Object-oriented network protocols

A wide-range of various network communication services and protocols is required to efficiently support the diverse networks and their applications. It is usual to design a protocol for each new service which is required. An attractive alternative is to use a modular and object-oriented architecture for the design and implementation of network protocols. With it, protocols for individual service provision can be created by simply combining generic protocol functions blocks. This paper presents a new reference model which gives a foundation for the object-oriented design and implementation of modular network protocols. It also discusses a case study of an existing object-oriented network communication system