Peer networking host framework and hosting API

In a computing network, a method of interoperating between peer networking devices using a peer networking service control protocol and a software-provided logical device on a computer, the method comprising:

• describing a service of the software-provided logical device in a service description according to a service description language of the peer networking service control protocol;
• converting the service description into an interface definition in an interface description language;
• building a programming object implementing the service;
• compiling an interface of the programming object from the interface definition;
• in response to a description request in the peer networking service control protocol, serving the service description to a requesting peer networking device;
• and
• in response to a service control request in the peer networking service control protocol from the requesting peer networking device, issuing an invocation to the interface of the programming object to thereby invoke the service of the software-provided logical device.

A computing device having a software-provided logical device and interoperating between peer networking devices in a computing network using a peer networking service control protocol, the computing device comprising:

• means for describing a service of the software-provided logical device in a service description according to a service description language of the peer networking service control protocol;
• means for converting the service description into an interface definition in an interface description language;
• means for building a programming object implementing the service;
• means for compiling an interface of the programming object from the interface definition;
• means for, in response to a description request in the peer networking service control protocol, serving the service description to a requesting peer networking device;
• and
• means for, in response to a service control request in the peer networking service control protocol from the requesting peer networking device, issuing an invocation to the interface of the programming object to thereby invoke the service of the software-provided logical device.

A computer-readable data-carrying medium having a software program encoded thereon and executable on a computer in a computing network of peer networking devices to perform a method of interoperating between the peer networking devices using a peer networking service control protocol and a software-provided logical device on the computer, the method comprising:

• describing a service of the software-provided logical device in a service description according to a service description language of the peer networking service control protocol;
• converting the service description into an interface definition in an interface description language;
• building a programming object implementing the service;
• compiling an interface of the programming object from the interface definition;
• in response to a description request in the peer networking service control protocol, serving the service description to a requesting peer networking device;
• and
• in response to a service control request in the peer networking service control protocol from the requesting peer networking device, issuing an invocation to the interface of the programming object to thereby invoke the service of the software-provided logical device.