IPC (Interprocess communication) is a feature in LAN Manager that allows different computers or network applications to share data. The concept of “pipes” in Unix was initially used to refer to IPC.
Understanding Interprocess Communication (IPC) and Pipes
Interprocess communication (IPC) is a crucial feature in computer networking. It enables different applications and software programs running on different computers or over a network to share data and exchange information. IPC is necessary for various functions, such as remote procedure calls, network file sharing, and distributed computing.
IPC in LAN Manager
In LAN Manager, IPC is a feature that enables data sharing between different applications running on different computers over a network. The LAN Manager is a Microsoft product that was initially released in 1990 as a network operating system.
The IPC feature in LAN Manager provides a way for applications to communicate with each other by exchanging messages. It acts as a bridge that connects different applications and enables them to share resources and data without having to know each other’s implementation details.
For example, a spreadsheet software running on one computer can use IPC to communicate with a database software running on another computer. The spreadsheet program can send a message to the database program asking for specific data, and the database program can respond to the request by sending the requested data back to the spreadsheet program.
Pipes in Unix
In Unix, the term “pipe” was first used to refer to interprocess communication. A pipe is a mechanism that enables two processes to communicate by connecting the standard output of one process with the standard input of another process.
For example, consider a scenario where a user wants to list all the files in a directory and then save it in a file. The user can use the pipe mechanism to achieve this by using the following command:
ls -al | tee file.txt
In this command, the output of the “ls -al” command is piped into the “tee” command, which saves the output to a file and also displays it on the console. By using pipes, the user can chain multiple commands together and create powerful shell scripts.
Conclusion
Interprocess communication and pipe mechanisms are critical features that enable different applications and software programs to communicate and share data with each other. While IPC is commonly used in LAN Manager and other network operating systems, pipes are popular in Unix-based systems as a way to chain commands together and create powerful shell scripts.
Understanding how IPC and pipes work is essential for developers and system administrators who work with networked systems and computer networks. It enables them to create efficient and optimized systems that can efficiently share data and resources between different applications and computers.
