A name server needs to be started prior to starting any application partition. Once the name server is started, its location must be passed to all partitions as the name_service runtime parameter in the [dsa] section of the configuration. When using an Ada starter, it is sufficient to pass the name server location to the starter, and it will be propagated automatically to all partitions.
Upon elaboration, each partition registers its RCI packages with the name server. Once this is done, remote calls to RCI subprograms can proceed. Partitions cache the replies from the name server so that during the course of normal execution, inter-partition calls only involve the caller and callee partitions (not the name server).
RCI units can then act as “clearinghouses” for other partitions to exchange RACWs and set up dynamic communication paths.