Technical University of Mombasa

Session 5 Network protocols

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the leaner should be able to:
- Explain the term network protocol
- Describe the proprietary and open-source/ standard protocol
- Distinguish between proprietary and open-source/ standard protocol

5.1 Introduction to Network protocols

Definition: Protocol
Protocol, in computer science, a set of rules or procedures for transmitting data
between electronic devices, such as computers. In order for computers to exchange
information, there must be a preexisting agreement as to how the information will be
structured and how each side will send and receive it. Without a protocol, a
transmitting computer, for example, could be sending its data in 8-bit packets while
the receiving computer might expect the data in 16-bit packets. Protocols are
established by international or industrywide organizations.

“Protocols" are set of rules that help in governing the way a particular technology will
function for communication. In other words, it can be said that the protocols are digital
languages implemented in the form of networking algorithms.

Perhaps the most important computer protocol is OSI (Open Systems

Interconnection), a set of guidelines for implementing networking communications
between computers. Among the most important sets of Internet protocols are: TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), HTTPS (Secure HyperText Transmission
Protocol), SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), and DNS (Domain Name System).

Definition: Network protocols

Network protocols are a set of rules, conventions, and data structures that dictate how
devices exchange data across networks. In other words, network protocols can be
equated to languages that two devices must understand for seamless communication
of information, regardless of their infrastructure and design disparities.

A network protocol is an established set of rules that determine how data is

transmitted between different devices in the same network. Essentially, it allows
connected devices to communicate with each other, regardless of any differences in
their internal processes, structure or design. Network protocols are the reason you can
easily communicate with people all over the world, and thus play a critical role in
modern digital communications.

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Similar to the way that speaking the same language simplifies communication
between two people, network protocols make it possible for devices to interact with
each other because of predetermined rules built into devices’ software and hardware.
Neither local area networks (LAN) nor wide area networks (WAN) could function the
way they do today without the use of network protocols.

5.1.1 How Network Protocols Work

Network protocols take large-scale processes and break them down into small,
specific tasks or functions. This occurs at every level of the network, and each function
must cooperate at each level to complete the larger task at hand. The term protocol
suite refers to a set of smaller network protocols working in conjunction with each
other.

Network protocols are typically created according to industry standard by various

networking or information technology organizations.
The following groups have defined and published different network protocols:
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• The International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
• The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

While network protocol models generally work in similar ways, each protocol is
unique and operates in the specific way detailed by the organization that created it.

5.1.2 Who Uses Network Protocols?

Network protocols aren’t only relevant to certified network specialists or IT
professionals. Billions of people use network protocols daily, whether they know it or
not.

Every time you use the internet, you leverage network protocols. Though you may
not know how network protocols work or how frequently you encounter them, they
are necessary for using the internet or digital communications in any capacity.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve absolutely encountered network protocols when
using electronic devices – and some of them are readily identifiable. Network
protocols do not simply define how devices and processes work; they define how
devices and processes work together. Without these predetermined conventions and
rules, the internet would lack the necessary infrastructure it needs to be functional and
useable. Network protocols are the foundation of modern communications, without
which the digital world could not stand.

5.1.3 Primary Functions of Network Protocols

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There are thousands of different network protocols, but they all perform one of three
primary actions:
− Communication
− Network management
− Security

Each type is necessary to use network devices swiftly and safely, and they work
together to facilitate that usage.

a) Communication
Communication protocols allow different network devices to communicate with each
other. They are used in both analog and digital communications and can be used for
important processes, ranging from transferring files between devices to accessing the
internet.

Common types of communication protocols include the following:

• Automation: These protocols are used to automate different processes in both
commercial and personal settings, such as in smart buildings, cloud technology
or self-driving vehicles.
• Instant messaging: Instantaneous, text-based communications on smartphones
and computers occur because of a number of different instant messaging
network protocols.
• Routing: Routing protocols permit communication between routers and other
network devices. There are also routing protocols specifically for ad hoc
networks.
• Bluetooth: Ever-popular Bluetooth devices — including headsets, smartphones
and computers — work due to a variety of different Bluetooth protocols.
• File transfer: If you have ever moved files from one device to another, either
via a physical or digital medium, you’ve used file transfer protocols (FTP).
• Internet Protocol: Internet Protocol (IP) allows data to be sent between devices
via the internet. The internet could not operate as it currently does without IP.

b) Network Management
Network management protocols define and describe the various procedures needed
to effectively operate a computer network. These protocols affect various devices on a
single network — including computers, routers and servers — to ensure each one, and
the network as a whole, perform optimally.

