Some of the Protocols You Should be Familiar With

Below is a listing of some of the current protocols that you should be familiar with if you are about to embark on building or changing your company's current network:

IP (Internet Protocol)

The TCP/IP standard protocol that defines the IP datagram. Tracks the Internet address of notes, routes outgoing messages and recognizes incoming messages. Used in gateways to connect networks at OSI network layer Level 3 and above.

IPX (Internet Packet Exchange)

A Novell NetWare communications protocol used to route messages from one node to another. IPX does not guarantee delivery of a complete message because an IPX packet can occasionally be lost when crossing networks. The application has to provide that control, or NetWare's SPX Protocol must be used.

NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface)

An enhanced version of the NetBIOS protocol used by network operating systems such as LAN Manager, LAN Server, Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT. It formalizes the transport frame and adds more functions.

NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System)

A network operating protocol that comes in two modes - Datagram and Session. Datagram, which is the faster but less reliable of the two, uses a self-contained packet with send and receive name, usually limited to 512 bytes. The Session establishes a mode until broken. Unlike Datagram, Session guarantees delivery of messages up to 64KB long. The most common version of NetBIOS in use today is NetBEUI, which is a part of all Microsoft Windows systems. NetBIOS differs from IPX and IP in that it is not routable and is only a single network segment.

SPX (Sequenced Packet Exchange)

NetWare communication protocol used to ensure the successful transport of messages across a network. SPX uses NetWare's IPX protocol as its delivery mechanism and provides client/server and peer-to-peer interaction between network nodes.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

A communications protocol used for data exchange and to internetwork diverse computer hardware and operating systems. TCP/IP uses a sliding window to maximize speed and adjusts to slower circuits and delays in route.

X.25

The protocol that provides devices with a direct connection to a packet switched network. The devices usually include larger computers such as mainframes and mini-computers. Word processors, PCs, workstations and dumb terminals, and so forth do not support X.25 packet switching protocols unless they are connected to the network via PADs - Packet Assembler/Disassemblers.