Marshalling in Distributed System
Last Updated :
23 Jul, 2025
A Distributed system consists of numerous components located on different machines that communicate and coordinate operations to seem like a single system to the end-user.
External Data Representation:
Data structures are used to represent the information held in running applications. The information consists of a sequence of bytes in messages that are moving between components in a distributed system. So, conversion is required from the data structure to a sequence of bytes before the transmission of data. On the arrival of the message, data should also be able to be converted back into its original data structure.
Different types of data are handled in computers, and these types are not the same in every position where data must be transmitted. Individual primitive data items can have a variety of data values, and not all computers store primitive values like integers in the same order. Different architectures also represent floating-point numbers differently. Integers are ordered in two ways, big-endian order, in which the Most Significant Byte (MSB) is placed first, and little-endian order, in which the Most Significant Byte (MSB) is placed last or the Least Significant Byte (LSB) is placed first. Furthermore, one more issue is the set of codes used to represent characters. Most applications on UNIX systems use ASCII character coding, which uses one byte per character, whereas the Unicode standard uses two bytes per character and allows for the representation of texts in many different languages.
There should be a means to convert all of this data to a standard format so that it can be sent successfully between computers. If the two computers are known to be of the same type, the external format conversion can be skipped otherwise before transmission, the values are converted to an agreed-upon external format, which is then converted to the local format on receiving. For that, values are sent in the sender's format, along with a description of the format, and the recipient converts them if necessary. It's worth noting, though, that bytes are never changed during transmission. Any data type that can be supplied as a parameter or returned, as a result, must be able to be converted and the individual primitive data values expressed in an accepted format to support Remote Procedure Call (RPC) or Remote Method Invocation (RMI) mechanisms. So, an external data representation is a standard for representing data structures and primitive values that have been agreed upon.
- Marshalling: Marshalling is the process of transferring and formatting a collection of data structures into an external data representation type appropriate for transmission in a message.
- Unmarshalling: The converse of this process is unmarshalling, which involves reformatting the transferred data upon arrival to recreate the original data structures at the destination.
Approaches:
There are three ways to successfully communicate between various sorts of data between computers.
1. Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA):
CORBA is a specification defined by the Object Management Group (OMG) that is currently the most widely used middleware in most distributed systems. It allows systems with diverse architectures, operating systems, programming languages, and computer hardware to work together. It allows software applications and their objects to communicate with one another. It is a standard for creating and using distributed objects. It is made up of five major components. Components and their function are given below:
- Object Request Broker (ORB): It provides a communication infrastructure for the objects to communicate across a network.
- Interface Definition Language (IDL): It is a specification language used to provide an interface in a software component. To exemplify, it allows communication between software components written in C++ and Java.
- Dynamic Invocation Interface (DII): Using DII, client applications are permitted to use server objects without even knowing their types at compile time. Here client obtains an instance of a CORBA object and then invocation requests can be made dynamically on the corresponding object.
- Interface Repository (IR): As the name implies, interfaces can be added to the interface repository. The purpose of IR is that a client should be able to find an object which is not known at compile-time and information about its interface then request is made to be sent to ORB.
- Object Adapter (OA): It is used to access ORB services like object reference generation.
Data Representation in CORBA:
Common Data Representation (CDR) is used to describe structured or primitive data types that are supplied as arguments or results during remote invocations on CORBA distributed objects. It allows clients and servers' built-in computer languages to communicate with one another. To exemplify, it converts little-endian to big-endian.
There are 15 primitive types: short (16-bit), long (32-bit), unsigned short, unsigned long, float (32-bit), double (64-bit), char, boolean (TRUE, FALSE), octet (8-bit), and any (which can represent any basic or constructed type), as well as a variety of composite types.
CORBA CDR Constructed Types:
Let's have a look at Types with their representation:
- sequence: It refers to length (unsigned long) to be followed by elements in order
- string: It refers to length (unsigned long) followed by characters in order (can also have wide characters)
- array: The elements of the array follow order and length is fixed so not specified.
- struct: in the order of declaration of components
- enumerated: It is unsigned long and here, the values are specified by the order declared.
- union: type tag followed by the selected member
Example:
struct Person {
string name;
string place;
long year;
};Marshalling CORBA:
From the specification of the categories of data items to be transmitted in a message, Marshalling CORBA operations can be produced automatically. CORBA IDL describes the types of data structures and fundamental data items and provides a language/notation for specifying the types of arguments and results of RMI methods.
