"A communication protocol is a system of rules that allows two or more entities of a communications system to transmit information via any variation of a physical quantity."
Rules and standards governing communication between devices in a network. Includes TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS, SMTP, FTP, POP3 among others.
OSI Model: This is the standard model for understanding how computer networks communicate between devices. It divides network communication into seven different layers.
TCP/IP: These protocols are the most commonly used network protocols for computer communication. They're essential to know when it comes to understanding how the internet works.
Ethernet: Ethernet is a protocol used for wired local area networks (LANs). A thorough understanding is necessary when setting up and troubleshooting computer networks.
Wireless communication: With the proliferation of mobile devices, knowledge of wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular networks is critical.
Routing protocols: These protocols regulate how data is transferred between computer networks. They include protocols like OSPF, BGP, and EIGRP.
DNS: DNS is a must-know when it comes to network protocols because it's used to translate domain names into IP addresses.
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol is used for transferring data between web servers and clients. It's fundamental knowledge for web developers and network engineers.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol is a standard protocol used to transfer files from one host to another over the internet.
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is used for email communication.
SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol is used to manage and monitor network devices.
IP addressing: The internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) and version 6 (IPv6) address schemes are essential knowledge for configuring networks.
NAT: Network Address Translation is a protocol used to translate private IP addresses into public addresses.
Firewalls: Firewalls are essential in network security. They are used to filter network traffic and prevent unauthorized access to data.
VLANs: Virtual Local Area Networks are used to segment networks logically to improve network performance and security.
Quality of Service: QoS protocols prioritize network traffic to ensure that important data is transmitted with minimal delay.
VPNs: Virtual Private Networks are used to extend a private network across the internet to provide secure remote access.
Network Security: Understanding network security protocols like SSL/TLS, IPSec, VPN, and firewalls is critical to ensure data privacy and prevent malicious attacks.
Network Topologies: Understanding the various network topologies like star, mesh, and bus is fundamental to network design and configuration.
Bandwidth and Throughput: Knowledge of network bandwidth and throughput is essential for troubleshooting network performance issues.
Network Monitoring: Tools and techniques for monitoring network performance are important for maintaining and optimizing network performance.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP): Used to establish a connection between devices over the internet.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP): Works like TCP/IP, but does not guarantee packet delivery.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP): Used to transfer files across a network.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP): Used to send and receive email.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): Used to transfer data between web servers and web browsers.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): A secure version of HTTP.
Domain Name System (DNS): Translates domain names to IP addresses, making it easier to locate a server.
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP): Sends error messages and control messages between devices on a network.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP): Used to monitor and manage network devices.
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP): Maintains a network of routers and ensures routing decisions are made correctly.
Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP): Helps manage multicast traffic on a network.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC): Allows one program to request a service from another program on a different computer.
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP): Used to transfer structured data between applications.
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP): Used to access and manage information directory services.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP): Used for initiating and terminating multimedia sessions.
NetBIOS: Used for communication between computers in a local network.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP): Used to connect a computer to the internet using a telephone line.
Internet Protocol Security (IPsec): A protocol used to secure internet communication.
Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP): Used to transfer news articles between news servers.
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): Allows remote access to other computers on a network.
"The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication and possible error recovery methods."
"Protocols may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both."
"Communicating systems use well-defined formats for exchanging various messages. Each message has an exact meaning intended to elicit a response from a range of possible responses pre-determined for that particular situation."
"The specified behavior is typically independent of how it is to be implemented."
"To reach an agreement, a protocol may be developed into a technical standard."
"There is a close analogy between protocols and programming languages: protocols are to communication what programming languages are to computations."
"A group of protocols designed to work together is known as a protocol suite; when implemented in software, they are a protocol stack."
"Internet communication protocols are published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)."
"The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) handles wired and wireless networking."
"The ITU-T handles telecommunications protocols and formats for the public switched telephone network (PSTN)."
"As the PSTN and Internet converge, the standards are also being driven towards convergence."
"The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication and possible error recovery methods."
"Communication protocols have to be agreed upon by the parties involved."
"An alternate formulation states that protocols are to communication what algorithms are to computation."
"Multiple protocols often describe different aspects of a single communication."
"The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) handles other types."
"Protocols may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both."
"Internet communication protocols are published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)."
"There is a close analogy between protocols and programming languages: protocols are to communication what programming languages are to computations."