration message includes an updated IP address and an updated port number to call the specified service when the specified service is no longer supported by the first server at the IP address and the port number;

means for receiving a subsequent request at the name server for updated connection information for the specified service from the client;

means for providing the updated connection information for the specified service to the client when the connection information is no longer valid, wherein the updated connection information includes the updated IP address and the updated port number to be used to call the specified service; and

means for deleting a first entry associated with the first server from the directory within the name server when notice is received that the first server is non-functional, the first entry including the IP address and the port number.

14. An apparatus for supporting automatic service selection in a name server, wherein connection information associated with a selected service is provided for calling the selected service on a remote server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for:

receiving a first registration message at the name server from a first server, wherein the first registration message includes an IP address and a port number to call a specified service;

storing the IP address and the port number in association with the specified service in a directory;

receiving a request at the name server for connection information for the specified service from a client;

providing the connection information for the specified service to the client, wherein the connection information includes the IP address and the port number to be used to call the specified service;

receiving a second registration message at the name server from a second server, wherein the second registration message includes an updated IP address and an updated port number to call the specified service when the specified service is no longer supported by the first server at the IP address and the port number;

receiving a subsequent request at the name server for updated connection information for the specified service from the client;

providing the updated connection information for the specified service to the client when the connection information is no longer valid, wherein the updated connection information includes the updated IP address and the updated port number to be used to call the specified service; and

deleting a first entry associated with the first server from the directory within the name server when notice is received that the first server is non-functional, the first entry including the IP address and the port number.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions that when executed on a processor in a computerized device, supports automatic service selection in a name server, wherein connection information associated with a selected service is provided for calling the selected service on a remote server, comprising:

instructions for receiving a first registration message at the name server from a first server, wherein the first registration message includes an IP address and a port number to call a specified service;

instructions for storing the IP address and the port number in association with the specified service in a directory;

instructions for receiving a request at the name server for connection information for the specified service from a client;

instructions for providing the connection information for the specified service to the client, wherein the connection information includes the IP address and the port number to be used to call the specified service;

instructions for receiving a second registration message at the name server from a second server, wherein the second registration message includes an updated IP address and an updated port number to call the specified service when the specified service is no longer supported by the first server at the IP address and the port number;

instructions for receiving a subsequent request at the name server for updated connection information for the specified service from the client;

instructions for providing the updated connection information for the specified service to the client when the connection information is no longer valid, wherein the updated connection information includes the updated IP address and the updated port number to be used to call the specified service; and

instructions for deleting the first entry associated with the server from a directory within the name server when notice is received that the first server is non-functional, the first entry including the IP address and the port number.