Information Technology - Protocol for Providing the Connectionless-Mode Network Service: Protocol Specification

Scope

This Recommendation 

International Standard specifies a protocol that is used to provide the connectionless-mode Network service described in ITU-T Rec. X.213 

ISO/IEC 8348 and to perform certain Network layer management functions. The protocol relies upon the provision of an underlying connectionless-mode service by real subnetworks and/or data links. The underlying connectionless-mode service assumed by the protocol may be obtained either directly, from a connectionless-mode real subnetwork, or indirectly, through the operation of an appropriate Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Function (SNDCF) or Protocol (SNDCP) over a connection-mode real subnetwork, as described in ISO/IEC 8648. This Recommendation 

International Standard specifies the operation of the protocol with respect to a uniform, abstract .underlying subnetwork service.. Other Recommendations 

International Standards specify the way in which this .underlying subnetwork service. is obtained from real subnetworks, such as those which conform to ISO/IEC 8802 or ISO/IEC 8208. The .underlying subnetwork service. may be obtained from real subnetworks other than those that are specifically covered by the other Recommendations 

International Standards. This Recommendation 

International Standard specifies:

a) procedures for the connectionless transmission of data and control information from one Network entity to one or more peer Network entities;

b) the encoding of the Protocol Data Units (PDUs) used for the transmission of data and control information, comprising a variable-length protocol header format;

c) procedures for the correct interpretation of protocol control information; and

d) the functional requirements for implementations claiming conformance to this Recommendation 

International Standard.

The procedures are defined in terms of:

a) the interactions among peer Network entities through the exchange of protocol data units;

b) the interactions between a Network entity and a Network service user through the exchange of Network service primitives; and

c) the interactions between a Network entity and an abstract underlying service provider through the exchange of service primitives.