Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is an architecture for pervasive peer-to-peer network connectivity of PCs of all form factors, intelligent appliances, and wireless devices. UPnP is a distributed, open networking architecture that leverages TCP/IP and the Web to enable seamless proximity networking in addition to control and data transfer among networked devices in the home, office, and everywhere in between.

Technology

What is universal about UPnP?

• No device drivers - common protocols.

• Media and low-level (transport and below) independent.

• UPnP devices can be implemented using any programming language, and on any operating system.

• UPnP leverages HTTP and the family of browser technologies.

• UPnP enables vendor control over device UI and interaction using the browser.

• UPnP also enables conventional application programmatic control.

• Vendors agree on base protocol sets on a per-device basis.

• Vendors can unilaterally extend the base set as needed.

UPnP is broad in scope in that it targets home networks, proximity networks, and networks in small businesses and commercial buildings. It enables data communication between any two devices under the command of any control device on the network. UPnP is independent of any particular operating system, programming language, or physical medium.

UPnP supports zero-configuration networking and automatic discovery whereby a device can dynamically join a network, obtain an IP address, announce its name, convey its capabilities upon request, and learn about the presence and capabilities of other devices. A DHCP and DNS servers are optional and will be made use of only if available on the network. Furthermore, a device can leave a network smoothly and automatically without leaving any unwanted state behind.

UPnP learns from the Internet's success and heavily leverages its components, including IP, TCP, UDP, HTTP, and XML. UPnP involves a multi-vendor collaboration for establishing standard Device Control Protocols (DCPs). Similar to the Internet, these are contracts based on wire protocols that are declarative, expressed in XML, and communicated via HTTP.

Background

Plug and Play was a successful cooperative multiple-vendor effort to improve the personal computer platform by delivering zero-configuration peripheral connectivity. First delivered in the Microsoft?Windows?95 operating system, the improvement in ease of use enabled by the Plug and Play initiative vs. Windows 3.1 is impressive.

Universal Plug and Play embraces the zero-configuration mantra of Plug and Play but is more than just a simple extension of the Plug and Play peripheral model. Universal Plug and Play is an evolving architecture that is designed to extend the zero-configuration mantra to a highly dynamic world of many networked devices supplied by many vendors.




UNIVERSAL PLUG AND PLAY