Service Location Protocol (SLP)

What is SLP? The Service Location Protocol (SLP) is an IETF standard protocol that allows applications the ability to discover the existence of services, such as printers, on a network. Use SLP to find the location and configuration of services, to reduce the amount of technical knowledge and training required for end users. Each computer on a network traditionally requires manual configuration when services are added, removed, or modified.

The use of an "Agent"

A minimum SLP implementation requires a client or a "User Agent", and a server which is a "Service Agent". The Service Agent broadcasts the existence, configuration, and location of a particular service. The User Agent requests information from the Service Agent, or if implemented, a Directory Agent. A Directory Agent acts as a centralized repository for service location information.

INTELLIscribe is a User Agent. Information about printers that support the LPR/LPD protocol is located and a destination is added automatically with the information found. When a printer is removed from a Service or Directory Agent's configuration, INTELLIscribe automatically removes the destination. SLP is described in more detail in the Request For Comments (RFC) listed below.

Request For Comments

• RFC 2165 - Service Location Protocol, Version 1
• RFC 2608 - Service Location Protocol, Version 2
• RFC 2609 - Service Templates and Service Schemes
• RFC 2610 - DHCP Options for Service Location Protocol
• RFC 2614 - An API for Service Location Protocol