The functions of network management protocols include the following:

• Connection: These protocols establish and maintain stable connections between
different devices on the same network.
• Link aggregation: Link aggregation protocols allow you to combine multiple
network connections into one link between two devices. This works to increase

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the strength of the connection and helps sustain the connection should one of
the links fail.
• Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting protocols allow network administrators to
identify errors affecting the network, evaluate the quality of the network
connection, and determine how administrators can fix any issues.

c) Security
Security protocols, also called cryptographic protocols, work to ensure that the
network and the data sent over it are protected from unauthorized users.
Common functions of security network protocols include the following:
• Encryption: Encryption protocols protect data and secure areas by requiring
users to input a secret key or password in order to access that information.
• Entity Authentication: Entity authentication protocols create a system that
requires different devices or users on a network to verify their identity before
accessing secure areas.
• Transportation: Transportation security protocols protect data while it is
transported from one network device to another.

5.2 Proprietary Protocol and Open-Source /Standard Protocol

Two terms are often used in the networking industry when describing networking
protocols.
− Proprietary Protocol
− Open-Source/Standard Protocol

5.2.1 Open-source/standard protocols

Open-source protocols are free to use by anyone. They are usually designed and
developed by organizations like IEEE/IETF or as a joint effort by many organizations.

To understand the concept of standard protocols more clearly, take a real-world

example of shaving blade. A shaving blade has a globally agreed and accepted shape,
so that it can fit well in a razor manufactured by different vendors.

Open Protocols are the kind of protocols that can be included in a wide range of device
types from any equipment vendor. What this means is that manufacturers that choose

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to adopt an open protocol want to achieve protocol interoperability when they design
their equipment's functionality and capabilities.

Open-Source/Standard protocols are agreed upon and accepted by the whole

computing industry. Standard protocols are not vendor-specific. Standard protocols
are often developed by a collaborative effort of experts from different organizations.
Examples of standard protocols are IP, TCP, UDP, SNMP, DNP3, and Modbus. etc.
RFC (Request for Comments) is an IETF platform to develop Standard Protocols.

Advantages of Standard protocols

i) Can be used by anyone: Open protocols are rather universal - they can be used by
anyone rather than one entity or company.
An open protocol is the one that the manufacturer publishes this information for
anyone to see and use. You can use this information freely without being charged and
without any conditions.

ii) You'll avoid vendor lock-in: Remote monitoring systems that use open protocols allow
for the network manager to choose between a wider selection of manufacturers who
supply devices that talk the same language to communicate with each other.
Open protocol systems can be maintained by companies other than the system
provider.

iii) Higher flexibility: Since a very large number of different devices support open
standard protocols, it's easier to make them work together.
Open protocol systems offer a higher degree of networking flexibility, with more
integration options between existing and new gear. This means that you can add new
devices (independent of vendor) into your existing network.
You can choose between a variety of different vendors for the monitoring solution that
best fits your needs - in terms of technical requirements and budget as well.

Disadvantage(s) of standard protocol

i) Security: Since open protocols have their technical information disclosed for
anyone, it's much easier for hackers to study these protocols in order to find out
how to access and control your remote monitoring network.

Although most of them offer security features such as authentication and

cryptography, it’s never a total guarantee that a hacker won’t be able to find a breach
on a protocol that they can have easy access to.

5.2.2 Proprietary Protocols

Definition: Proprietary

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Proprietary refers to property: things that are owned by individuals or businesses.
People talk about proprietary drugs, proprietary software, and other things that can
only be made and sold by those who discovered or created them. A proprietary claim
is usually protected by trademark or copyright. When you say you have a proprietary
right to something you're saying to everyone else: "Hands off! This is mine."