2. Java's Object Serialization:
Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) allows you to pass both objects and primitive data values as arguments and method calls. In Java, the term serialization refers to the activity of putting an object (an instance of a class) or a set of related objects into a serial format suitable for saving to disk or sending in a message.
Java provides a mechanism called object serialization. This allows an object to be represented as a sequence of bytes containing information about the object's data and the type of object and the type of data stored in the object. After the serialized object is written to the file, it can be read from the file and deserialized. You can recreate an object in memory with type information and bytes that represent the object and its data.
Moreover, objects can be serialized on one platform and deserialized on completely different platforms as the whole process is JVM independent.
For example, the Java class equivalent to the Person struct defined in CORBA IDL might be:
Java
import java.io.*;
public class Person implements Serializable {
public String name;
public String place;
public int phonenumber;
public void letter() {
System.out.println("Issue a letter to " + name + " " + place);
}
}
3. Extensible Markup Language (XML):
Clients communicate with web services using XML, which is also used to define the interfaces and other aspects of web services. However, XML is utilized in a variety of different applications, including archiving and retrieval systems; while an XML archive is larger than a binary archive, it has the advantage of being readable on any machine. Other XML applications include the design of user interfaces and the encoding of operating system configuration files.
In contrast to HTML, which employs a fixed set of tags, XML is extensible in the sense that users can construct their tags. If an XML document is meant to be utilized by several applications, the tag names must be unique.
Clients, for example, typically interface with web servers via SOAP messages. SOAP is an XML standard with tags that web services and their customers can utilize. Because it is expected that the client and server sharing a message have prior knowledge of the order and types of information it contains, some external data representations (such as CORBA CDR) do not need to be self-describing. On the other hand, XML was designed to be utilized by a variety of applications for a variety of reasons. This has been made possible by the inclusion of tags and the usage of namespaces to specify the meaning of the tags. Furthermore, the usage of tags allows applications to pick only the portions of a document that they need to process.
Example:
XML definition of the Person struct:
<person id="9865">
<name>John</name>
<place>England</place>
<year>1876</year>
<!-- comment -->
</person>
Usage:
Marshalling is used to create various remote procedure call (RPC) protocols, where separate processes and threads often have distinct data formats, necessitating the need for marshalling between them.
To transmit data across COM object boundaries, the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) interface pointers employ marshalling. When a common-language-runtime-based type has to connect with other unmanaged types via marshalling, the same thing happens in the.NET framework. DCOM stands for Distributed Component Object Model.
Scripts and applications based on the Cross-Platform Component Object Model (XPCOM) technology are two further examples where marshalling is crucial. The Mozilla Application Framework makes heavy use of XPCOM, which makes considerable use of marshalling.
So, XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a text-based format for expressing structured data. It was designed to represent data sent in messages exchanged by clients and servers in web services
The primitive data types are marshalled into a binary form in the first two ways- CORBA and Java's object serialization. The primitive data types are expressed textually in the third technique (XML). A data value's textual representation will typically be longer than its binary representation. The HTTP protocol is another example of the textual approach.
On the other hand, type information is included in both Java serialization and XML, but in distinct ways. Although Java serializes all of the essential type information, XML documents can refer to namespaces, which are externally specified groups of names (with types).
