📡Systems Approach to Computer Networks Unit 6 – Network Application Principles

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Network applications enable communication and data exchange between devices over a network
• Application layer resides at the top of the OSI model and interacts directly with the user
• Protocols define the rules and formats for data exchange between applications (HTTP, FTP, SMTP)
• Sockets provide an interface for applications to send and receive data over the network
• APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow applications to access network services and resources
• Latency measures the delay in data transmission between the source and destination
• Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection per unit of time
  • Typically measured in bits per second (bps), megabits per second (Mbps), or gigabits per second (Gbps)

Network Application Architecture

• Client-server architecture consists of clients requesting services from a central server
  • Clients initiate requests and servers respond with the requested data or service
  • Examples include web browsers (clients) and web servers, email clients and email servers
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture allows nodes to act as both clients and servers, directly sharing resources
  • Decentralized approach eliminates the need for a central server
  • P2P networks are scalable and resilient, as nodes can join and leave the network dynamically (BitTorrent)
• Hybrid architectures combine elements of client-server and P2P models for specific use cases
• Layered architecture separates application functionality into modular components
  • Presentation layer handles data formatting and encryption
  • Application layer implements application-specific logic and protocols
• Service-oriented architecture (SOA) enables applications to expose and consume services over a network

Client-Server vs Peer-to-Peer Models

• Client-server model relies on a centralized server to provide services to clients
  • Server manages and coordinates access to shared resources (databases, files)
  • Clients send requests to the server and receive responses
• Peer-to-peer model allows nodes to directly communicate and share resources without a central server
  • Each node can act as both a client and a server, requesting and providing services
• Client-server advantages include centralized control, scalability, and simplified management
  • Server can handle authentication, authorization, and data consistency
• Peer-to-peer advantages include improved resource utilization, fault tolerance, and reduced server load
  • P2P networks can efficiently distribute large files and handle high traffic loads (file sharing, video streaming)
• Client-server model is well-suited for applications requiring centralized control and data consistency (web, email)
• Peer-to-peer model is effective for applications with distributed resources and high scalability needs (content distribution, collaboration)

Application Layer Protocols

• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the foundation of data exchange on the World Wide Web
  • Client-server protocol that allows web browsers to request and receive web pages from servers
  • Supports methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE for different types of requests
• FTP (File Transfer Protocol) enables file transfer between a client and a server
  • Uses separate control and data connections for reliable file transfer
• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending email messages between servers
  • Clients use SMTP to send emails to their outgoing mail server, which then relays the messages to the recipient's mail server
• POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) are used for retrieving email messages from a server
  • POP3 downloads messages to the client, while IMAP allows remote access and management of emails on the server
• DNS (Domain Name System) protocol translates domain names to IP addresses
  • Hierarchical distributed database that maps human-readable domain names to machine-readable IP addresses
• RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) is used for delivering audio and video content over IP networks
  • Provides end-to-end delivery services for real-time data, such as timestamps and sequence numbers

Socket Programming Basics

• Sockets provide a programming interface for network communication between applications
• A socket is an endpoint for sending and receiving data across a network
• Sockets are identified by a unique combination of IP address and port number
• Socket programming involves creating a socket, binding it to a specific address and port, and then sending or receiving data
• Server applications create a socket, bind it to a well-known address and port, and listen for incoming connections
  • Once a client connects, the server accepts the connection and creates a new socket for communication with that client
• Client applications create a socket and connect to the server's address and port
  • After establishing a connection, the client can send requests and receive responses from the server
• Socket APIs are available in most programming languages (Java, Python, C++)
  • Common socket functions include

    socket()

    ,

    bind()

    ,

    listen()

    ,

    accept()

    ,

    connect()

    ,

    send()

    , and

    recv()

• Sockets can use different transport protocols, such as TCP (reliable, connection-oriented) or UDP (unreliable, connectionless)

Web and HTTP Deep Dive

• HTTP is an application-layer protocol that enables communication between web browsers and servers
• HTTP follows a request-response model, where the client sends a request and the server responds
• HTTP requests consist of a method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), headers, and an optional body
  • GET requests retrieve resources from the server
  • POST requests submit data to be processed by the server
  • PUT requests upload a resource to the server
  • DELETE requests remove a resource from the server
• HTTP responses include a status code, headers, and an optional body containing the requested resource
  • Status codes indicate the result of the request (200 OK, 404 Not Found, 500 Internal Server Error)
• HTTP is a stateless protocol, meaning each request is independent and does not retain information from previous requests
  • Cookies and sessions are used to maintain state across multiple requests
• HTTPS (HTTP Secure) adds a security layer to HTTP by encrypting the communication between the client and server
  • Uses SSL/TLS protocols to establish a secure connection and protect sensitive data
• RESTful APIs (Representational State Transfer) are built on top of HTTP and provide a standard way for web services to communicate
  • Resources are identified by URLs, and HTTP methods are used to perform actions on those resources
• WebSocket is a protocol that enables full-duplex communication between a client and server over a single TCP connection
  • Allows real-time, bidirectional communication without the overhead of HTTP request-response cycles

