1. Acronym for Data Communications Equipment. The term used in RS-232 and X.25 specifications for a device, such as a modem, that provides another device (known as the Data Terminal Equipment or DTE) with access to a communications line. A DCE is an intermediary device that often transforms input from a DTE before sending it to a recipient. See also RS-232-C standard, X series. Compare DTE.
2. See Distributed Computing Environment.