Normally, devices can communicate with one another without a problem when they
are from the same single manufacturer because they'll probably support the same
proprietary network. This means that proprietary protocols are owned and protected
by a determined company, and devices supporting this protocol can only
communicate with other equipment supporting the same protocol.

Proprietary protocols
Proprietary protocols are the ones designed and made by a single organization. They
are not open-source or free to use for anyone. Thus, proprietary protocol gives the
owner to change the protocol design and implementation and enforce restrictions on
the usage. Owners usually enforce restrictions through patents rights and trade secrets
and do not disclose the technical information behind the protocol.

Proprietary protocols are usually developed by a single company for the devices (or
Operating systems) which they manufacture. AppleTalk is a proprietary network
protocol developed by Apple Inc. AppleTalk protocol is an excellent protocol and
AppleTalk protocol works well in network environments made of Apple devices. But
other Operating System software vendors may not support the AppleTalk protocol.
Proprietary protocols will not scale well in network environments consisting of multi-
vendor Operating System software products or network devices.
Other proprietary protocol examples are SCAN protocol, Larse, and Granger.

Advantages of proprietary protocol

i) Typically has specific features and capabilities: Proprietary protocols typically offer
some specific features and capabilities. In order to compete with open protocols, they
aim to appeal to people that need some level of personalization.
These protocols can include custom upgrades, functionalities, and tools.

ii) All the elements of their devices are perfectly compatible with each other: Opting for a
solution from a manufacturer of proprietary protocol systems will give you
components that have been designed to work together.

This means that all elements of their devices are perfectly compatible with each other,
since they are designed to use the same language of communication. If you plan to
deploy gear that uses only this same proprietary protocol, all of your system should
integrate smoothly.

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Disadvantages of proprietary protocol

i) Specific to a company: When you work with a proprietary protocol, it basically means
that your equipment is running on a unique protocol - used only by your specific
vendor. It makes it difficult to add devices from other vendors to your system later,
and you'll likely be restricted to this one supplier for support and purchase of future
products.
In other words, proprietary protocols lock costumers in and take away their freedom
of choice to expand their system with different vendors.

ii) Licensing fees: Proprietary protocols are usually perceived as traps. That's because
most proprietary systems require recurring license fees, so the costs add up.
Recurring fees involve paying some amount of money over some length of time. There
are different kinds of recurring fees. Some of them will require you to pay a moderate
initial purchase price and then you pay a smaller fee month by month, for as long as
you're using the system.

There are actually numerous kinds of recurring fee variations. There are even more
modern models where you don't pay anything upfront, but you're required to sign
control to pay some kind of monthly fee forever - as long as you want to use the
proprietary protocol.

This all means that you're tied for the duration of the contract and even after these
years if you decide to change to another system later.

Plus, you'll be dependent on only this company for maintenance, support, updates,
and upgrades. And you may endure poor service, slow response times, and ongoing
maintenance costs - after all, you depend on them to have your system up and
running.

You need to make sure you fully understand what you're committing to, and know
that your proprietary protocol vendor is not going to trap you in the future. Licensing
fees can have a huge impact on your budget, and it's important to calculate the true
cost of ownership for your remote monitoring system.

Note
Open-source protocols offer following advantage over proprietary protocols:
− Free to use by anyone
− Can be modified and deployed as needed
− Scalability and reduced cost of implementation
− Freedom to select any protocol that matches their technical and financial needs
− Freedom to integrate multiple vendor products in their system
− No annual fees and hidden costs

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− Ease of migration

5.3 Difference between Proprietary and Standard Protocols

Two terms are often used in networking industry, when describing about network
protocols are Proprietary Protocol and Standard Protocol

The main difference between Proprietary Protocol and Standard Protocol is that
proprietary protocols are often developed by a single vendor to use in their products.
Standard protocols are published open standards, which any vendor can use in their
products.

Proprietary protocols are usually developed by a single company for the devices (or
Operating System) which they manufacture. AppleTalk is a proprietary network
protocol developed by Apple Inc. Appletalk protocol is an excellent protocol and
Appletalk protocol work well in network environments made of Apple devices. But
other Operating System software vendors may not support Appletalk protocol.
Proprietary protocols will not scale well in network environments consisting of multi-
vendor Operating System software products or network devices.

