Port 369
RPC2 Port Mapper
Port 369 is officially assigned to the RPC2 Port Mapper service, which functions similarly to the classic portmapper for Remote Procedure Call-based services. This port enables clients to locate other RPC2 services dynamically by providing the necessary mapping information. Its operation is vital in distributed environments relying on RPC2 to facilitate seamless communication between distributed components..
Technical Details
Technical Overview
RPC2 (Remote Procedure Call Version 2) is a protocol designed to facilitate remote procedure calls, extending earlier RPC systems with enhanced features and capabilities geared toward distributed systems. The RPC2 Port Mapper listens on port 369 and serves as a registry that maintains a database of active RPC2 services and their corresponding network endpoints. When a client requires access to an RPC2 service, it queries the Port Mapper to determine the port number on which the desired service is listening.
How It Works
Upon registration, RPC2 services inform the Port Mapper of their availability, supplying details such as the program's unique identifier and listening port. This allows clients to dynamically discover services instead of relying on hardcoded port numbers. The Port Mapper supports both TCP and UDP protocols, allowing flexibility in communication types based on reliability and overhead requirements.
Protocols and Deployments
The RPC2 protocol stack generally operates over IP networks and modularly supports other protocols layered atop for secure remote interactions. Because of its dynamic nature and registration capabilities, RPC2 is utilized widely in distributed file systems, network management tools, and certain research or legacy Unix environments where modular and dynamic service location is advantageous.