UNIT VI

WWW, HTTP, WAP- WIRELESS APPLICATION PROTOCOL

6.1 WWW
World Wide Web (WWW) is a repository of information linked together from points all over the world. The
WWW today is a distributed client/server service, in which a client using a browser can access a service using
a server. However, the service provided is distributed over many locations called sites.
Main Components of WWW
 Client (Browser)
 Server
 Uniform Resource Locator
 Cookies
Architecture of WWW

• Each site holds one or more documents, referred to as Web pages.

• Each Web page can contain a link to other pages in the same site or at other sites.
• The pages can be retrieved and viewed by using browsers.
• For Example : client needs to see some information that it knows belongs to site A.
• It sends a request through its browser, a program that is designed to fetch Web documents.
• The request, among other information, includes the address of the site and the Web page, called the URL.
• The server at site A finds the document and sends it to the client. When the user views the document, she finds
some references to other documents, including a Web page at site B.
• The reference has the URL for the new site.
• The user is also interested in seeing this document.
• The client sends another request to the new site, and the new page is retrieved.
6.1.1 Client (Browser)
A variety of commercial browsers are available that interpret and display a Web document.
Each browser usually consists of three parts:
 Controller: The controller receives input from the keyboard or the mouse and uses the client
programs to access the document. After the document has been accessed, the controller uses one of
the interpreters to display the document on the screen.
 Protocols: The client protocol can be protocols like FTP or HTTP.
 Interpreter: The interpreter can be HTML, Java, or JavaScript, depending on the type of document.
6.1.2. Server
 The Web page is stored at the server. Each time a client request arrives, the corresponding document
is sent to the client.
 To improve efficiency, servers normally store requested files in a cache in memory; memory is faster
to access than disk.
 A server can also become more efficient through multithreading or multiprocessing where the server
can answer more than one request at a time.
6.1.3. Uniform Resource Locator
 A client that wants to access a Web page needs the address
 To access the documents distributed throughout the world, HTTP uses locators.
 The uniform resource locator (URL) is a standard for specifying any kind of information on the
Internet.
 URL defines four things:
 Protocol
 host computer
 Port
 Path

Fig. - URL

 The protocol is the client/server program used to retrieve the document. Eg: FTP, HTTP.
 The host is the computer on which the information is located, the name of the computer can be an
alias.
 Host can be any name given to the computer that hosts the Web page. (optionally begins with www)
 The URL can optionally contain the port number of the server. If the port is included, it is inserted
between the host and the path, and it is separated from the host by a colon.
 Path is the pathname of the file where the information is located. Note that the path can itself contain
slashes to separate the directories from the subdirectories and files.
6.1.4. Cookies- Creation and Storage of Cookies
Steps involved in creation and storage of Cookies
 When a server receives a request from a client, it stores information about the client in a file or a
string. The information may include the domain name of the client, the contents of the cookie, a
timestamp, and other information depending on the implementation.
 The server includes the cookie in the response that it sends to the client.
 When the client receives the response, the browser stores the cookie in the cookie directory, which is
sorted by the domain server name.
Using Cookies
 When a client sends a request to a server, the browser looks in the cookie directory to see if it can
find a cookie sent by that server.
 If found, the cookie is included in the request. When the server receives the request, it knows that this
is an old client, not a new one.
 Note that the contents of the cookie are never read by the browser or disclosed to the user. It is a
cookie made by the server and eaten by the server.
Cookies Usage Case Scenarios
 Scenario 1 Site services available to only registered users.
The site that restricts access to registered clients only sends a cookie to the client when the client
registers for the first time. For any repeated access, only those clients that send the appropriate cookie are
allowed.
 Scenario 2 :
An electronic store (e-commerce) can use a cookie for its client shoppers. When a client selects an item and
inserts it into a cart, a cookie that contains information about the item, such as its number and unit price, is
sent to the browser. If the client selects a second item, the cookie is updated with the new selection
information and so on. When the client finishes shopping and wants to check out, the last cookie is retrieved
and the total charge is calculated.
 Scenario 3 :
A Web portal - When a user selects her favorite pages, a cookie is made and sent. If the site is accessed again,
the cookie is sent to the server to show what the client is looking for.
 Scenario 4 :
Used by advertising agencies. An advertising agency can place banner ads on some main website that is often
visited by users. The advertising agency supplies only a URL that gives the banner address instead of the
banner itself. When a user visits the main website and clicks on the icon of an advertised corporation, a
request is sent to the advertising agency. The advertising agency sends the banner, a GIF file, for example,
but it also includes a cookie with the will of the user. Any future use of the banners ads to the database that
profiles the Web behavior of the user. The advertising agency has compiled the interests of the user and can
sell this information to other parties. This use of cookies has made them very controversial and some new
regulations needed to be devised to preserve the privacy of users.

