Chapter 20: TCPIP Protocol Suite

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OVERVIEW

The TCP/IP protocol suite was developed during the initial days of research on the Internet and evolved over the years, making it a simple yet efficient architecture for computer networking. The ISO/OSI architecture developed subsequently has not caught on very well because the Internet had spread very fast and the large installation base of TCP/IP-based networks could not be replaced with the ISO/OSI protocol suite.

The TCP/IP protocol suite is now an integral part of most operating systems, making every computer network-ready. Even very small embedded systems are being provided with TCP/IP support to make them network enabled. These systems include Web cameras, Web TVs, and so on. In this chapter, we will study the TCP/IP architecture. A thorough understanding of this architecture is a must for everyone who is interested in the field of computer networking.

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