Client-

Client-server paradigm
Client:
application

initiates contact with server transport
network
data link
(“speaks first”) physical

typically requests service request

Socket Programming from server,

for Web, client is
implemented in browser; for
e-mail, in mail reader
reply
Server:
Srinidhi Varadarajan
provides requested service application
transport
to client network
data link
physical

e.g., Web server sends
requested Web page, mail
server delivers e-mail

Application Layer Programming

Socket Interface. What is it?
API: application programming interface

Gives a file system like abstraction to the

defines interface between application and capabilities of the network.
transport layer

Each transport protocol offers a set of

sockets: Internet API services. The socket API provides the
– two processes communicate by sending data abstraction to access these services
into socket, reading data out of socket

The API defines function calls to create,
close, read and write to/from a socket.

Socket Abstraction What do you need for socket communication ?

The socket is the basic abstraction for network

Basically 4 parameters
communication in the socket API
– Defines an endpoint of communication for a process – Source Identifier (IP address)
– Operating system maintains information about the – Source Port
socket and its connection – Destination Identifier
– Application references the socket for sends, receives,
etc. – Destination Port

Network
In the socket API, this information is

Process Process
A B communicated by binding the socket.

Ports (Sockets)

Application Layer 1
 Creating a socket Binding a socket
int socket(int domain, int type, int protocol) int bind (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int addr_len)

Protocol Family: Usually
This call is executed by:

PF_INET or UNSPEC
PF_UNIX – Server in TCP and UDP

Communication
semantics:
It binds the socket to the specified address. The
SOCK_STREAM or address parameter specifies the local component
SOCK_DGRAM
of the address, e.g. IP address and UDP/TCP port

The call returns a integer identifier called a

handle

Socket Descriptors
Socket Descriptors Socket Socket Data
Descriptor Structure

Operating system maintains a set of Table proto family:
socket descriptors for each process 0: PF_INET
Address Data
– Note that socket descriptors are shared 1: service: Structure
by threads 2: SOCK_STREAM
address family:
.. local address:

Three data structures . AF_INET

– Socket descriptor table remote address: host IP:

128.173.88.85
– Socket data structure ..
. port:
– Address data structure 80

TCP Server Side: Listen TCP Server Side: Passive Open

int listen (int socket, int backlog) int accept (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int *addr_len)

This call is executed by the server.

This server side call specifies the number
of pending connections on the given
socket.
The call does not return until a remote
client has established a connection.

When the server is processing a
connection, “backlog” number of
When it completes, it returns a new socket
connections may be pending in a queue. handle corresponding to the just-
established connection

Application Layer 2
 TCP Client Side: Active Open Sockets: Summary
int connect (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int *addr_len)
Client:
int socket(int domain, int type, int protocol)

This call is executed by the client. *address
int connect (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int addr_len)
contains the remote address.

The call attempts to connect the socket to a
Server:

server. It does not return until a connection has int socket(int domain, int type, int protocol)
been established. int bind (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int addr_len)
int listen (int socket, int backlog)

When the call completes, the socket “socket” is int accept (int socket, struct sockaddr *address, int *addr_len)
connected and ready for communication.

Summary of Basic Socket Calls

Message Passing CLIENT Connect SERVER
(3-way handshake)

int send (int socket, char *message, int msg_len, int connect() accept()
flags) (TCP)

new connection

int sendto (int socket, void *msg, int len, int
flags, struct sockaddr * to, Data
int tolen ); (UDP) write() read()

int write(int socket, void *msg, int len); /* TCP */

read() Data write()

int recv (int socket, char *buffer, int buf_len, int
flags) (TCP)

int recvfrom(int socket, void *msg, int len, int
flags, struct sockaddr *from, int close() close()
*fromlen); (UDP)

int read(int socket, void *msg, int len); (TCP)

Network Byte Order Some Other “Utility” Functions

gethostname() -- get name of local host

Network byte order is most-significant

getpeername() -- get address of remote
byte first
host

Byte ordering at a host may differ

getsockname() -- get local address of

Utility functions socket
– htons(): Host-to-network byte order for a short
word (2 bytes)
getXbyY() -- get protocol, host, or service
– htonl(): Host-to-network byte order for a long number using known number, address, or
word (4 bytes) port, respectively
– ntohs(): Network-to-host byte order for a short
getsockopt() -- get current socket options
word
setsockopt() -- set socket options
– ntohl(): Network-to-host byte order for a long
word
ioctl() -- retrieve or set socket information

Application Layer 3
 Address Data Structures
Some Other “Utility” Functions
struct sockaddr {
u_short sa_family; // type of address

inet_addr() -- convert “dotted” char sa_data[14]; // value of address
}
character string form of IP address to
internal binary form
sockaddr is a generic address structure

inet_ntoa() -- convert internal binary struct sockaddr_in {

form of IP address to “dotted” u_short sa_family; // type of address (AF_INET)
u_short sa_port; // protocol port number
character string form struct in_addr sin_addr; // IP address
char sin_zero[8]; // unused (set to zero)
}

sockaddr_in is specific instance for the Internet address
family

Application Layer 4