Definition: A
network protocol defines rules and conventions for communication between network devices. Protocols for computer networking all generally use
packet switching techniques to send and receive messages in the form of
packets.
Network protocols include mechanisms for devices to identify and
make connections with each other, as well as formatting rules that
specify how data is packaged into messages sent and received. Some
protocols also support message acknowledgement and data compression
designed for reliable and/or high-performance network communication.
Hundreds of different computer network protocols have been developed
each designed for specific purposes and environments.
Internet Protocols
The Internet Protocol family contains a set of related (and among the most widely used network protocols. Besides
Internet Protocol (IP) itself, higher-level protocols like
TCP,
UDP,
HTTP, and
FTP all integrate with IP to provide additional capabilities. Similarly, lower-level Internet Protocols like
ARP and
ICMP
also co-exist with IP. These higher level protocols interact more
closely with applications like Web browsers while lower-level protocols
interact with network adapters and other computer hardware.
Routing Protocols
Routing protocols are special-purpose protocols designed specifically for use by
network routers on the Internet. Common routing protocols include EIGRP, OSPF and BGP.
How Network Protocols Are Implemented
Modern operating systems
like Microsoft Windows contain built-in services or daemons that
implement support for some network protocols. Applications like Web
browsers contain software libraries that support the high level
protocols necessary for that application to function. For some lower
level TCP/IP and routing protocols, support is implemented in directly
hardware (silicon chipsets) for improved performance.
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