Question : NETWORK PROTOCOLS

Here is a four part question...Please help!!!!1

1. Why are Network Protocols needed?
2. How do you decide which protocol is more suitable for a network implementation?
3. Compare two protocols in terms of complexity.
4. What makes one protocol more complex than the other?

Answer : NETWORK PROTOCOLS

Hey Kalaic,  Ill try to answer your question.

1.) Why are network protocols needed? Well as we all know,  the great place we call the "internet" is really a massive, Diverse-Media connection of networks that span the world... Me for instance in north america will have different standards, and technologies available to me then lets say in Zimbabwe.. so how can we talk?? Well protocols are sets of communication standards aggreed too by different parties... lets just say, he might be using SLIP/PPP as his "language" and im using, Ethernet 802.3 Frame packets on my high speed network. This allows us to communicate for whatever puposes we need too, while having different technologies and standards at our disposal..

2) Which protocol is more suitable for network implimentaion.. Well this question all varies on aspects of Reliability, Security, Control, Size, Speed, Bandwidth, Budget, Administrator (or implimentator) education etc...  As you may or may not know.. TCP/IP is the Internet Protocol Stack (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) That we all use to communicate on the internet (for the most part).  Deciding what protocol you should use takes thorough analysis of what your plans are for your computer network.

3) Comparing 2 protocols in term of compliexity.. Ill take,  HDLC and compare it to Token Ring. HDLC is used as a Frame relay implimentation for high speed data transfers. Token ring offeres users of legacy systems all access to the shared network wire, by use of a "token", saying its their turn to speak. Protocols are quite complex, so if you want more information, more specifics are needed. Complexity could mean a Routing protocol such as RIP (Routing Information Protocol) which is for the most part simple compared to IGRPv2 (Ineterior Gateway Routing Protocol) which could be set up to route packets based on network and bandwith usage, the cost of a link, and how far the destination is. etc.

4) Protocols (in terms of networking) all run on "Layers", Layer 1 being basic Electrical Signals on the wire, and Layer 7 which is the Application layer which deals with the user interaction of applications etc.. can all be very complex.. Usually protocols are weighted in terms of others on teh same layer.. Ie...    IP (Layer 3),  and IPX, diffrerent technologies and "protocols" with different uses.

Hope this helps :)