3com 2500 User Guide

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8-8
C
HAPTER
 8: R
OUTING
 
WITH
 A
PPLE
T
ALK 
T
ECHNOLOGY
AppleTalk Echo Protocol (AEP)
AppleTalk nodes use the AEP to send datagrams to other nodes in the 
network. The AEP datagram transmitted causes the destination node to 
return, or echo, the datagram to the sending node. This protocol 
determines whether a node is accessible before any sessions are started, 
and it enables users to estimate the round-trip delay time between nodes.
AppleTalk Transaction Protocol (ATP)
This protocol, along with the AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP), 
ensures delivery of DDP packets to a destination without any losses or 
corruption. 
Name Binding Protocol (NBP)
This protocol translates alphanumeric entity names to AppleTalk 
addresses. NBP maintains a table of node addresses and named entities 
within each node. Because each node also maintains its own list of 
named entities, the names directory within an AppleTalk network is not 
centralized. The names directory database is distributed among all nodes 
on the intranet.
Session Layer
Protocols
An AppleTalk intranet has four session-layer protocols:
AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP)
The ADSP works with the ATP to ensure reliable data transmission. Unlike 
ATP, however, ADSP provides full-duplex byte-stream delivery. Therefore, 
two nodes can communicate simultaneously. ASDP also includes flow 
control, so that a fast sender does not overwhelm a slow receiver.
Zone Information Protocol (ZIP)
ZIP works with RTMP to map network numbers to network zones for the 
entire AppleTalk intranet. Network zones are the logical groupings of 
AppleTalk networks. The table created by ZIP is called the Zone 
Information Table (ZIT)
. You view the ZIT by network number or network 
zone from the Administration Console.