The Function Discovery Provider Host (fdPHost) service provides the host process for Function Discovery providers. The Function Discovery Provider Host service provides a uniform programmatic interface for enumerating system resources, such as hardware devices, whether they are connected locally or through a network. It enables applications to discover and manage lists of devices or objects that are sorted by functionality or class. Applications and users can use the Function Discovery Provider Host service to discover what functions their system can perform, regardless of the underlying device or software architecture.
The Function Discovery Provider Host service supports an extensible discovery provider model. The providers that are included in the system provide an abstraction layer over existing standards such as Plug and Play, Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP), Web Services Dynamic Discovery (WS-Discovery), and the registry. You can create custom providers to expose your organization's resources through the Function Discovery Provider Host service.
The service is installed by default, and its startup type is Manual. When the Function Discovery Provider Host service is started in its default configuration, it logs on by using the Local Service account.
The Function Discovery Provider Host service is dependent upon the following system components:
- HTTP
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
- DCOM Server Process Launcher
- RPC Endpoint Mapper
The following system components are dependent upon the Function Discovery Provider Host service:
- HomeGroup Provider
- Media Center Extender Service
- PnP-X IP Bus Enumerator