Mixing Protocols

Sometimes, you may need more than one networking protocol on a computer. This may occasionally require you to go through some interesting contortions, but Windows Server 2003 is accommodating about supporting multiple protocols. In fact, you can run both TCP/IP and IPX/SPX (NWLink) (plus any other native or third-party, vendor-provided protocol) on a single Windows Server 2003 machine on multiple network interface cards without too much hassle. The same is true of Windows 98, SE, Me, XP, and 2000.

Likewise, Macintoshes can run AppleTalk and TCP/IP together easily, and UNIX can run as many protocol stacks together as you may need to obtain the range of network services necessary. A UNIX machine's protocol collection can include TCP/IP, NetBEUI, OSI, IPX, and more.

Chances are that your biggest problems in using multiple protocol stacks will occur on older PCs running DOS or Windows 3. x , where the lack of built-in networking automatically makes installing and using multiple protocols more difficult. Likewise, limited memory management capabilities and the lack of support for modern device drivers make hybrid networking a challenge.