Similar Reads
Computer Network Tutorial A Computer Network is a system where two or more devices are linked together to share data, resources and information. These networks can range from simple setups, like connecting two devices in your home, to massive global systems, like the Internet. Below are some uses of computer networksSharing
6 min read
Computer Network Basics
Basics of Computer NetworkingA computer network is a collection of interconnected devices that share resources and information. These devices can include computers, servers, printers, and other hardware. Networks allow for the efficient exchange of data, enabling various applications such as email, file sharing, and internet br
10 min read
Types of Computer NetworksA computer network is a system that connects many independent computers to share information (data) and resources. The integration of computers and other different devices allows users to communicate more easily. It is a collection of two or more computer systems that are linked together. A network
7 min read
Introduction to InternetComputers and their structures are tough to approach, and it is made even extra tough when you want to recognize phrases associated with the difficulty this is already utilized in regular English, Network, and the net will appear to be absolutely wonderful from one some other, however, they may seem
10 min read
Types of Network TopologyNetwork topology refers to the arrangement of different elements like nodes, links, or devices in a computer network. Common types of network topology include bus, star, ring, mesh, and tree topologies, each with its advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will discuss different types of n
11 min read
Network DevicesNetwork devices are physical devices that allow hardware on a computer network to communicate and interact with each other. Network devices like hubs, repeaters, bridges, switches, routers, gateways, and brouter help manage and direct data flow in a network. They ensure efficient communication betwe
9 min read
What is OSI Model? - Layers of OSI ModelThe OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Model is a set of rules that explains how different computer systems communicate over a network. OSI Model was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The OSI Model consists of 7 layers and each layer has specific functions and re
13 min read
TCP/IP ModelThe TCP/IP model is a framework that is used to model the communication in a network. It is mainly a collection of network protocols and organization of these protocols in different layers for modeling the network.It has four layers, Application, Transport, Network/Internet and Network Access.While
7 min read
Difference Between OSI Model and TCP/IP ModelData communication is a process or act in which we can send or receive data. Understanding the fundamental structures of networking is crucial for anyone working with computer systems and communication. For data communication two models are available, the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Model, an
4 min read
Physical Layer
Physical Layer in OSI ModelThe physical Layer is the bottom-most layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model which is a physical and electrical representation of the system. It consists of various network components such as power plugs, connectors, receivers, cable types, etc. The physical layer sends data bits from
4 min read
Types of Network TopologyNetwork topology refers to the arrangement of different elements like nodes, links, or devices in a computer network. Common types of network topology include bus, star, ring, mesh, and tree topologies, each with its advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will discuss different types of n
11 min read
Transmission Modes in Computer Networks (Simplex, Half-Duplex and Full-Duplex)Transmission modes also known as communication modes, are methods of transferring data between devices on buses and networks designed to facilitate communication. They are classified into three types: Simplex Mode, Half-Duplex Mode, and Full-Duplex Mode. In this article, we will discuss Transmission
6 min read
Types of Transmission MediaTransmission media is the physical medium through which data is transmitted from one device to another within a network. These media can be wired or wireless. The choice of medium depends on factors like distance, speed, and interference. In this article, we will discuss the transmission media. In t
9 min read
Data Link Layer
Data Link Layer in OSI ModelThe data link layer is the second layer from the bottom in the OSI (Open System Interconnection) network architecture model. Responsible for the node-to-node delivery of data within the same local network. Major role is to ensure error-free transmission of information. Also responsible for encoding,
4 min read
What is Switching?Switching is the process of transferring data packets from one device to another in a network, or from one network to another, using specific devices called switches. A computer user experiences switching all the time for example, accessing the Internet from your computer device, whenever a user req
5 min read
Virtual LAN (VLAN)Virtual LAN (VLAN) is a concept in which we can divide the devices logically on layer 2 (data link layer). Generally, layer 3 devices divide the broadcast domain but the broadcast domain can be divided by switches using the concept of VLAN. A broadcast domain is a network segment in which if a devic
7 min read
Framing in Data Link LayerFrames are the units of digital transmission, particularly in computer networks and telecommunications. Frames are comparable to the packets of energy called photons in the case of light energy. Frame is continuously used in Time Division Multiplexing process. Framing is a point-to-point connection
6 min read
Error Control in Data Link LayerData-link layer uses the techniques of error control simply to ensure and confirm that all the data frames or packets, i.e. bit streams of data, are transmitted or transferred from sender to receiver with certain accuracy. Using or providing error control at this data link layer is an optimization,
4 min read
Flow Control in Data Link LayerFlow control is design issue at Data Link Layer. It is a technique that generally observes the proper flow of data from sender to receiver. It is very essential because it is possible for sender to transmit data or information at very fast rate and hence receiver can receive this information and pro
