Joel is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of security, networking and messaging. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @joelsnyder. Building enterprise networks with routers and switches ...

We received this question from a student at a recent Profinet One-Day Training Class. I found it particularly prescient given the latest discussions going on around Industry 4.0. The question is ...

Network protocols are formal standards and policies consisting of rules, procedures, and formats that define how data is exchanged over networks. They ensure that devices can communicate effectively, ...

What is a network protocol? Most textbook writers state something like this: A network protocol is a set of guidelines or standards for the operation of network devices, the methods of operation, and ...

In some cases, applications can be based upon industry-accepted standards, as shown in Figure 10-27. For example, for devices that need to be able to connect to other devices to transfer data or to ...

The purpose of the network layer is to help route messages between different local networks. Central to this layer is the concept of exclusive network addresses, where every terminal connected to the ...

Like many words in the English language, “network” and “protocol” have different meanings, depending on the context. In the context of digital communications, Merriam-Webster defines network as “a ...

The purpose of this policy is to establish standards for management of network access and communications. This policy applies to all information technology systems that are connected to and use the ...

We have now met the archenemy of networks, Mr. Murphy, as he cackles “What can go wrong, will,” in the introduction to failure modes and the discussion of failure modes at the physical and data link ...