Network Definitions (NetBEUI, NDIS, ProtMan)

This collection of definitions was built by my students in the CS435 - Network Management class

Kevin Hatch's

NetBEUI
It stands for "NetBIOS Extended User Interface" It's the standard network transport protocol used by all of Microsoft's network systems and IBM's LAN Server based systems. It's NetBEUI that allows the "shares' between machines. In reference to the NetBIOS distinction, NetBIOS is the applications programming interface and NetBEUI is the transport protocol.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
NDIS.hlp
NDIS stands for "Network Device Interface Specification." It allows different protocol to "share" the same hardware. Because of the NDIS interface, we can do the NetBEUI, TCP/IP, IPX, and even AppleTalk and other less-used protocols through the same Network Adapter. The NDIS interface wes writen by Microsoft and 3COM. The .hlp file is the information and specification for Microsoft Windows.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PROTMAN (.ini, .dos, etc)
PROTMAN files are associated with the Protocol Manager in MS Windows. The Protocol Manager loads and configures the network adapter drivers and network protocols and allows them to work together. In the case of loading the files, it is noted to bbe important that the PROTMAN files load before other drivers so the system can configure them correctly.

Alexa Salazar's

1. What is Protman?
It is the protocol manager. It is responsible for giving Windows information on all network cards and the protocols that are bound to those cards.

2. What is Ndishlp?
It is a programming interface for different protocols sharing the sme network hardware. It is the Network Device Interface Specification initialization help file used to ensure that things work together properly on the network.

3. What is Netbeui?
It is NetBIOS Extented User interface protocol used to interconnect computers running windows for workgroups, MS-DOS, Windows NT, and Microsoft LAN Manager compatable networks in a local area network environment. NetBeui is a small efficient protocol designed for use on a departmental LAN of 20-200 workstations. Ideal for large I/O requests such as copying files or running applications off network servers

Lisa Vigil's

What is Protman?
It is a protocol manager that configures network adapter card drivers and protocols, allowing these components to bind together.

What is Ndihlp?
A driver that is the real-mode stub for the NDIS2SUP.386 VxD and assists in the binding process between real-mode NDIS network adapter card drivers and NDIS 2.0 protocols

What is Netbeui?
Network transporter protocol that has powerful flow control, tuning parameters, and robust error detection. Netbeui is a small efficient protocol designed for use on a departmental LAN of 20 to 200 workstations.

Microsoft Windows for Workgroups and Win 95 are peer-to-peer networking operating system. Every network operating system must provide a way to organize the datathat is to be sent and received over the network. The primary way Windows for Workgroups and Win95 accomplishes this is through the NetBEUI protocol. Some protocols are aided by a transport. A transport handles the organization of application messages, leaving the protocol to handle only data. NetBEUI is a protocol that manages the packaging of both data and application messages. NetBEUI is a windowing protocol. It uses an adaptive sliding window algorithm, enabling it to determine how to balance the load between sending and receiving data based on the size of the network. For example, when a workstation sends information over the network, an acknowledgment is sent back telling the workstation the data reached its destination. By utilizing adaptive windowing provided by NetBEUI, the workstation can send additional information before it receives an acknowledgment. With NetBEUI, it is possible to send more data overall and increase throughput. This must be done on a controlled level so no data is lost. (Lawrence Martinez)

NDIS has become a standard driver now shipped with most adapter cards. NDIS is able to support multiple protocal stacks over a single adapter card. A network adapter card with an NDIS driver installed could support communications to both a LAN Manager server as well as TCP/IP hosts. Having multiple protocols is not enough, PCs must sense which protocol stack should be used at any point in time and somehow have the ability to switch back and forth between the various networking protocols as appropreate. The NDIS multiple protocol driver standards are the key to the PCs ability to manipulate multiple protocol stacks.(Lawrence Martinez)

PROTMAN is the protocol manager. It is responsible for giving Windows information on all network cards and the protocols that are bound to network cards. This corresponds to the program PROTMAN.EXE which facilitates the exchange of configuration information between the NDIS driver and the NDIS application driver. (Lawrence Martinez)

                               NDIS Driver Diagram

                                                 ***************
         ###############      ************         *  PD-Based   *
         #    NDIS                 #  * NETX.COM *         *   TCP/IP    *
         # Application           #      *  Program *         * Application *
         ###############      ************         ***************
                +                   +                     +
                +                   +                     +
                +             *************               +
                +             * IPXPD.COM *               +
                +             *  Program  *               +
                +             *************               +
                +                   +                     +
                +                   +                     +
                +                   +++++++++++++++++++++++
                +                              +
         ###############                       +
         #    NDIS                  #                ****************
         # Application            #                * DIS_PKT9.SYS *
         #   Driver                  #                *    Driver    *
         ###############                ****************
                +                              +
                +                              +
                ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                                    +
                                    +
                             ***************
                             * PROTMAN.EXE *
                             *   Program   *
                             ***************
                                    +
                                    +
                               **********
                               *  NDIS  *
                               * Driver *
                               **********
                                    +
                                    +
                            *****************
                            * Ethernet Card *
                            *****************
                                     ||||||||
                                             Lawrence martinez

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Wayne Summers summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu

Last revised Mar. 6, 1996