18.1 INTRODUCTION

CATNIP is an acronym for the Common Architecture for the Internet (CATNIP) which was set up as a convergence protocol. CATNIP incorporates CLNP, IP, and IPX. The CATNIP structure yields for any of the transport layer protocols in use such as TP4, CLTP, TCP, UDP, and SPX to operate over any of the network layer protocol formats such as:

When a high level of attention is given to details, it is possible for a transport layer protocol (e.g., TCP) to operate correctly with one end system employing one network layer such as IPv4 in addition to using another network protocol such as CLNP.

18.2 INTERNET ARCHITECTURE

The goal is to yield a common ground between the Internet, OSI, and Novell protocols. This also produces a fertile environment to advance the Internet technology to the point where performance of the next generation of internetwork technology grows exponentially.

CATNIP deals with OSI Network Service Access Point (NSAP) format addresses. A host and provider relationship is illustrated by Figure 18.1. Also, it uses a cache which has the ability to yield both quick identification of the next hop in high performance routing in addition to abbreviation of the network header by allowing the addresses to be eliminated when a valid cache handle is available. The fixed section of the network layer header then conveys the cache handles.

SIPP is an acronym for Simple Intsernet Protocol Plus which is a new version of IP that is designed to...