The whole IP suite, which comprises a set of rules and procedures, is referred to as TCP/IP. The most prevalent protocols are TCP and IP, but the suite also contains others. The TCP/IP protocol suite acts as an abstraction layer between internet applications and the routing and switching fabric.
TCP/IP defines how data is exchanged over the internet by defining end-to-end communications that define how packets should be broken down, addressed, transported, routed, and received at their destination. TCP/IP is a network protocol that requires little central control and is meant to make networks more dependable by allowing them to automatically recover from the failure of any device on the network.
The two core protocols in the IP suite serve different purposes. TCP is a protocol that describes how programs can create communication channels across a network. It also regulates how a message is decomposed into smaller packets and transported over the internet, where it is reassembled in the correct order at the destination address.
The following are examples of TCP/IP protocols:
- The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the protocol that allows a web server and a web browser to communicate.
- HTTP Secure is a protocol that allows a web server and a web browser to communicate securely.
- The File Transfer Protocol is used to send files between computers.
