Interprocess Communication in Distributed Systems (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 23 Mar, 2026

Interprocess Communication (IPC) enables processes running on different network machines to exchange data and coordinate their operations.

• Occurs between processes located on separate physical nodes
• Relies on network protocols for data transmission
• Supports interaction among independent system components

IPC

Need and Core Communication Characteristics of IPC

• Used to share memory directly for the processes that run on different machines.
• Each communication process is identified using a unique endpoint.
• Depends on message-based communication to coordinate tasks across multiple nodes.
• Data must be serialized into a transferable format before being transmitted over the network.
• Communication can be synchronous or asynchronous, depending on system design.

IPC Mechanisms Used in Distributed Systems

1. Message Passing

It is a communication mechanism in which processes exchange information by sending and receiving structured messages over a network.

• Processes communicate without sharing memory.
• It supports both synchronous and asynchronous operations.
• Messages contain data along with control information.
• It is the fundamental communication model in distributed systems.

2. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

This is a mechanism that allows a process to invoke a function on a remote machine as if it were a local procedure call.

• It follows a request–response communication model.
• The system handles parameter conversion and message formatting automatically.
• It hides low-level networking complexity from developers.
• It simplifies client–server application development.
• It is widely used in distributed services and microservices.

3. Sockets

It is a network communication endpoint that enables data exchange between applications running on different machines.

• It operates over transport protocols such as TCP or UDP.
• UDP sockets provide faster but connectionless communication.
• Applications must manage connections and data transfer explicitly.
• It is commonly used in web servers and network applications.

4. Message Queuing

It is a communication mechanism where messages are stored in a queue until they are processed by the receiving application.

• It enables asynchronous communication between components.
• Messages remain stored until successfully delivered.
• It improves system reliability and fault tolerance.
• It supports load distribution among multiple consumers.

5. Publish–Subscribe Model

This is a messaging pattern where publishers send messages to topics, and subscribers receive messages based on their topic subscriptions.

• Messages are organized into logical categories called topics.
• Multiple subscribers can receive the same message.
• It supports dynamic addition of publishers and subscribers.
• It enhances scalability in distributed systems

Advantages

• Allows the development of distributed applications where components work across different machines.
• It make system scalable by adding new nodes and services without redesigning the complete system.
• Distributes workload by allowing tasks to proceed on different machines simultaneously.
• Maintains and deploys system components without affecting the complete system.

Disadvantages

• Message transmission and system responsiveness can be slow down due to network latency and limited bandwidth.
• Coordination between processes is disrupted due to message loss, duplication or node crash.
• Securing transmitted data is necessary to prevent unauthorized access, interception, or tampering.
• Due to concurrent operations, data consistency in multiple nodes may be disturbed.

Applications

• A web client sends a request to a remote application server through the network.
• The server receives the request and forwards it to the appropriate service or process for execution.
• The requested operation, such as fetching data from a database, is performed on the server machine.
• The processed result is converted into a transferable format and prepared for transmission.
• The response is sent back over the network to the client, which then displays or uses the received data.