Network Protocols and Transport

Summary

A MAC driver provides low level access to network adapters by providing data transmission support and some basic adapter management functions.

The protocol driver is responsible for offering four or five basic services to other layers in the network. Hiding details of how the services is actually implemented.

The services that the protocol driver performs include session management, Datagram service, Data segmentation and sequencing, acknowledgement and possibly routing across a WAN.

Popular network protocols include NetBEUI, a small, fast and efficient protocol that is supplied with all Microsoft network products.

TCP/IP, an industry standard protocol providing communications between dissimilar end systems,

XNS, a precursor to IPX/SPX; and IPX/SPX, a protocol stack that is used in Novell networks.