Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

Learn about RPC

step 1

identify machine hosting the call

step 2

collect parameters

step 3

marshal into wire format

step 4

form into a message (then pass through middleware)

step 5

receive message

step 6

unmarshal parameters

step 7

make local call

step 8

marshal return value and send back to middleware

step 9

unmarshal result and return to caller

rpc goal 1

reuse familiar ideas

rpc goal 2

encourage the use of distribution

rpc goal 3

abstract all the difficult bits, allow specialised programmers to code all the low-level services

rpc goal 4

allow application programmers to focus on what they’re good at (app logic)

rpc difficulty 1

the call can fail while the caller remains running

rpc difficulty 2

can’t reliably detect failure - has something died or is the network just slow?

rpc difficulty 3

can’t pass by reference, so not all host language types are available