TCP/IP
The TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
suite, included with the SCO OpenServer Desktop and Enterprise systems, provides
the basis for many useful
services, including electronic mail, file transfer, remote login,
network monitoring, and others, described in
Chapter 3, ``Administering TCP/IP''.
TCP/IP is a set of protocols and programs used to interconnect computer networks and to route traffic among different types of computers. These protocols describe allowable data formats, error handling, message passing, and communication standards. Computer systems that use TCP/IP speak a common language, regardless of hardware or operating system differences.
Many large networks conform to these protocols, including the Internet. Thousands of computers at universities, government agencies, and corporations are connected to a network that follows the TCP/IP protocols. Any machine on the Internet can communicate with any other. Machines on the Internet are referred to as hosts or nodes and are defined by their Internet (or IP) address.
TCP/IP provides: