diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 625501165..ebe287b3b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ never return EAGAIN, instead queueing internally until the data has all been sen
 simplify many code flows that create pollers to continue attempting to flush writes
 on sockets.
 
+Added `impl_name` parameter in spdk_sock_listen and spdk_sock_connect functions. Users may now
+specify the sock layer implementation they'd prefer to use. Valid implementations are currently
+"vpp" and "posix" and NULL, where NULL results in the previous behavior of the functions.
+
 ### isa-l
 
 Updated ISA-L submodule to commit f3993f5c0b6911 which includes implementation and
diff --git a/examples/sock/hello_world/hello_sock.c b/examples/sock/hello_world/hello_sock.c
index fcacabbf5..e020c46e4 100644
--- a/examples/sock/hello_world/hello_sock.c
+++ b/examples/sock/hello_world/hello_sock.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ hello_sock_connect(struct hello_context_t *ctx)
 
 	SPDK_NOTICELOG("Connecting to the server on %s:%d\n", ctx->host, ctx->port);
 
-	ctx->sock = spdk_sock_connect(ctx->host, ctx->port);
+	ctx->sock = spdk_sock_connect(ctx->host, ctx->port, NULL);
 	if (ctx->sock == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("connect error(%d): %s\n", errno, spdk_strerror(errno));
 		return -1;
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ hello_sock_group_poll(void *arg)
 static int
 hello_sock_listen(struct hello_context_t *ctx)
 {
-	ctx->sock = spdk_sock_listen(ctx->host, ctx->port);
+	ctx->sock = spdk_sock_listen(ctx->host, ctx->port, NULL);
 	if (ctx->sock == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Cannot create server socket\n");
 		return -1;
diff --git a/include/spdk/sock.h b/include/spdk/sock.h
index 3cbb16528..4d36f35f4 100644
--- a/include/spdk/sock.h
+++ b/include/spdk/sock.h
@@ -96,26 +96,36 @@ int spdk_sock_getaddr(struct spdk_sock *sock, char *saddr, int slen, uint16_t *s
 		      char *caddr, int clen, uint16_t *cport);
 
 /**
- * Create a socket, connect the socket to the specified address and port (of the
- * server), and then return the socket. This function is used by client.
+ * Create a socket using the specific sock implementation, connect the socket
+ * to the specified address and port (of the server), and then return the socket.
+ * This function is used by client.
  *
  * \param ip IP address of the server.
  * \param port Port number of the server.
+ * \param impl_name The sock_implementation to use, such as "posix". If impl_name is
+ * specified, it will *only* try to listen on that impl. If it is NULL, it will try
+ * all the sock implementations in order and uses the first sock implementation which
+ * can connect. For example, it will try vpp, posix as an example.
  *
  * \return a pointer to the connected socket on success, or NULL on failure.
  */
-struct spdk_sock *spdk_sock_connect(const char *ip, int port);
+struct spdk_sock *spdk_sock_connect(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name);
 
 /**
- * Create a socket, bind the socket to the specified address and port and listen
- * on the socket, and then return the socket. This function is used by server.
+ * Create a socket using the specific sock implementation, bind the socket to
+ * the specified address and port and listen on the socket, and then return the socket.
+ * This function is used by server.
  *
  * \param ip IP address to listen on.
  * \param port Port number.
+ * \param impl_name The sock_implementation to use, such as "posix". If impl_name is
+ * specified, it will *only* try to listen on that impl. If it is NULL, it will try
+ * all the sock implementations in order and uses the first sock implementation which
+ * can listen. For example, it will try vpp, posix as an example.
  *
  * \return a pointer to the listened socket on success, or NULL on failure.
  */
-struct spdk_sock *spdk_sock_listen(const char *ip, int port);
+struct spdk_sock *spdk_sock_listen(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name);
 
 /**
  * Accept a new connection from a client on the specified socket and return a
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
index 774ba84c8..798292b51 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ iscsi_portal_open(struct spdk_iscsi_portal *p)
 	}
 
 	port = (int)strtol(p->port, NULL, 0);
-	sock = spdk_sock_listen(p->host, port);
+	sock = spdk_sock_listen(p->host, port, NULL);
 	if (sock == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("listen error %.64s.%d\n", p->host, port);
 		return -1;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
index 5f8a22714..083080bc0 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ nvme_tcp_ctrlr_connect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpa
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	tqpair->sock = spdk_sock_connect(ctrlr->trid.traddr, port);
+	tqpair->sock = spdk_sock_connect(ctrlr->trid.traddr, port, NULL);
 	if (!tqpair->sock) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("sock connection error of tqpair=%p with addr=%s, port=%ld\n",
 			    tqpair, ctrlr->trid.traddr, port);
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
index f54c7e114..0bbf525fc 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_tcp_listen(struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	port->listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(trid->traddr, trsvcid_int);
+	port->listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(trid->traddr, trsvcid_int, NULL);
 	if (port->listen_sock == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("spdk_sock_listen(%s, %d) failed: %s (%d)\n",
 			    trid->traddr, trsvcid_int,
diff --git a/lib/sock/sock.c b/lib/sock/sock.c
index e55ff585f..fa72e4b63 100644
--- a/lib/sock/sock.c
+++ b/lib/sock/sock.c
@@ -169,12 +169,16 @@ spdk_sock_getaddr(struct spdk_sock *sock, char *saddr, int slen, uint16_t *sport
 }
 
