Protokollapinoja

Protokollapinoja, or protocol stacks, are essential components in computer networking that manage the complex process of data transmission. A protocol stack is a layered implementation of network protocols, where each layer handles a specific set of functions. Data moves down the stack on the sending device, with each layer adding its own control information (headers) to the data, and then moves up the stack on the receiving device, with each layer removing its corresponding header and processing the data.

The most widely recognized protocol stack is the TCP/IP model, which consists of four or five layers depending on the specific interpretation: the Application Layer, Transport Layer, Internet Layer, and Link Layer (sometimes split into Network Interface and Data Link Layers). Other protocol stacks exist, such as the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model, which has seven layers. The primary purpose of a protocol stack is to abstract away the complexities of underlying network hardware and provide a standardized way for applications to communicate across different networks. This layered approach allows for modularity and interoperability, meaning that different protocols can be developed and updated independently without affecting other layers.