Protocol Drivers

Protocol Drivers

A protocol is a set of rules that governs communications between two entities (Stations).

A protocol defines what is communicated how it is communicated.

The key elements of a protocol are syntax, semantics, and timing.

Syntax

Syntax refers to the structure or format of the data, meaning the order in which they are presented.

Semantics

Semantics shows the meaning of each section of bits. How is a particular pattern to be interpreted and what action is to be taken based on that interpretation.

Timing

Timing refers to two characteristics: when data should be sent.

For example if a sender produces data at 90 Mbps but the receiver can process data at only 1 Mbps, the transmission will overload the receiver and data will be largely lost.

Responsibilities of a protocol driver

The protocol driver is responsible for offering four or five basic services to other layers in the network, while hiding the details of how the service is actually implemented.

The services the protocol driver performs include session management, datagram service data segmentation and sequencing, acknowledgement and possibly routing across a wide area network (WAN).