Network proxy

The present invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more particularly, to a network proxy. A network proxy is provided that facilitates the integration of orphan services into a network by enabling them to interact with a lookup service that contains an indication of the services that are available on the network. These orphan services typically reside on devices having too little memory to run the components necessary to be integrated into the network. Thus, the network proxy acts as a go between, by registering the orphan services with the lookup service so that clients may access them and by accessing services on behalf of the orphan services. As a result, the network proxy integrates orphan services into the network, when they otherwise would be incapable of doing so.