6.2. Web Documents

The documents in the WWW can be grouped into three broad categories: static, dynamic, and active. The
category is based on the time at which the contents of the document are determined.
 Static Documents
 Dynamic Documents
 Active Documents
6.2.1. Static documents
 Static documents are fixed-content documents that are created and stored in a server.
 The client can get only a copy of the document, the contents of the file are determined when
the file is created, not when it is used.
 The contents in the server can be changed, but the user cannot change them.

6.2.1.2. HTML
HTML Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a language for creating Web pages. Data for a
Web page are formatted for interpretation by a browser.
Eg: <B> This is the text to be boldfaced.</B>
The two tags <B> and </B> are instructions for the browser. When the browser sees these two
marks, it knows that the text must be boldfaced.
HTML allows us to embed formatting instructions in the file itself. The instructions are included
with the text
A Web page is made up of two parts: the head and the body. The head is the first part of a Web
page. The head contains the title of the page and other parameters that the browser will use. The
actual contents of a page are in the body, which includes the text and the tags. Whereas the text is
the actual information contained in a page, the tags define the appearance of the document. Every
HTML tag is a name followed by an optional list of attributes, all enclosed between less-than and
greater-than symbols
< TagNarne Attribute = Value Attribute = Value ••• >
6.2.2. Dynamic documents
 A dynamic document is created by a Web server whenever a browser requests the
document.
 When a request arrives, the Web server runs an application program or a script that creates
the dynamic document.
 The server returns the output of the program or script as a response to the browser that
requested the document.
 A fresh document is created for each request, the contents of a dynamic document can vary
from one request to another.
 A very simple example of a dynamic document is the retrieval of the time and date from a
server. Time and date are kinds of information that are dynamic in that they change from
moment to moment. The client can ask the server to run a program such as the date program
in UNIX and send the result of the program to the client.
Technologies used for Dynamic documents:
 Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
 Scripting Technologies for Dynamic Documents

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) - creates and handles dynamic documents. CGI is a set of
standards that defines how a dynamic document is written, how data are input to the program, and
how the output result is used.
 CGI defines a set of rules that are common to any language or platform.
 CGI can access other resources such as databases, graphical packages, and so on.
 There is a set of predefined terms, variables, calls, and so on that can be used in any CGI
program.
 Input When a program is executed, parameters can be passed to the program and provides
generic execution for different parameters.
 Output The whole idea of CGI is to execute a CGI program at the server site and send the
output to the client (browser). The output is usually plain text or a text with HTML
structures; however, the output can be a variety of other things. It can be graphics
 or binary data, a status code, instructions to the browser to cache the result, or instructions
 to the server to send an existing document instead of the actual output and information about
output is in headers
 CGI program always consists of two parts: a header and a body.
 The header is separated by a blank line from the body.
Scripting Technologies for Dynamic Documents
 The problem with CGI technology is the inefficiency that results if part of the dynamic
document that is to be created is fixed and not changing from request to request.
  A few technologies like JSP, PHP, ASP, etc. have been involved in creating dynamic
documents using scripts.
 Dynamic documents are sometimes referred to as server-site dynamic documents.

6.2.3. Active documents

 Active documents contain a program or a script to be run at the client site.
 Eg: creation of animated graphics on the screen or a program that interacts with the user.
 The program definitely needs to be run at the client site where the animation or interaction
takes place.
 When a browser requests an active document, the server sends a copy of the document or a
script. The document is then run at the client (browser) site.
Active Documents are created using
 JAVA Applets
 JavaScript

Java Applets
 Java allows a programmer to write an active document (an applet) and a browser to run it.
 An applet is a program written in Java on the server.
 It can also be a stand-alone program that doesn't use a browser.
 It is compiled and ready to be run.
 The document is in byte-code (binary) format.
 The client process (browser) creates an instance of this applet and runs it.
 A Java applet can be run by the browser in two ways.
 In the first method, the browser can directly request the Java applet program in the URL and
receive the applet in binary form.
 In the second method, the browser can retrieve and run an HTML file that has embedded the
address of the applet as a tag.
JavaScript
 The idea of scripts in dynamic documents can also be used for active documents.
 If the active part of the document is small, it can be written in a scripting language; then it
can be interpreted and run by the client at the same time.
 The script is in source code (text) and not in binary form.
 The scripting technology used in this case is usually JavaScript.
 JavaScript, which bears a small resemblance to Java, is a very high level scripting language
developed for this purpose.
Active documents are sometimes referred to as client-site dynamic documents.
6.3. HTTP
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a protocol used mainly to access data on the World Wide Web.
HTTP functions as a combination of FTP and SMTP.
Main concepts
HTTP Transaction
Persistent Versus Non-Persistent Connection
Proxy Server

