IP stands for internet protocol
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IP stands for internet protocol and refers to a data protocol that is used
for communication of data across a network. A protocol is a standard that
governs or enables the connection of communication or data transfer between two
points on a network. In terms of two cans and a string serving as a child's
telephone, for example, the protocol would be the string between the two cans.
Protocol can also refer to rules governing the aspects of the communication,
such as the semantics and the syntax or order of the terms of communications
across the network.
IP, then, is what is known as a network layer protocol and is housed and
governed in a data linkage known as Ethernet. Ethernet refers to what are
essentially a family of computer properties and technologies used across local
area networks or LANs. Ethernet tends to provide unique global internet protocol
addresses or IP addresses to users on the networks. IP is basically the tools of
communication and the identity of a particular computer or network's "global
address." IP is entirely concerned with where the data ends up whereas Ethernet
references and is concerned with the actual next device in the next chain of
communication. To use the aforementioned example regarding a child's telephone,
the Ethernet would be concerned with the two cans more than it would be with the
string.
The first version of IP to be used worldwide and widely deployed was IPv4.
IPv4, as the name would suggest, was the fourth edition of internet protocol and
is used on the internet along with IPv6. IPv6 and Ipv4 are actually the only
forms of internet protocol to be utilized on the World Wide Web. IPv4 is what is
known as a "best effort delivery" protocol; there are not many service
guarantees within IPv4 or any other IP for that matter. In fact, best effort
delivery contains a number of notions that do not guarantee a level of quality
for service customers or a level of reliability in terms of connectivity to any
network. The best comparison to this philosophy would be the post office. While
no resources are left unused in the operation of delivering mail, there is no
actualized guarantee as to when you mail will arrive.
A lack of data guarantee isn't the only place that IP falters. It can also
end up corrupting data, losing connectivity, not granting connectivity to a
network for an extremely long time, doubling up connectivity packets, and losing
some connectivity packets which would result in not giving you a full
connection. IP does not seem like a very reliable protocol, yet it is virtually
the only choice there is for connecting to a network. In businesses that use
voip systems or rely on voip conference calls, reliability can be a serious
issue.
IP is a complex concept, but at the root it simply provides guidelines to
technological aspects that transmit data or voice over ip services across a
network. This happens because computers within that network have IP addresses
that enable the reception of the data. With these IP addresses, data is assured
proper receipt. The rest of the process, however, is up in the air thanks to the
unreliable nature of the internet protocol or IP.
About the Author
Lee Hopkins the author of over 130 articles on business communication, and is
recognised world-wide as one of Australia's leading experts in online business
communication, including Social Media or Web2.0 as it's also known.
To connect with him, please call him on +61 8121 4444 any hour of the day or
night; if he's asleep you can leave a voice message!
Visit his site at www.LeeHopkins.com
to find many more articles on business communication. He also blogs at
www.LeeHopkins.net. Whilst there, why
not pick up a complimentary copy of his 'Social Media White Paper', which
explains all about this latest seismic change to the business communication
landscape!
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2009-11-23 12:37:02 in Computer Articles
