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Networks and Protocols
Tutoring > Operating Systems and Networks > Network Concepts
How do devices manage communication between themselves? What rules are there to make sure it all works properly?
What is a protocol?
A network protocol is a system of digital rules for data exchange within or between computers or devices.
Routing protocols
Routing protocols manage routes between nodes (devices) in a network.
Routing algorithms define the actual routes between nodes. The way this system works is that a node shares it's information with it's immediate neighbors, and then throughout the network.
Internet protocols
Internet protocol (IP) contains a set of related protocols which are higher level and integrate with IP to provide aditional capabilities.
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TCP - Transmission Control Protocol
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UDP - User Datagram Protocol
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HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol
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FTP - File Transfer Protocol
A group of network protocols that work together at higher and lower levels are often called a protocol family.