Checking if a socket is open is a crucial step in computer networking. A socket is an endpoint in a communication channel, and it is used to send and receive data. It is important to check if a socket is open before attempting to use it, as this can help to prevent errors and ensure that data is transmitted and received correctly.
There are several ways to check if a socket is open. One common method is to use the `getsockopt()` function. This function takes two arguments: the socket descriptor and the option name. The option name can be `SO_KEEPALIVE`, which will return a boolean value indicating whether the keepalive option is enabled. If the keepalive option is enabled, then the socket is open.