UC Santa Cruz

Today's socket API requires an application to bind a socket to a transport-layer identifier (e.g., TCP80) and network-layer identifier (e.g., an IP address). These early bindings create significant bottlenecks, reliability issues, and force applications to manage complex lower-layer issues. Many approaches have been proposed to address these problems; however, all of them introduce additional identifiers, modify applications, or require additional protocols in the protocol stack. We introduce HIDRA (Hidden Identifiers for Demultiplexing and Resolution Architecture), an approach based on hidden identifiers used internally at end systems and intermediate systems. HIDRA enables sockets to evolve with the Internet by hiding all mobility, multihoming, and multiplexing issues from applications; does not induce significant overhead in the protocol stack; preserves backwards compatibility with today's Internet and applications; and does not require or preclude any additional identifiers or protocols to be used in the protocol stack.