diff --git a/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/RPC.java b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/RPC.java
index c2f8277f..4361cbb4 100644
--- a/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/RPC.java
+++ b/bindings/java/src/net/hyperic/sigar/RPC.java
@@ -1,18 +1,69 @@
 package net.hyperic.sigar;
 
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
 public class RPC {
 
+    private static Map programs = null;
+
     public static final int UDP = NetFlags.CONN_UDP;
     public static final int TCP = NetFlags.CONN_TCP;
 
-    public static final long NFS = 100003;
-
     public static native boolean ping(String hostname,
                                       int protocol,
                                       long program,
                                       long version);
 
+    public static boolean ping(String hostname,
+                               int protocol,
+                               String program,
+                               long version) {
+        return ping(hostname,
+                    protocol,
+                    getProgram(program),
+                    version);
+    }
+
     public static boolean ping(String hostname, long program) {
         return ping(hostname, UDP, program, 2);
     }
+
+    public static boolean ping(String hostname, String program) {
+        return ping(hostname, UDP, program, 2);
+    }
+
+    private static void parse(String fileName) {
+        programs = new HashMap();
+        NetServices.parse("/etc/rpc", new NetServices.EntryReader() {
+            public void process(String program, String num, List aliases) {
+                programs.put(program, num);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return RPC program number as defined in /etc/rpc
+     */
+    public static long getProgram(String program) {
+        if (programs == null) {
+            parse("/etc/rpc");
+        }
+
+        Long num;
+        Object obj = programs.get(program);
+        if (obj == null) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        if (obj instanceof Long) {
+            num = (Long)obj;
+        }
+        else {
+            num = Long.valueOf((String)obj);
+            programs.put(program, num);
+        }
+
+        return num.longValue();
+    }
 }