A network protocol is a set of conditions and rules that specify how network devices communicate on a given network. It provides a common framework for establishing and maintaining a communications channel, and how to handle errors or faults should they occur.
Protocols fall into three categories:
- Network communication protocols
- Network security protocols
- Network management protocols
Network communication protocols
Communication protocols focus on establishing and maintaining a connection between devices.
- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): TCP breaks data into manageable packets and tracks information such as the source and destination of packets. It is able to reroute the packets and is responsible for guaranteed delivery of the data.
- User Datagram Protocol (UDP): UDP is a connectionless, datagram service that provides an unreliable, best-effort delivery.
- Internet Protocol (IP): IP is a connectionless protocol, which means that a session is not created before sending the data. IP is responsible for addressing and routing packets between computers. it doesn’t guarantee delivery and does not give acknowledgment of packets that are lost or sent out of orders this is the responsibility of higher layer protocols such as TCP.
- Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): The HTTP protocol uses TCP/IP to deliver web page content from a server to your browser. HTTP can also handle the download and upload of files from remote servers.
- File Transfer Protocol (FTP): FTP is used to transfer files between different computers on a network. Typically, FTP is used to upload files to a server from a remote location. While you can use FTP to download files, web-based downloads are typically handled through HTTP.
- Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3): POP3 is most commonly used by an email client to allow you to receive emails. This protocol uses TCP for the management and delivery of an email.
- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP): SMTP is used to reliably send and receive mails over the internet. This protocol uses the TCP for the management and transmission of email.
- Interactive Mail Access Protocol (IMAP): Like POP3, IMAP is a standard protocol for accessing email from your local server. IMAP is a client/server protocol in which email is received and held for you by your internet server.
Network security protocols
Network security protocols are designed to maintain the security and network of data across your network. These protocols encrypt in-transmission messages between users, services, and applications.
- Secure Socket Layer (SSL): SSL is a standard encryption and security protocol. It provides a secure and encrypted connection between your computer and the target server or device that you accessed over the internet.
- Transport Layer Security (TLS): TLS is the successor to SSL is cryptographic that provides security for communications over networks such as the internet. TLS and SSL encrypt the segments of network connections at the transport layer end-to-end.
- Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): HTTPS provides a more secure version of the standard HTTP protocol by using the TLS or SSL encryption standard thus providing a secure connection.
- Secure Shell (SSH): SSH is a cryptographic network security protocol that provides a secure data connection across a network. SSH is designed to support the command-line execution of instructions, which includes remote authentication to servers.
Network management protocols
The focus of this type of protocol is the sustainability of the network by looking at faults and performance.
- Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP): SNMP is an internet protocol that allows for the collection of data from devices on your network and the management of those devices. The device has to support SNMP to gather information. Devices that typically support SNMP include switches, routers, servers, laptops, desktops, and printers.
- Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP): ICMP enables a system on a TCP/IP network to share status and error information such as with the use of PING and TRACERT utilities.
Network Devices: https://gowdas1307.medium.com/network-devices-af603daaa634