Relation between HTTP & FTP :

• HTTP is similar to FTP because it transfers files and uses the services of TCP.
• It is much simpler than FTP because it uses only one TCP connection.
• There is no separate control connection, only data are transferred between the client and the server.
Relation between HTTP & SMTP :
• HTTP is like SMTP because the data transferred between the client and the server look like SMTP
messages.
• In addition, the format of the messages is controlled by MIME-like headers.
 • Unlike SMTP, the HTTP messages are not destined to be read by humans; they are read and
interpreted by the HTTP server and HTTP client (browser).
• SMTP messages are stored and forwarded, but HTTP messages are delivered immediately.
• The commands from the client to the server are embedded in a request message.
• The contents of the requested file or other information are embedded in a response message. HTTP
uses the services of TCP on well-known port 80.
6.3.1. HTTP Transaction
• The HTTP transaction is in between the client and server.
• Although HTTP uses the services of TCP, HTTP itself is a stateless protocol.
• The client initializes the transaction by sending a request message.
• The server replies by sending a response.

Fig. HTTP transaction

6.3.1.1. Messages used in HTTP are two types request & response.
• The formats of the request and response messages are similar
• A request message consists of
• request line
• header
• body (optional)
• A response message consists of
• status line
• header
• body(optional)

Fig. Request and response messages formats

6.3.1.2. Request and Status Lines:

The first line in a request message is called a request line.
The first line in the response message is called the status line.
There is one common field
 Fig. Request and Status Lines

Request line contains the following:

Request type: This field is used in the request message. several request types are defined in HTTP. The
request type is categorized into methods as defined in Table 27.1.
Request Type Methods

URL : ( Universal Resource Locator)

Status line contains the following:
Status code: (given in Table 27.2) Used in the response message. It consists of three digits.
Codes in the 100 range - Informational
Codes in the 200 range - Successful request
Codes in the 300 range - Redirect the client to another URL Codes in the 400 range - Indicate
error at the client site
Codes in the 500 range - Indicate an error at the server site.
Status phrase: Used in the response message. It explains the status code in text form.
Common in both Request and Status lines:
Version: current version of HTTP.
6.3.1.3. Header format
Header: The header exchanges additional information between the client and the server.
The header can consist of one or more header lines.
Each header line has a header name, a colon, a space, and a header value

A header line belongs to one of four categories:

 General Header
 Request Header
 Response Header
 Entity Header.
A request messages contain general, request, and entity headers.
A response messages contain general, response, and entity headers.

General header gives general information about the message and can be present in both a request and a
response.

Fig. General headers

Request header can be present only in a request message and it specifies the client's configuration and the
client's preferred document format.
Fig. Request headers

Response header can be present only in a response message. It specifies the server's configuration and
special information about the request.

Fig. Response Headers

Entity header gives information about the body of the document may appear in both response and request
messages.

Fig. Entity headers

6.3.1.4. Body
Body can be present in a request or response message. Usually, it contains the document to be sent or
received.
This example retrieves a document. We use the GET method to retrieve an image with the path
/usr/bin/image1. The request line shows the method (GET), the URL, and the HTTP version (1.1). The header
has two lines that show that the client can accept images in the GIF or JPEG format. The request does not
have a body. The response message contains the status line and four lines of header. The header lines define
the date, server, MIME version, and length of the document. The body of the document follows the header
(see Figure 27.16).

