Socket Protocols
A protocol is a standard set of rules for transferring data, such as UDP/IP and TCP/IP. An application program can specify a protocol only if more than one protocol is supported for this particular socket type in this domain.
Each socket can have a specific protocol associated with it. This protocol is used within the domain to provide the semantics required by the socket type. Not all socket types are supported by each domain; support depends on the existence and implementation of a suitable protocol within the domain.
The /usr/include/sys/socket.h file contains a list of socket
protocol families. The following list provides examples of protocol
families (PF) found in the socket header file:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| PF_UNIX | Local communication |
| PF_INET | Internet (TCP/IP) |
| PF_NDD | The operating system NDD |
These protocols are defined to be the same as their corresponding
address families in the socket header file. Before specifying
a protocol family, the programmer should check the socket header
file for currently supported protocol families. Each protocol family
consists of a set of protocols. Major protocols in the suite of Internet
Network Protocols include:
Read more about these protocols in "Internet Transport-Level Protocols" in AIX® Version 7.1 Networks and communication management.