Port Objects
A port is used to set up a client-server or socket style split communicator. Ports are referenced by name (string) — MPI does not define a port handle. Ports are named and provide services which are also named. MPI_Publish_name(..) advertises that the home process provides the named service thru the specified port.
An MPI program that establishes a port makes a matching split communicator to actually use the port to send/receive data.