Computing and communication are in flux today. On the communication side, historically there have been mul- tiple, parallel networks servicing different types of traf- fic. Cost pressures are forcing convergence to a single IP-based network. Simultaneously the computing world has been steadily moving from monolithic applications to client/server systems, and from there to arbitrary dis- tributed applications. In making this move, the computing world has typically viewed the network as little more than a high-speed bit-pipe, with the primary focus being on ser- vices provided by end hosts. This approach has a number of limitations, including replicated functionality, complex sys- tem coupling, and limited ability to integrate applications across different networks. By providing enabling services functionality, an integrated network can make possible both greater efficiencies and more-sophisticated distributed ap- plications.