4 min read
Piggybacking in Computer NetworksPiggybacking is the technique of delaying outgoing acknowledgment temporarily and attaching it to the next data packet. When a data frame arrives, the receiver waits and does not send the control frame (acknowledgment) back immediately. The receiver waits until its network layer moves to the next da
5 min read
Network Layer
Network Layer in OSI ModelThe Network Layer is the 5th Layer from the top and the 3rd layer from the Bottom of the OSI Model. It is one of the most important layers which plays a key role in data transmission. The main job of this layer is to maintain the quality of the data and pass and transmit it from its source to its de
5 min read
Introduction of Classful IP AddressingClassful IP addressing is an obsolete method for allocating IP addresses and dividing the available IP address space across networks. It was used from 1981 to 1993 until the introduction of CIDR (Based on Prefixes rather than classes). Classful method categorizes IP addresses into five classes (A, B
10 min read
Classless Addressing in IP AddressingThe Network address identifies a network on the internet. Using this, we can find a range of addresses in the network and total possible number of hosts in the network. Mask is a 32-bit binary number that gives the network address in the address block when AND operation is bitwise applied on the mas
7 min read
What is an IP Address?Imagine every device on the internet as a house. For you to send a letter to a friend living in one of these houses, you need their home address. In the digital world, this home address is what we call an IP (Internet Protocol) Address. It's a unique string of numbers separated by periods (IPv4) or
14 min read
IPv4 Datagram HeaderIP stands for Internet Protocol and v4 stands for Version Four (IPv4). IPv4 was the primary version brought into action for production within the ARPANET in 1983. IP version four addresses are 32-bit integers which will be expressed in decimal notation. In this article, we will discuss about IPv4 da
4 min read
Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6IPv4 and IPv6 are two versions of the system that gives devices a unique address on the internet, known as the Internet Protocol (IP). IP is like a set of rules that helps devices send and receive data online. Since the internet is made up of billions of connected devices, each one needs its own spe
7 min read
Difference between Private and Public IP addressesIP Address or Internet Protocol Address is a type of address that is required to communicate one computer with another computer for exchanging information, file, webpage, etc. Public and Private IP address are two important parts of device identity. In this article, we will see the differences betwe
6 min read
Introduction To SubnettingSubnetting is the process of dividing a large network into smaller networks called "subnets." Subnets provide each group of devices with their own space to communicate, which ultimately helps the network to work easily. This also boosts security and makes it easier to manage the network, as each sub
8 min read
What is Routing?The process of choosing a path across one or more networks is known as Network Routing. Nowadays, individuals are more connected on the internet and hence, the need to use Routing Communication is essential.Routing chooses the routes along which Internet Protocol (IP) packets get from their source t
10 min read
Network Layer ProtocolsNetwork Layer is responsible for the transmission of data or communication from one host to another host connected in a network. Rather than describing how data is transferred, it implements the technique for efficient transmission. In order to provide efficient communication protocols are used at t
9 min read
Transport Layer
Session Layer & Presentation Layer
Session Layer in OSI modelThe Session Layer is the 5th layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model which plays an important role in controlling the dialogues (connections) between computers. This layer is responsible for setting up, coordinating, and terminating conversations, exchanges, and dialogues between the ap
6 min read
Presentation Layer in OSI modelPresentation Layer is the 6th layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. This layer is also known as Translation layer, as this layer serves as a data translator for the network. The data which this layer receives from the Application Layer is extracted and manipulated here as per the req
4 min read
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)SSL or Secure Sockets Layer, is an Internet security protocol that encrypts data to keep it safe. It was created by Netscape in 1995 to ensure privacy, authentication, and data integrity in online communications. SSL is the older version of what we now call TLS (Transport Layer Security).Websites us
10 min read
PPTP Full Form - Point-to-Point Tunneling ProtocolPPTP Stands for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol is a widely used networking protocol designed to create a secure private connection over a public network like the internet. It is Developed by Microsoft and other tech companies in the 1990s It is one of the first protocols used for Virtual Private
5 min read
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) ProtocolMIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is a standard used to extend the format of email messages, allowing them to include more than just text. It enables the transmission of multimedia content such as images, audio, video, and attachments, within email messages, as well as other types of cont
4 min read
Application Layer
Application Layer in OSI ModelThe Application Layer of OSI (Open System Interconnection) model, is the top layer in this model and takes care of network communication. The application layer provides the functionality to send and receive data from users. It acts as the interface between the user and the application. The applicati
5 min read
Client-Server ModelThe Client-Server Model is a distributed architecture where clients request services and servers provide them. Clients send requests to servers, which process them and return the results. Clients don’t share resources among themselves but depend on the server. Common examples include email systems a
5 min read