Standard protocols are agreed and accepted by the whole computing industry.
Standard protocols are not vendor specific. Standard protocols are often developed by
collaborative effort of experts from different organizations.

Examples of standard protocols are IP, TCP, UDP etc. RFC (Request for Comments) is
an IETF platform to develop Standard Protocols.

5.4 Types of Network Protocols and Their Uses

In the world of technology, there are vast numbers of users' communicating with
different devices in different languages. That also includes many ways in which they
transmit data along with the different software they implement. So, communicating
worldwide will not be possible if there were no fixed 'standards' that will govern the
way user communicates for data as well as the way our devices treat those data.

There are different networks and network protocols, user's use while surfing.

There are various types of protocols that support a major and compassionate role in
communicating with different devices across the network. These are:

i. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): TCP is a popular communication protocol

which is used for communicating over a network. It divides any message into series
of packets that are sent from source to destination and there it gets reassembled at the
destination.

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ii. Internet Protocol (IP): IP is designed explicitly as addressing protocol. It is mostly
used with TCP. The IP addresses in packets help in routing them through different
nodes in a network until it reaches the destination system. TCP/IP is the most popular
protocol connecting the networks.

iii. User Datagram Protocol (UDP): UDP is a substitute communication protocol to

Transmission Control Protocol implemented primarily for creating loss-tolerating and
low-latency linking between different applications.

iv. Post office Protocol (POP): POP3 is designed for receiving incoming E-mails.

v. Simple mail transport Protocol (SMTP): SMTP is designed to send and distribute
outgoing E-Mail.

vi. File Transfer Protocol (FTP): FTP allows users to transfer files from one machine
to another. Types of files may include program files, multimedia files, text files, and
documents, etc.

vii. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP): HTTP is designed for transferring a
hypertext among two or more systems. HTML tags are used for creating links. These
links may be in any form like text or images. HTTP is designed on Client-server
principles which allow a client system for establishing a connection with the server
machine for making a request. The server acknowledges the request initiated by the
client and responds accordingly.

viii. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): HTTPS is abbreviated as Hyper
Text Transfer Protocol Secure is a standard protocol to secure the communication
among two computers one using the browser and other fetching data from web server.
HTTP is used for transferring data between the client browser (request) and the web
server (response) in the hypertext format, same in case of HTTPS except that the
transferring of data is done in an encrypted format. So it can be said that https thwart
hackers from interpretation or modification of data throughout the transfer of packets.

ix. Telnet: Telnet is a set of rules designed for connecting one system with another.
The connecting process here is termed as remote login. The system which requests for
connection is the local computer, and the system which accepts the connection is the
remote computer.

x. Gopher: Gopher is a collection of rules implemented for searching, retrieving as well

as displaying documents from isolated sites. Gopher also works on the client/server
principle.

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xi. Secure Socket Shell (SSH): This protocol provides secure access to a computer, even
if it’s on an unsecured network. SSH is particularly useful for network administrators
who need to manage different systems remotely.

xii. Short Message Service (SMS): This communications protocol was created to send
and receive text messages over cellular networks. SMS refers exclusively to text-based
messages. Pictures, videos or other media require Multimedia Messaging Service
(MMS), an extension of the SMS protocol.

Some other popular protocols act as co-functioning protocols associated with these
primary protocols for core functioning. These are:
• ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
• IMAP4 (Internet Message Access Protocol)
• SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
• RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol)
• RLP (Resource Location Protocol)
• RAP (Route Access Protocol)
• L2TP (Layer Two Tunnelling Protocol)
• PPTP (Point To Point Tunnelling Protocol)
• SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
• TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol)

Conclusion: What is The Best Option for Your Needs?

The bottom line here is that if you need the freedom to choose between vendors, and
to integrate all your different devices together, choosing to work with an open
protocol might be the best choice for you.

It may sound like an open protocol would always be the preferable option. However,
it doesn't necessarily mean that proprietary protocols are bad, or that they can't be
your right choice. If you need the guarantee of optimum performance between your
devices, a proprietary protocol might offer that for you.

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