A method by which a client can invoke a procedure on a remote server as if it were running on the client.
In general terms, a client process, known as a stub, converts a request from a local application into a common data format, which is then transported across a network to a server stub, which in turn translates the request into a form the server process can understand. Once the server process processes the request, the procedure is reversed.
Sun popularized RPCs in the 1980s for its Unix systems. Today, RPC implementations are available on all platforms. TI-RPC lets RPCs run independent of the underlying transport protocol. XML-RPC is a method for using XML as a common language.
Additional resources
Comparing Remote Procedure Calls
Older document that describes the basics of RPCs.
IETF ONC RPC Working Group
Detailed some of the core specifications.
