Home »
Computer Network
Network Protocols and Network Software
In this tutorial, we will learn about the network protocols and network software, what they are, and the task performed by them.
By Abhishek Jain Last updated : April 26, 2023
To share data between computers, it is essential to have appropriate network protocols and software. With the help of network protocol, computers can easily communicate with each other and can share data, resources, etc.
What are Network Protocols?
Network protocols are the set of rules and regulations that are generally used for communication between two networks. Any two networks communicate with each other by sending and receiving messages in the form of packets. The technique that is used to separate a message into packets is called packet switching. Each packet contains the address of the computer from which the message was sent and also of the computer, which will receive the message. To send the packet, routers, and switches are connected over the network path that forwards the packet to the intended receiver.
Task performed by network protocol
The following are the tasks performed by network protocol:
- Identification of the type of the physical connection used
- Error detection and correction of the improper message
- Initiation and termination of the communication session
- Message formatting
Some of the commonly used network protocols are Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Telecommunications Network (Telnet), Domain Name System (DNS), etc.
What is a Network Software?
Network software refers to the set of instructions that are given to the computers connected in a network to perform different tasks.
These instructions are given in the form of a program, which is usually written in some programming language such as C++, Java, C, etc. Network software generally provides support to the computers connected in a network so that they can communicate with each other by exchanging information.
Network operating system software is the type of network software that controls the network traffic, and access to the network resources such as printers, files, etc. This type of software generally provides multiuser, multitasking facilities to ensure effective communication between the computers over the network. It also established the communication between multiple computers that are performing a single task.