IPX is a networking protocol originally used by Novell Netware Operating System to interconnect networks using Novell clients and servers. It is a connectionless datagram protocol that operates at the Network layer of the OSI model. IPX addresses network interfaces using a combination of physical addresses, network numbers, and socket numbers. While it was high performing in LANs, IPX is not suitable for wide area networks due to packet reordering issues.

1. Network Protocol
TOPIC : INTERNETWORK PACKET EXCHANGE
(IPX)
BY
Muhammed Sidibeh

2. BRIEF OVERVIEW
• NetWare is a network operating system (NOS) that provides
transparent remote file access .
• NetWare was developed by Novell, Inc., from the Xerox*
Network System Datagram protocol and was introduced in
the early 1980s and based on a client server architecture.
• For connecting clients to its Network operating systems a
protocol was developed which is know as IPX.
• IPX was developed by Novell based on a research center
(PARC). Its core components are Internetwork packet
exchange (IPX) , Sequenced Packet exchange), Service
Advertising Protocol (SAP) etc..

3. WHAT IS INTERNETWORK PACKET
EXCHANGE (IPX)?
IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange) is a
networking protocol from Novell that
interconnects network that use Novell’s
Netware Clients and servers. IPX is a
datagram or packet protocol.

4. Where does it Operate in the
OSI Model?
• IPX works at the Network layer.
• Connectionless Datagram Protocol.

5. Fig 1: The NetWare Protocol Suite Maps to All OSI layers
HIGHER
LEVEL
PROTOCOLS
(NETBIOS,SAP
,NCP,SPX,NSL
P and SPX
R
E
L
I
E
S
MAC
PROTOCOLS
and IPX

6. IPX Packet Structure
The IPX packet is similar to the XNS IDP packet
and comprises two parts:
1.A 30 bytes IPX header, which includes the
network, node, and socket addresses for both
destination and source.
2.Data section, which often includes the header of
a higher level protocol, such as SPX.

7. Structure of an IPX packet
Note: The IPX header is placed after the header and before the data.

8. PACKET TYPES

9. IPX Addressing
• For intranetwork addressing, IPX uses the physical
address assigned to the network interface board.
• IPX network address uniquely identifies an IPX server on
an IPX network and individual processes within the
server.
1. A 4-byte network number (server)
2. A 6-byte node number (server)
3. A 2-byte socket number (server process)

10. Communication
1. Client-Server
• Every Netware server builds a service
advertisement table comprising all the
network resource that it is aware of.
• Client use Get Nearest Server (GNS)
request to locate servers.
2. Server-Server
• Servers use SAP and RIP

11. Client Requesting Resources from Server Via (SAP)

12. How the Performance of IPX exceed that of
TCP/IP in LAN
• IPX addresses are formed using Ethernet
MAC and 32-bit network ID.
• Highly optimized for LAN- IPX/SPX uses
per packet nacks instead of per octet acks
in TCP.
• Clients that misses a packet can be re-
read from the disk/cache and re-sent.

13. LIMITATIONS OF IPX
• Not suitable for WAN.
• Packet reordering on WAN is
omnipresent causing a lot of spurious
NAKs.
• IPX addresses are not hierarchical.

14. SUMMARY
• IPX is a networking protocol originally used by
Novell Netware Operating System.
• IPX is connectionless.
• Also referred to as a datagram protocol-
meaning each packet is treated as a single
entity.
• IPX is very easy to configure and has a small
memory footprint.

15. REFERENCES
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internetwork_Packet_Exchange#Description
• http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/answer/TCP-IP-vs-IPX-SPX
• http://www.powershow.com/view/3bdf3d-
M2U0M/IPX_SPX_powerpoint_ppt_presentation
• http://www.powershow.com/view/3bdf3d-
M2U0M/IPX_SPX_powerpoint_ppt_presentation

16. THE
END