 struct spdk_sock *
-spdk_sock_connect(const char *ip, int port)
+spdk_sock_connect(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name)
 {
 	struct spdk_net_impl *impl = NULL;
 	struct spdk_sock *sock;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH_FROM(impl, &g_net_impls, link) {
+		if (impl_name && strncmp(impl_name, impl->name, strlen(impl->name) + 1)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		sock = impl->connect(ip, port);
 		if (sock != NULL) {
 			sock->net_impl = impl;
@@ -188,12 +192,16 @@ spdk_sock_connect(const char *ip, int port)
 }
 
 struct spdk_sock *
-spdk_sock_listen(const char *ip, int port)
+spdk_sock_listen(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name)
 {
 	struct spdk_net_impl *impl = NULL;
 	struct spdk_sock *sock;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH_FROM(impl, &g_net_impls, link) {
+		if (impl_name && strncmp(impl_name, impl->name, strlen(impl->name) + 1)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		sock = impl->listen(ip, port);
 		if (sock != NULL) {
 			sock->net_impl = impl;
diff --git a/test/common/lib/test_sock.c b/test/common/lib/test_sock.c
index 9419d3b71..3a67fd08d 100644
--- a/test/common/lib/test_sock.c
+++ b/test/common/lib/test_sock.c
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@
 
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_getaddr, int, (struct spdk_sock *sock, char *saddr, int slen, uint16_t *sport,
 				     char *caddr, int clen, uint16_t *cport), 0);
-DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_connect, struct spdk_sock *, (const char *ip, int port), NULL);
-DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_listen, struct spdk_sock *, (const char *ip, int port), NULL);
+DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_connect, struct spdk_sock *, (const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name),
+	    NULL);
+DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_listen, struct spdk_sock *, (const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name),
+	    NULL);
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_accept, struct spdk_sock *, (struct spdk_sock *sock), NULL);
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_close, int, (struct spdk_sock **sock), 0);
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_recv, ssize_t, (struct spdk_sock *sock, void *buf, size_t len), 0);
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
index d8018702d..a4c61aa56 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ static struct spdk_net_impl g_ut_net_impl = {
 SPDK_NET_IMPL_REGISTER(ut, &g_ut_net_impl);
 
 static void
-_sock(const char *ip, int port)
+_sock(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name)
 {
 	struct spdk_sock *listen_sock;
 	struct spdk_sock *server_sock;
@@ -370,14 +370,14 @@ _sock(const char *ip, int port)
 	struct iovec iov;
 	int rc;
 
-	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port);
+	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(listen_sock != NULL);
 
 	server_sock = spdk_sock_accept(listen_sock);
 	CU_ASSERT(server_sock == NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(errno == EAGAIN || errno == EWOULDBLOCK);
 
-	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port);
+	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(client_sock != NULL);
 
 	/*
@@ -456,13 +456,13 @@ _sock(const char *ip, int port)
 static void
 posix_sock(void)
 {
-	_sock("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT);
+	_sock("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT, "posix");
 }
 
 static void
 ut_sock(void)
 {
-	_sock(UT_IP, UT_PORT);
+	_sock(UT_IP, UT_PORT, "ut");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ read_data(void *cb_arg, struct spdk_sock_group *group, struct spdk_sock *sock)
 }
 
 static void
-_sock_group(const char *ip, int port)
+_sock_group(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name)
 {
 	struct spdk_sock_group *group;
 	struct spdk_sock *listen_sock;
@@ -488,14 +488,14 @@ _sock_group(const char *ip, int port)
 	struct iovec iov;
 	int rc;
 
-	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port);
+	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(listen_sock != NULL);
 
 	server_sock = spdk_sock_accept(listen_sock);
 	CU_ASSERT(server_sock == NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(errno == EAGAIN || errno == EWOULDBLOCK);
 
-	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port);
+	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(client_sock != NULL);
 
 	usleep(1000);
@@ -576,13 +576,13 @@ _sock_group(const char *ip, int port)
 static void
 posix_sock_group(void)
 {
-	_sock_group("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT);
+	_sock_group("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT, "posix");
 }
 
 static void
 ut_sock_group(void)
 {
-	_sock_group(UT_IP, UT_PORT);
+	_sock_group(UT_IP, UT_PORT, "ut");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -612,14 +612,14 @@ posix_sock_group_fairness(void)
 	struct iovec iov;
 	int i, rc;
 
-	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT);
+	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT, "posix");
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(listen_sock != NULL);
 
 	group = spdk_sock_group_create(NULL);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(group != NULL);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
-		client_sock[i] = spdk_sock_connect("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT);
+		client_sock[i] = spdk_sock_connect("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT, "posix");
 		SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(client_sock[i] != NULL);
 
 		usleep(1000);
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@ _second_close_cb(void *cb_arg, int err)
 }
 
 static void
-_sock_close(const char *ip, int port)
+_sock_close(const char *ip, int port, char *impl_name)
 {
 	struct spdk_sock_group *group;
 	struct spdk_sock *listen_sock;
@@ -740,10 +740,10 @@ _sock_close(const char *ip, int port)
 	bool cb_arg2 = false;
 	int rc;
 
-	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port);
+	listen_sock = spdk_sock_listen(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(listen_sock != NULL);
 
-	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port);
+	client_sock = spdk_sock_connect(ip, port, impl_name);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(client_sock != NULL);
 
 	usleep(1000);
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ _sock_close(const char *ip, int port)
 static void
 posix_sock_close(void)
 {
-	_sock_close("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT);
+	_sock_close("127.0.0.1", UT_PORT, "posix");
 }
 
 int