 - NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System) is a program that allows applications on different computers to communicate within a local area network (LAN). It was created by IBM for its early PC Network, was adopted by Microsoft, and has since become a de facto industry standard. NetBIOS is used in Ethernet and Token Ring networks and, included as part of NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI), in recent Microsoft Windows operating systems. It does not in itself support a routing mechanism so applications communicating on a wide area network (WAN) must use another "transport mechanism" (such as Transmission Control Protocol) rather than or in addition to NetBIOS.
NetBIOS frees the application from having to understand the details of the network, including error recovery (in session mode). A NetBIOS request is provided in the form of a Network Control Block (NCB) which, among other things, specifies a message location and the name of a destination.
NetBIOS provides the session and transport services described in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. However, it does not provide a standard frame or data format for transmission. A standard frame format is provided by NetBUI.
NetBIOS provides two communication modes: session or datagram. Session mode lets two computers establish a connection for a "conversation," allows larger messages to be handled, and provides error detection and recovery. Datagram mode is "connectionless" (each message is sent independently), messages must be smaller, and the application is responsible for error detection and recovery. Datagram mode also supports the broadcast of a message to every computer on the LAN.
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Learn more about LANs (Local Area Networks) |
| LAN administration guide: LAN administration is an arduous task and your responsibilities often involve many different aspects and may include many tasks. This guide will help you with each step and task. |
| LAN network design considerations: What are the steps to be kept in mind while designing a network having three hundred nodes within a three-floor building and one server room? |
| 10 Gigabit Ethernet tutorial: Connecting data centers, storage, LAN and beyond: Learn how to choose 10 Gigabit Ethernet cabling and components, why new Gigabit Ethernet protocols will improve performance, and how it can all result in data center optimization. |
| Best practices for securing your wireless LAN: Learn best practices for securing a wireless LAN (WLAN) in the enterprise, from systematically monitoring your WLAN for intruders to protecting users and the network itself. |
| A basic virtualized enterprise -- from 'Network Virtualization': Learn why and how to virtualize the network in this chapter from 'Network virtualization' by Victor Moreno and Kumar Reddy. |
| Configuring VLANs: Learn how to configure a virtual LAN (VLAN) in this step-by-step, automated, 15-minute demo. |
| Network administration guide: Network administration responsibilities, such as network design, troubleshooting, backup, documentation, security, and managing users are discussed in this guide. |
| CONTRIBUTORS: |
Melissa Beal |
| LAST UPDATED: |
09 Apr 2007
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