Using the SPI Document

This document provides the online material needed to create Windows Sockets service or transport providers for Windows® operating systems, using the Microsoft implementation of Windows Sockets 2. It is intended as a reference tool and outlines the functions of the Windows Sockets SPI.

You should be familiar with Win32 programming concepts and the Windows Sockets API to make the best use of this document. Thus, you may want to refer to other references that provide a more systematic guide to writing Windows Sockets applications.

Note  This documentation is intended for service provider developers, also known as transports. If you are developing a Windows Sockets 2 application, see the Win32 Software Development Kit.