Rule Establishment
Before communicating with one another, individuals must use established rules or agreements to govern the conversation. For example, consider Figure 1, protocols are necessary for effective communication. These rules, or protocols, must be followed in order for the message to be successfully delivered and understood. Protocols must account for the following requirements:
An identified sender and receiver
Common language and grammar
Speed and timing of delivery
Confirmation or acknowledgment requirements
The protocols that are used in network communications share many of these fundamental traits. In addition to identifying the source and destination, computer and network protocols define the details of how a message is transmitted across a network. Common computer protocols include the requirements shown in Figure 2. Each of these will be discussed in more detail.