V: Selecting the Solution
Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
The Open Software Foundation (OSF), a consortium of major hardware and software vendors, has recognized the value of building distributed computing environments on open standards and, toward this end, has established the Distributed Computing Environment (DCE). DCE technology is a collection of middleware services or "enabling technology" that can aid the deployment of heterogeneous, networked applications by providing for interoperability across heterogeneous systems. Included are such services as network security, user identification, authentication, and authorization; file services; and a common operating environment that allows institutions to share applications. According to the OSF, DCE is not intended to exist alone, but instead should be bundled into a vendor's operating system offering, or integrated in by a third-party vendor. DCE's security and distributed file system, for example, can completely replace current, non-network analogs. DCE is not an application, but is used to build applications or support purchased applications.
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