Function

• Transferring data involves many different functions. Each function may be broken down into a number of tasks. For each function or task there will be a protocol describing the standards needed to be compatible with other programs. For many tasks, there are a number of protocols to choose between. For data to be transferred, both the sender and the receiver have to be following the same protocol.
  
  

Features

• The tasks involved in transferring data are stratified into a stack to simplify comprehension of all the standards available. These layers are organized with the user-facing applications at the top and the physical cable at the bottom.
  
  

Methods

• Each layer processes the data (breaks it up, encrypts it, sequences it, addresses it, etc.) as it is sent out. At the receiving end, each layer decodes its corresponding function's actions. The most common protocol stack for networking is TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).