IP Functions
The exact number of IP functions depends on where you draw the line between certain activities. For explanatory purposes, however, I view IP as having four basic functions (or more accurately, function sets):
Addressing Before it can deliver datagrams, IP must know where to deliver them. For this reason, IP includes a mechanism for host addressing. Furthermore, since IP operates over internetworks, its system is designed to allow for the unique addressing of devices across arbitrarily large networks. It also contains a structure to facilitate the routing of datagrams to distant networks, if that is required. Since most of the other TCP/IP protocols use IP, an understanding the IP addressing scheme is of vital importance to comprehending ...
Get TCP/IP Guide now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