6.3.2. Persistent Versus Non-Persistent Connection

HTTP version 1.1 specifies a persistent connection by default. Earlier versions of HTTP are non-persistent
connections.
Non-persistent Connection
 In a non-persistent connection, one TCP connection is made for each request/response.
 In this strategy, for N different pictures in different files, the connection must be opened and closed N
times.
 The non-persistent strategy imposes high overhead on the server because the server needs N different
buffers and requires a slow start procedure each time a connection is opened.
The following lists the steps in this strategy:
1. The client opens a TCP connection and sends a request.
2. The server sends the response and closes the connection.
3. The client reads the data until it encounters an end-of-file marker; it then closes the connection.
Persistent Connection
 In a persistent connection, the server leaves the connection open for more requests after sending a
response.
 The server can close the connection at the request of a client or if a time-out has been reached.
 The sender usually sends the length of the data with each response.
 When the sender does not know the length of the data may be when a document is created
dynamically or actively, then the server informs the client that the length is not known and closes the
connection after sending the data so the client knows that the end of the data has been reached.
6.3.3. Proxy Server
 HTTP supports proxy servers.
 A proxy server is a computer that keeps copies of responses to recent requests.
 The HTTP client sends a request to the proxy server. The proxy server checks its cache. If the
response is not stored in the cache, the proxy server sends the request to the corresponding server.
 Incoming responses are sent to the proxy server and stored for future requests from other clients.
 The proxy server reduces the load on the original server, decreases traffic, and improves latency.
 However, to use the proxy server, the client must be configured to access the proxy instead of the
target server.
6.4.WAP
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is a specification for a set of communication protocols to standardize
the way that wireless devices, such as cellular telephones and radio transceivers, can be used for Internet
access, including e-mail, the World Wide Web, newsgroups, and instant messaging.
WAP was conceived by four companies: Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Unwired Planet (now Phone.com).
The basic aim of WAP is to provide a web-like experience on small portable devices - like mobile phones
and PDAs.
Main goal of WAP: is to establish an open, global specification that empowers mobile users with wireless
devices to easily access and interact with internet information and services instantly.
Key Features of WAP
o WAP is an application communication protocol
o WAP is used to access services and information
o WAP is inherited from Internet standards
o WAP is for handheld devices such as mobile phones
o WAP is a protocol designed for micro browsers
o WAP enables the creating of web applications for mobile devices.
o WAP uses the mark-up language WML (not HTML) WML is defined as an XML 1.0 application

Type of devices that use WAP

Handheld digital wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smart phones and
communicators -- from low-end to high-end.
The WAP standard describe a protocol suite allowing the interoperability of WAP equipment, and
software with different network technologies, such as GSM and CDMA, different types of data like
analog or digital.
WAP Architecture Requirements
 Leverage existing standards whenever possible
 Define a layered, scalable and extensible architecture
 Support as many wireless networks as possible
 Optimize for narrow-band bearers with high latency
 Optimize for efficient use of device resources
 Provide support for secure applications and communication
Architecture Overview
 WWW programming model is optimized and extended to match characteristics of the wireless
environment
 Utilizes proxy technology to connect between the wireless domain and WWW Model

WWW Model

WAP Programming Model

 WAP Architecture

WWW Protocol stack

Fig: WAP Architecture

Wireless Application Environment (WAE)
 General-purpose application environment based on a combination of WWW and mobile telephony
technologies.
 It defines the user interface on the phone. It contains WML and WTA (Wireless Telephony
Application).
 Primary objective – interoperable environment.
 WAE includes a micro-browser (Client software designed to overcome challenges of mobile
handheld devices that enables wireless access to services such as Internet information in combination
with a suitable network) server environment which provides
 WML
 WML script
 WTA
 Content formats
Wireless Session Protocol (WSP)
 The WAP session protocol (WSP) layer provides a lightweight session layer to allow efficient
exchange of data between applications.
 Application layer with a consistent interface for two session services
 Connection-oriented service that operates above the transaction layer protocol (WTP)
 Connectionless service that operates above a secure or non-secure datagram service (WDP)
 Optimized for low-bandwidth bearer networks with long latency
Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP)
  Runs on top of a datagram service
 The WAP transaction protocol (WTP) layer provides transaction support, adding reliability to the
datagram service provided by WDP.
 Light weight transaction-oriented protocol
 Three classes of transaction services
 Unreliable one-way requests
 Reliable one-way requests
 Reliable two-way request-reply transactions
Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS)
Based on industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol
 Optimized for use over narrow-band communication channels
 Features:
 Data integrity
 Privacy
 Authentication
 Denial-of-service protection
Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP)
 The WAP datagram protocol (WDP) is the Transport layer that sends and receives messages via any
available bearer network, including SMS, USSD, CSD, CDPD, IS–136 packet data, and GPRS.
 Operates above the data capable bearer services supported by various network types.
Provides a common interface to the upper layer protocols and hence they function independent of the
underlying wireless network
Bearers
 Differing levels of quality of service with respect to throughput, error rate, and delays
 WAP protocols are designed to compensate for or tolerate these varying levels of service
 WDP specification lists the bearers that are supported and techniques used to allow WAP protocols to
run over each bearer
The ADVANTAGES that WAP can offer over these other methods are the following:
• open standard, vendor independent
• network-standard independent
• transport mechanism–optimized for wireless data bearers
• application downloaded from the server, enabling fast service creation and introduction, as
opposed to embedded software