Sockets -Server Architecture

This section describes the architecture of the Sockets Server and the framework -that implements sockets in Symbian platform.

The sockets are similar in concept to Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) -sockets from the University of California at Berkeley. The sockets provide -a generic interface to network level communications protocols for common operations -in network computing. Common operations are:

establish a connection
send data
receive data
configure network protocols

The Sockets Client API provides access to other network facilities. Examples -of network facilities are:

hostname resolution
service resolution
information about protocols
byte manipulation utilities

Required Background

A -working knowledge of socket based communications is recommended in order to -understand how Symbian platform implements sockets.

A knowledge of -the selected protocol is also required if the application is going to set -or get values specific to the protocol. For example, the knowledge is required -to understand the data returned from RSocketServ::GetProtocolInfo(). -The knowledge is also required if the application sets Quality -of Service (QoS) values.

Key Concepts/Terms

The -Sockets Server starts when Symbian platform starts, and receives requests -for socket based communications. If a request is received for a particular -protocol, the Sockets Server loads the appropriate protocol modules to handle -that request.

Architectural -relationships

The Sockets Server provides a generic client interface, -and a server to which particular protocol modules can be plugged in. A client -uses a particular protocol by supplying protocol-specific parameters to Sockets -API functions.

- Figure 1 - The Socket Server's position in the Communications - Framework Architecture. - -

The TCP/IP API enables clients to use sockets for TCP/IP, including -UDP, TCP, ICMP, IPv4, IPv6, ARP, and DNS.

The IrDA Sockets API enables -clients to use sockets for IrDA infra-red.

The Bluetooth Sockets API -enables clients to use sockets for Bluetooth.

The SMS PRT API provides -the GSM SMS Protocol stack and the WAP protocol stack over SMS.

+ + + + + +Sockets +Server Architecture +

This section describes the architecture of the Sockets Server and the framework +that implements sockets in Symbian platform.

The sockets are similar in concept to Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) +sockets from the University of California at Berkeley. The sockets provide +a generic interface to network level communications protocols for common operations +in network computing. Common operations are:

establish a connection
send data
receive data
configure network protocols

The Sockets Client API provides access to other network facilities. Examples +of network facilities are:

hostname resolution
service resolution
information about protocols
byte manipulation utilities

Required Background

A +working knowledge of socket based communications is recommended in order to +understand how Symbian platform implements sockets.

A knowledge of +the selected protocol is also required if the application is going to set +or get values specific to the protocol. For example, the knowledge is required +to understand the data returned from RSocketServ::GetProtocolInfo(). +The knowledge is also required if the application sets Quality +of Service (QoS) values.

Key Concepts/Terms

The +Sockets Server starts when Symbian platform starts, and receives requests +for socket based communications. If a request is received for a particular +protocol, the Sockets Server loads the appropriate protocol modules to handle +that request.

Architectural +relationships

The Sockets Server provides a generic client interface, +and a server to which particular protocol modules can be plugged in. A client +uses a particular protocol by supplying protocol-specific parameters to Sockets +API functions.

+ Figure 1 - The Socket Server's position in the Communications + Framework Architecture. + +

The TCP/IP API enables clients to use sockets for TCP/IP, including +UDP, TCP, ICMP, IPv4, IPv6, ARP, and DNS.

The IrDA Sockets API enables +clients to use sockets for IrDA infra-red.

The Bluetooth Sockets API +enables clients to use sockets for Bluetooth.

The SMS PRT API provides +the GSM SMS Protocol stack and the WAP protocol stack over SMS.

\ No newline at end of file