These directives are completely optional. Some of them you may have reason to use, some of them you may not.
Services IPC port configuration (IPCPORT line):
An IPCPORT line tells services to enable IPC (inter-process communication) and listen on a particular port for connections. Example:
IPCPORT:8560
Note that it is necessary to set up IPC logins and be using proper software for IPCPORT to be useful.
If an IPCPORT line is not specified, then IPC is completely disabled for security reasons.
Services root configuration (SRA line):
A SRA line tells services that a particular registered nickname should be given Services Root access. Example:
SRA:Joe
Warning: Services root access allows a user to make any change to services available to be made online. It is advisable to limit this access to competent operators and developers who are familiar with the internals of services: giving this permission flag to services can be thought of as giving a user on a unix system limited superuser access (and access to the services account analogous to full superuser access over services).
SRA lines should not be added for a nickname until that nickname is registered -- presently, this would cause a security problem (a user you don't want to have this access could register the nick of a user you want to have access and gain that access).
Services.conf can be reloaded to make a new SRA using the OperServ reset command. If there is no SRA available to reload the configuration, then the only way to do that is to shut down the services process using a normal kill and bring them back on line.
Removing a services root requires a services restart.
Services Operator configuration (SERVOP line):
A SERVOP line tells services that a particular registered nickname should be given ServOP access. Syntax and usage are the same as that of the `SRA' directive.
ServOp access grants many of the SRA features such as the ability to delete nicknames, channels, perm akills, ignores, autohurts; however, it does not grant the ability to change operator access flags, directly modify things, shutdown services, or access internal debugging commands. The most useful of those abilities (other than actually setting flags or killing services) can now be assigned using the OperServ SETOP command and appropriate permission flags, also.
ServOps can be added or removed when services is online using the /OperServ SETOP command (no restart required).