Dynamically selecting protocols for socket applications

An application enablement method that enables communications applications to run on protocols for which they were not written is discussed. The focus is on a subset of networks and communications application programming interfaces. The communications interface chosen is Berkeley sockets. The network protocols used are SNA (Systems Network Architecture) and TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The running of existing socket applications over SNA networks, which requires support for transparently masking the differences between TCP/IP and SNA from the applications, is described. Protocol selection, address mapping, and connection management are also described.<>