World Wide Web (WWW)The World Wide Web (WWW), often called the Web, is a system of interconnected webpages and information that you can access using the Internet. It was created to help people share and find information easily, using links that connect different pages together. The Web allows us to browse websites, wat
6 min read
Introduction to Electronic MailIntroduction:Electronic mail, commonly known as email, is a method of exchanging messages over the internet. Here are the basics of email:An email address: This is a unique identifier for each user, typically in the format of [email protected] email client: This is a software program used to send,
4 min read
What is a Content Distribution Network and how does it work?Over the last few years, there has been a huge increase in the number of Internet users. YouTube alone has 2 Billion users worldwide, while Netflix has over 160 million users. Streaming content to such a wide demographic of users is no easy task. One can think that a straightforward approach to this
4 min read
Protocols in Application LayerThe Application Layer is the topmost layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. This layer provides several ways for manipulating the data which enables any type of user to access the network with ease. The Application Layer interface directly interacts with the application and provides c
7 min read
Advanced Topics
What is Network Security?Network security is defined as the activity created to protect the integrity of your network and data. Network security is the practice of protecting a computer network from unauthorized access, misuse, or attacks. It involves using tools, technologies, policies and procedures to ensure the confiden
9 min read
Computer Network | Quality of Service and MultimediaQuality of Service (QoS) is an important concept, particularly when working with multimedia applications. Multimedia applications, such as video conferencing, streaming services, and VoIP (Voice over IP), require certain bandwidth, latency, jitter, and packet loss parameters. QoS methods help ensure
7 min read
Authentication in Computer NetworkPrerequisite - Authentication and Authorization Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user or information. User authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user when that user logs in to a computer system. There are different types of authentication systems wh
4 min read
Encryption, Its Algorithms And Its FutureEncryption plays a vital role in today’s digital world, serving a major role in modern cyber security. It involves converting plain text into cipher text, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure from unauthorized access. By making data unreadable to unauthorized parties, encryption helps
10 min read
Introduction of Firewall in Computer NetworkA firewall is a network security device either hardware or software-based which monitors all incoming and outgoing traffic and based on a defined set of security rules it accepts, rejects, or drops that specific traffic. It acts like a security guard that helps keep your digital world safe from unwa
10 min read
MAC Filtering in Computer NetworkThere are two kinds of network Adapters. A wired adapter allows us to set up a connection to a modem or router via Ethernet in a computer whereas a wireless adapter identifies and connects to remote hot spots. Each adapter has a distinct label known as a MAC address which recognizes and authenticate
10 min read
Wi-Fi Standards ExplainedWi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity, and it is developed by an organization called IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) they set standards for the Wi-Fi system. Each Wi-Fi network standard has two parameters : Speed - This is the data transfer rate of the network measured in Mbps
4 min read
What is Bluetooth?Bluetooth is used for short-range wireless voice and data communication. It is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) technology and is used for data communications over smaller distances. This generation changed into being invented via Ericson in 1994. It operates within the unlicensed, business,
6 min read
Generations of wireless communicationWe have made very huge improvements in wireless communication and have expanded the capabilities of our wireless communication system. We all have seen various generations in our life. Let's discuss them one by one. 0th Generation: Pre-cell phone mobile telephony technology, such as radio telephones
2 min read
Cloud NetworkingCloud Networking is a service or science in which a company’s networking procedure is hosted on a public or private cloud. Cloud Computing is source management in which more than one computing resources share an identical platform and customers are additionally enabled to get entry to these resource
11 min read
Practice
Top 50 Plus Networking Interview Questions and Answers for 2024Networking is defined as connected devices that may exchange data or information and share resources. A computer network connects computers to exchange data via a communication media. Computer networking is the most often asked question at leading organizations such Cisco, Accenture, Uber, Airbnb, G
15+ min read
Top 50 TCP/IP Interview Questions and Answers 2025Understanding TCP/IP is essential for anyone working in IT or networking. It's a fundamental part of how the internet and most networks operate. Whether you're just starting or you're looking to move up in your career, knowing TCP/IP inside and out can really give you an edge.In this interview prepa
15+ min read
Top 50 IP Addressing Interview Questions and AnswersIn today’s digital age, every device connected to the internet relies on a unique identifier called an IP Address. If you’re aiming for a career in IT or networking, mastering the concept of IP addresses is crucial. In this engaging blog post, we’ll explore the most commonly asked IP address intervi
15+ min read
Last Minute Notes for Computer NetworksComputer Networks is an important subject in the GATE Computer Science syllabus. It encompasses fundamental concepts like Network Models, Routing Algorithms, Congestion Control, TCP/IP Protocol Suite, and Network Security. These topics are essential for understanding how data is transmitted, managed
14 min read
Computer Network - Cheat SheetA computer network is an interconnected computing device that can exchange data and share resources. These connected devices use a set of rules called communication protocols to transfer information over physical or wireless technology. Modern networks offer more than just connectivity. Enterprises
15+ min read