A network protocol is an established set of rules that determine how data is transmitted between different devices in the same network. Essentially, it allows connected devices to communicate with each other, regardless of any differences in their internal processes, structure or design. Network protocols are the reason you can easily communicate with people all over the world, and thus play a critical role in modern digital communications.
Network protocols take large-scale processes and break them down into small, specific tasks or functions. This occurs at every level of the network, and each function must cooperate at each level to complete the larger task at hand. The term protocol suite refers to a set of smaller network protocols working in conjunction with each other.
How network protocols work
Every time you use the internet, you leverage network protocols. Though you may not know how network protocols work or how frequently you encounter them, they are necessary for using the internet or digital communications in any capacity.
Communication protocols allow different network devices to communicate with each other. They are used in both analog and digital communications and can be used for important processes, ranging from transferring files between devices to accessing the internet.
Network protocols do not simply define how devices and processes work; they define how devices and processes work together. Without these predetermined conventions and rules, the internet would lack the necessary infrastructure it needs to be functional and useable. Network protocols are the foundation of modern communications, without which the digital world could not stand.
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A network protocol is a set of established rules that dictate how to format, transmit and receive data so that computer network devices -- from servers and routers to endpoints -- can communicate, regardless of the differences in their underlying infrastructures, designs or standards.
To successfully send and receive information, devices on both sides of a communication exchange must accept and follow protocol conventions. In networking, support for protocols can be built into software, hardware or both.
Without computing protocols, computers and other devices would not know how to engage with each other. As a result, except for specialty networks built around a specific architecture, few networks would be able to function, and the internet as we know it wouldn't exist. Virtually all network end users rely on network protocols for connectivity.
Network protocols break larger processes into discrete, narrowly defined functions and tasks across every level of the network. In the standard model, known as the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, one or more network protocols govern activities at each layer in the telecommunication exchange. Lower layers deal with data transport, while the upper layers in the OSI model deal with software and applications.
A set of cooperating network protocols is called a protocol suite. The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite, which is typically used in client-server models, includes numerous protocols across layers -- such as the data, network, transport and application layers -- working together to enable internet connectivity. These include the following:
Every packet transmitted and received over a network contains binary data. Most computing protocols will add a header at the beginning of each packet in order to store information about the sender and the message's intended destination. Some protocols may also include a footer at the end with additional information. Network protocols process these headers and footers as part of the data moving among devices in order to identify messages of their own kind.
Generally speaking, there are three types of protocols in networking -- communication, such as Ethernet; management, such as Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP); and security, such as Secure Shell, or SSH.
Falling into these three broad categories are thousands of network protocols that uniformly handle an extensive variety of defined tasks, including authentication, automation, correction, compression, error handling, file retrieval, file transfer, link aggregation, routing, semantics, synchronization and syntax.
In order for network protocols to work, they must be coded within software -- either as part of the computer's operating system (OS) or as an application -- or implemented within the computer's hardware. Most modern OSes possess built-in software services that are prepared to implement some network protocols. Other applications, such as web browsers, are designed with software libraries that support the protocols necessary for the application to function. In addition, TCP/IP and routing protocol support is implemented in direct hardware for enhanced performance.
Whenever a new protocol is implemented, it is added to the protocol suite. The organization of protocol suites is considered to be monolithic since all protocols are stored in the same address and build on top of one another.
Network protocols are not designed for security. Their lack of protection can sometimes enable malicious attacks, such as eavesdropping and cache poisoning, to affect the system. The most common attack on network protocols is the advertisement of false routes, causing traffic to go through compromised hosts instead of the appropriate ones.
Network protocols are what make the modern internet possible since they enable computers to communicate across networks without users having to see or know what background operations are occurring. Some specific examples of network protocols and their uses include the following:
A protocol can be defined as a set of rules in a computer network used to process and format the data. For computers, these protocols work like a common language which may use very different hardware as well as software to allow them to converse with each other. The communication between two computers can be done only if they use IP (Internet Protocol).
But if any one of the computers uses internet protocol then they will be incapable to converse. There are different types of protocols available on the internet which are used for different purposes. This article discusses an overview of Network Protocol and its working.
Network protocols are nothing but a set of rules, data structures & conventions which are used to determine how devices exchange data in the same network. These protocols allow two different devices to converse with each other apart from any dissimilarities in their inside processes, design, or structure.
In present digital communications, network protocols play a key role, and also these are the main reason that we can converse easily with people in the world. Communication between two devices can be possible with these protocols because of the inbuilt preprogrammed rules into the hardware and software of devices.
Before understanding the concept of network protocols, we have to know the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model first. The model of Open Systems Interconnection splits the process of communication among two network devices into seven layers. In the 7 layers in an OSI model, a task can be assigned to each layer where seven layers are independent, so each task can be independently executed.
In an OSI model, seven network layers are separated into two groups namely upper layers like 7, 6 & 5 whereas lower layers like 4, 3, 2, & 1. Here, the upper layers mainly deal with the issues of application whereas the lower layers mainly deal with the issues of data transport.
The functions of networking are possible through protocols. For instance, the (IP) is responsible for routing the data by representing data packets source and destination. Internet protocol will make communication possible in network-to-network. So, this protocol is considered a layer 3 or network layer protocol.
TCP or Transmission Control Protocol ensures that the moving of data packets across networks transmits effortlessly. So, TCP is considered as a layer 4 or transport layer protocol. A packet is a tiny part of data where all data that can be transmitted on a network can be separated into packets.
These protocols are responsible to allow a variety of network devices to interact with each other. The applications of communication protocols mainly include both analog & digital communications for different purposes like transferring files among different devices for internet access. Communication protocols are classified into different types like
Network management protocols define the different methods required to operate a computer network effectively. These types of protocols will affect several devices over a single network like servers, routers & computers to make sure each one executes optimally. The main functions of these protocols mainly include
Security protocols or cryptographic protocols mainly work to make sure that the computer network & the data transmitted over it are secured from illegal users. The main functions of security network protocols are;
This type of protocol was formed to transmit & receive text messages on cellular networks. This kind of protocol refers completely to messages based on text. For videos and pictures, we need MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service).
A protocol like DHCP allows the admins of the network to distribute addresses of IP from a middle point & routinely send the latest IP address once a device is connected from different locations within the network. This kind of protocol functions on a client-server model.
The DNS or Domain Name System Protocol is used to assist in mapping or changing hostnames toward IP addresses. This kind of protocol mainly works on a client-server model and uses a distributed database over a hierarchy of name servers. 2ff7e9595c
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