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My network savvy comes from Unix-land, and I am lost in Windows acronym land. &nbsp;I have a custom WinCE device that will be deployed in a &quot;customer environment&quot; - meaning, I will have no idea what it will look like. &nbsp;What I do know is:<br />
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&nbsp;- it is a DHCP client;<br />
&nbsp;- I can set the network name of my device;<br />
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I need the device to be discoverable on the network. &nbsp;Rather than have someone go out to query the DHCP assigned IP address, I need the user to be able to find the device by name. &nbsp;From this week's reading, I have learned some about dynamic DNS, then WINS, and I'm trailing off into active directory (at which point I headed to EE).<br />
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Broadly, what existing techniques are now employed in a Windows network to support device discovery, and what must my device do to cooperate with the discovery process? &nbsp;Is WINS the main service? &nbsp;Active Directory? &nbsp;dynamic DNS? A mix?<br />
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My network savvy comes from Unix-land, and I am lost in Windows acronym land.  I have a custom WinCE device that will be deployed in a "customer environment" - meaning, I will have no idea what it will look like.  What I do know is:

 - it is a DHCP client;
 - I can set the network name of my device;

I need the device to be discoverable on the network.  Rather than have someone go out to query the DHCP assigned IP address, I need the user to be able to find the device by name.  From this week's reading, I have learned some about dynamic DNS, then WINS, and I'm trailing off into active directory (at which point I headed to EE).

Broadly, what existing techniques are now employed in a Windows network to support device discovery, and what must my device do to cooperate with the discovery process?  Is WINS the main service?  Active Directory?  dynamic DNS? A mix?



Dropping a device into an unknown Windows network - discovery?

The Windows operating systems have distinct methodologies for designing and implementing networks, and have specific systems to accomplish various networking processes, such as Exchange for email, Sharepoint for shared files and programs, and IIS for delivery of web pages. Microsoft also produces server technologies for networked database use, security and virtualization.