What is it? Zero Configuration Networking, also known as ZeroConf, is networking that needs nothing to be pre-configured and no administration to operate. Zero Configuration Networking uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically find each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers.

Why is it Important? ZeroConf enables services on a network built with this support to be automatically discovered, thereby requiring no knowledge on the part of the end user attempting to use this service about the specifics of its configuration, just that it is available for use if selected.

Using ZeroConfig for installation rollouts or for site maintenance can significantly reduce administration overhead. Because the client ODBC Driver is bound to a service name only, should the details of that service change the client will automatically re-acquire the new details (this does not include changes to the name of the service). For example, 200 client installations configured to use the service "SalesDB1", moving the "Sales" database to another server, perhaps even a different database does not required any further client configuration, they will automatically connect to the new server.

ZeroConf configuration on the server is kept to a minimum. The host and port number of the Request Broker are automatically supplied to the ZeroConf service descriptions on the server when they are broadcast over the network. Furthermore, ZeroConf service descriptions can be based directly on a Server Type that maps to a Database Agent. If we consider the above example again, moving the "Sales" database to another machine will not need any ZeroConf adjustment on the server either, the new host and port and automatically discovered and broadcast with no administrator intervention other than to start the new Broker and Database.