This book links together two exciting technologies in distributed computing by showing how to develop an application that simultaneously runs on DCE and Microsoft systems through remote procedure calls (RPC). Covers the writing of portable applications and the complete differences between RPC support in the two environments.

"Microsoft RPC interoperates with DCE RPC"...that's what you hear in the trade press. But how far does "interoperability" go? What can you really accomplish with the compatibilities between Microsoft platforms and DCE?

Distributing Applications Across DCE and Windows NT from O'Reilly & Associates provides the answer. It proves that applications can indeed cross platform boundaries, and shows how to do it. The book gives steps for writing a simple, portable application and lists the complete differences between RPC support in the two environments. The programming examples share data processing across UNIX systems hosting DCE, workstations or PCs hosting Windows NT, and PCs hosting MS-DOS with or without 16-bit Windows.

The book also has material for decision-makers and site administrators. Its first chapter discusses general industry problems and compares the distributed access offered by DCE/Microsoft RPC with other common solutions. Site administrators will benefit from another chapter showing how to set up configuration files to handle cross-environment applications.

Topics include:

• Building Bridges.
• Developing a Cross-Environment Application.
• Writing Interface Definitions.
• Administration.
• Writing a Client.
• Writing a Server.
• A Remodeling Handbook for Local Applications.