Abstract: A method is described for enabling one or more external processing systems to access service programs of the local processing system, the local processing system having an operating system kernel and supporting multiple protocol stacks and multiple hardware device drivers. The method begins by generating a master control structure for each compatible protocol stack and device driver supported in the local processing system. The hardware device drivers are then monitored for receipt, from an external processing system, of any requests to access the service programs. Upon receipt by a protocol stack/device driver pair of an access request for one of the service programs, the master control structure is cloned into a control structure (DCB) for that service program, the resulting service program control structure including control information to associate the service program with the protocol stack/device driver pair receiving the access request.