topic Re: What is a socket? in Operating System - HP-UX

What is a socket?

Verónica Muñoz Segovia — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 16:42:14 GMT

Who could provide me, what is the concept of socket? I'm a little loss about that.

What is the impact on a HP-UX 10.20 that is using sockets?

I'm doing a system performance study and I would like to define the impact on my system that is using a lot of sockets?

Best Regards,

Veronica.

Re: What is a socket?

James R. Ferguson — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 16:53:17 GMT

Veronica:

See this thread for a brief overview of "what is a socket" and some good references to programming sockets. This should get you started!

...JRF...

Re: What is a socket?

James R. Ferguson — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 16:53:30 GMT

Veronica:

See this thread for a brief overview of "what is a socket" and some good references to programming sockets. This should get you started!

http://my1.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,1150,0xfd096d96588ad4118fef0090279cd0f9,00.html

...JRF...

Re: What is a socket?

RikTytgat — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 16:58:09 GMT

Hi,

A socket is one end of a network connection.

One socket equals one open file on HP-UX. The only kernel resource it uses is an entry in the open file table.

The activity on a socket uses system resources too, just like reading from and writing to a file does.

For a good description of what a socket is, I'd like to refer to 'Unix Network Programming' by Richard W Stevens (ISBN 0-13-949876-1).

Hope this helps,
Rik.

Re: What is a socket?

Verónica Muñoz Segovia — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 17:41:11 GMT

Thanks for the info and reference!

Veronica

Re: What is a socket?

Verónica Muñoz Segovia — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:30:27 GMT

Just to complete my question who can tell me what are the advantages and disadvantages when we use sockets?

Thanks in advance.

Re: What is a socket?

James R. Ferguson — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:42:19 GMT

Veronica:

In answer to your last question: TCP/IP sockets are a de facto standard which many, many people understand how to program and use. One advantage to using them is that many different operating systems support the paradigm, and therefore can interoperate with one another.

As for performance impact, this is a relative issue. Properly programmed, a TCP/IP socket interface is a very efficient way to exchange data. Like anything, a poorly written socket application can certainly have adverse affects on system performance.

...JRF...

Re: What is a socket?

Alan Riggs — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:43:37 GMT

Advantages: use of well-defined network protocols, portability, consistency across operating environment.

Disadvantages: possible security issues with well-defined network protocols. (probably overridden by the plethora of networking and security resources available to detect/prevent problems.)

Basically, if you want a client-server program to be network aware you need to have some means for it to talk across the wire. Sockets are the way that happens in the TCP (or OSI) networking model. If you choose to use something else, you have a much more difficult job ahead of you in creating and maintaining the necessary communications protocols. You also make your code much more difficult to port.

Re: What is a socket?

Verónica Muñoz Segovia — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:58:58 GMT

I'm a lucky girl I had very good answers.

Thanks to all.

Veronica.

Re: What is a socket?

James R. Ferguson — Wed, 18 Oct 2000 19:36:54 GMT

Veronica:

I'm glad we could help! Thank you for expressing your appreciation so warmly.

Regards, Jim.

...JRF...