Email Protocols: SMTP, POP3, IMAP

• Email communication relies on several protocols working together to send, receive, and manage email messages
• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending email messages between servers
  • Clients use SMTP to send emails to their outgoing mail server (usually port 25 or 587)
  • The outgoing mail server then relays the message to the recipient's mail server using SMTP
• POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) is used for retrieving email messages from a server
  • Clients connect to their incoming mail server (usually port 110) and download new messages
  • POP3 typically deletes the messages from the server after they are downloaded to the client
• IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is an alternative to POP3 for retrieving email messages
  • IMAP (usually port 143) allows clients to access and manage their emails directly on the server
  • Clients can search, organize, and delete messages without downloading them to their local device
• MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is a standard for encoding non-text attachments in email messages
  • Allows sending images, audio, video, and other file types as email attachments
• Secure variants of these protocols (SMTPS, POP3S, IMAPS) use SSL/TLS encryption to protect the communication between clients and servers

DNS: The Internet's Directory Service

• DNS (Domain Name System) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, and other resources connected to the Internet
• Translates human-readable domain names (www.example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (192.0.2.1)
• Distributed database consisting of a hierarchy of name servers
  • Root servers, top-level domain (TLD) servers, and authoritative servers
• DNS resolution process involves querying multiple name servers to obtain the IP address associated with a domain name
  • Client sends a query to its local DNS resolver
  • Resolver recursively queries the root, TLD, and authoritative servers until it receives the IP address
  • Resolver caches the response to improve performance for subsequent queries
• DNS supports various record types, including:
  • A records (IPv4 address)
  • AAAA records (IPv6 address)
  • CNAME records (canonical name, used for aliasing)
  • MX records (mail exchange, specifies email servers)
• DNS security extensions (DNSSEC) add authentication and integrity to DNS responses, preventing spoofing and cache poisoning attacks

Content Distribution Networks (CDNs)

• CDNs are geographically distributed networks of servers that deliver content to users based on their location
• Goal is to improve performance, scalability, and availability of web applications and content delivery
• CDNs cache static content (images, videos, CSS, JavaScript) on servers closer to the end-users
  • Reduces latency and network congestion by serving content from a nearby server
• CDN providers have points of presence (PoPs) in multiple locations worldwide
  • Each PoP consists of a cluster of servers that cache and serve content
• When a user requests content from a website using a CDN, the request is redirected to the nearest PoP
  • If the content is cached at that PoP, it is served directly to the user
  • If the content is not cached, the PoP retrieves it from the origin server, caches it, and then serves it to the user
• CDNs use various techniques to route requests to the optimal PoP, such as:
  • Anycast routing: Multiple servers share the same IP address, and the request is routed to the nearest server
  • DNS-based routing: DNS resolves the domain name to the IP address of the nearest PoP
• Benefits of CDNs include reduced load on origin servers, improved website performance, and better user experience
  • CDNs can also provide additional features like DDoS protection, SSL/TLS termination, and content optimization

Emerging Trends and Future Directions

• Serverless computing: A cloud computing model where the cloud provider manages the infrastructure and automatically allocates resources based on the application's needs
  • Developers focus on writing code without worrying about server management and scaling
  • Examples include AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, and Azure Functions
• Edge computing: Moving computation and data storage closer to the end-users or the source of data
  • Reduces latency and bandwidth usage by processing data at the edge of the network
  • Enables real-time applications, IoT, and 5G networks
• WebAssembly (Wasm): A low-level, assembly-like language that runs in web browsers
  • Allows running high-performance, near-native code in the browser, enabling complex applications and games
  • Supports multiple programming languages (C, C++, Rust) and can be used alongside JavaScript
• QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections): A new transport protocol developed by Google, aimed at improving performance and security
  • Built on top of UDP, with features like multiplexing, zero-round-trip connection establishment, and encryption by default
  • Designed to replace TCP and improve the performance of HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
• WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication): Enables real-time, peer-to-peer communication between web browsers
  • Allows audio, video, and data sharing without the need for plugins or third-party software
  • Supports use cases like video conferencing, remote collaboration, and peer-to-peer file sharing
• Decentralized applications (dApps): Applications that run on a decentralized network, such as a blockchain or peer-to-peer network
  • Eliminates the need for a central authority or server, providing increased security, transparency, and resilience
  • Examples include decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized exchanges, and decentralized social networks