A method and apparatus for configuring a server in a distributed data
processing system is provided. The server receives a request for a
function that specifies a first server name and a second server name. The
server responds to requests directed to a set of server names that
includes the first server name. The function executes on the server
specified by the first server name, wherein the function dynamically
modifies a membership of the second server name in the set of server
names. The server names for the server are added or removed dynamically
without halting or restarting the server.