Input/comments on my SocketPool class

Hello

I'm sort off new to C#/.net 2.0, so I would like some input on a SocketPool class I've build.

The concept is the same as the one behind .net's ThreadPool class. My application only uses a socket for a short time (roughly 0.5 sec), but uses many, so I want to reuse sockets instead of creating new ones every time I need one (to save the time it takes to create one, and the time the garbage collector will use cleaning up).

A few questions for my code:

1. I'm unsure if the garbage collector will terminate some of the sockets if they haven't been used for a period of time, even though they are referenced in a static Queue.
2. I've done my best to make it fast, but there is probably room for improvements, idea's are much welcome.
3. I've also done my best to make it thread safe, but again, my limited knowledge of C#/.net thread programming might not have been enough. Any input on this subject is much welcome as well.

Any other comments are welcome as well of course, here's my code:

static class SocketPool {

#region Private variables.

private const short numOfSockets = 25;

private const int socketTimeOut = 8000;

private static AutoResetEvent socketAvailableEvent = new AutoResetEvent(false);

private static SortedDictionary<int, Socket> socketsInUse = new SortedDictionary<int,Socket>();

private static Queue<Socket> availableSockets = new Queue<Socket>(numOfSockets);

#endregion

#region Static constructor

static SocketPool() {

// Build the socket pool.

Socket socket;

for(short i = 0; i < numOfSockets; i++) {

socket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Dgram, ProtocolType.Udp);

socket.SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.ReceiveTimeout, socketTimeOut);

availableSockets.Enqueue(socket);

}

}

#endregion

#region Public methods

public static void getSocket(out Socket socket) {

// Are there any available sockets

while (availableSockets.Count <= 0) {

// If not, wait untill one is.

socketAvailableEvent.WaitOne();

}

// Take the first available socket.

lock(availableSockets) {

socket = availableSockets.Dequeue();

}

lock(socketsInUse) {

socketsInUse.Add(socket.GetHashCode(), socket);

}

}

public static void releaseSocket(ref Socket socket) {

// Is the socket indeed in use

int socketHash = socket.GetHashCode();

if(socketsInUse.ContainsKey(socketHash)) {

// Mark socket as available.

lock(socketsInUse) {

socketsInUse.Remove(socketHash);

}

lock(availableSockets) {

availableSockets.Enqueue(socket);

}

// Signal possible waiting thread that a socket is now available.

socketAvailableEvent.Set();

}

}

#endregion

}