Networking Guide
Chapter 4, Administering SCO IPX/SPX

Protocols

Protocols

NetWare client-server communications are governed by a series of protocols. These protocols can be divided by functionality: 

The protocols that make up the SCO IPX/SPX stack may be installed as a co-resident with other SCO networking protocols: Please refer to ``Protocol stacks'' in Configuring Network Connections for more information on LAN card and protocol stack coexistence. 

The following table describes which protocols are used and supported by SCO IPX/SPX:

Table 4-1 Protocols supported by SCO IPX/SPX

 --------------------------------------------------------------
 Protocol                             Supported    API provided
 --------------------------------------------------------------
 Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX)   yes          yes
 Sequenced Packet Exchange (SPX)      yes          yes
 Service Advertising Protocol (SAP)   yes          yes
 Routing Information Protocol (RIP)   yes          no
 NetWare Core Protocol (NCP)          yes          no
 Novell Virtual Terminal (NVT)        yes          yes
NCP is supported by SCO IPX/SPX but is only used by SCO Gateway for NetWare.

The information presented in the following sections is technical in nature and is most valuable to those individuals designing, implementing, or administering NetWare networks. It is also useful to individuals and organizations developing applications specifically for NetWare. The sections provide:

These sections explain the packet structures defined by each protocol, and the algorithms followed by workstations, routers, and file servers when transmitting or receiving packets.

For detailed information on Novell networks, see the Novell documentation.


NOTE: Some of the information in the following sections does not apply directly to SCO IPX/SPX. It does, however, describe the environment in which IPX/SPX operates. You should be familiar with this environment to make effective use of IPX/SPX.