A protocol architecture is the layered structure of hardware and software that supports the exchange of data between systems and supports distributed applications,such as electronic mail and file transfer.
At each layer of a protocol architecture, one or more common protocols are implemented in communicating systems. Each protocol provides a set of rules for the exchange of data between systems.
The most widely used protocol architecture is the TCP/IP protocol suite, which consists of the following layers: physical, network access, internet, transport, and application. Another important protocol architecture is the seven-layer OSI model.
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