The Distributed feature uses the DsDistributedSystemConfiguration to manage the distributed environment. The application contexts, in SST, provide the same level of controls, but allow for multiple contexts in a single distributed system. For example, the DistributedSystem reset message can be replaced with the SST message myContext shutDown; startUp.

The specifications of object space locations are handled differently. The Distributed feature defines the object space locations in its name server. The object spaces are accessed by a name server key. When the location of an object space changes, only the name server needs to be updated. A persistent name server file can be used for application deployment on different machines. On the other hand, SST requires that the object spaces be created with their machine and location information supplied in a URL string. If the location of an object space changes, a new URL string will need to be supplied to SST. It is the applications responsibility to provide the correct URL string to SST. To support application deployment on different machines, SST applications will need to acquire the correct URL strings, at run time. Some examples for specifying URL strings are through command line parameters, entries in an ini file, or external name servers.