Basic Protocol Requirements in Microsoft Network Architecture (103953)

SUMMARY

Here are some basic protocol requirements within the Microsoft network architecture:

• Each protocol layer offers one or more services to the functional layer above it. For instance, the NetBEUI logical link control (LLC) layer offers reliable connection oriented message services, as well as connectionless datagram data transfer services.
• Each protocol operates within a well-defined environment, with several specific terms and objects. As an example, consider the Microsoft redirector server message block (SMB) protocol with its process IDs (PIDs), tree IDs (TIDs), multiplex IDs (MIDs) and more.
• Each protocol has its own vocabulary of commands and associated responses that it uses in performing its services. NetBEUI's transport layer, for example, uses an "add.name.query" command to determine if a given name is unique on the network.
• Because each protocol layer needs to add its own header (and sometimes trailer) to the network-bound frame, they all have a structured format by which they build the frame that they will pass to the layer below.
• For each command/response defined, there is an associated set of procedural rules. For example, when the NetBEUI transport protocol "add.name.query" command is issued, no response within a configurable time period indicates that the specified name is unique on the network, whereas an "add.name.response" response indicates that the name is not unique and therefore cannot be used.