Open Transport provides individual computer users with many benefits. Two of the most visible and important benefits relate to making networking more accessible:
Ease of Switching Network Configurations
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Open Transport makes it easy to switch from one network configuration to another. A computer user "on the go" might want to connect to the Internet in various locations, each requiring a different network configuration. With Open Transport, settings for each network location can be stored for easy access and use. Changed settings are available immediately -- no restart of the computer is required to use the new configuration.
Integrated Online Help
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Open Transport integrates online help, based on Apple Guide technology, to make it easier for an individual to connect to a network, with fewer demands on network manager and support resources.
Open Transport provides significant new flexibility in setting up network configurations. A network manager can recommend or require configuration settings for users on the network, or allow users to determine their own settings.
Open Transport also improves support for centralized configuration management. For example, Open Transport/TCP supports the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), letting network managers administer addressing and other TCP/IP configuration information from a central server.
Open Transport makes it easier and more cost-effective to develop Macintosh-based applications for a wide variety of customers. With Open Transport, the Mac OS has built-in networking and communications based on cross-platform industry standards, including the POSIX compliant X/Open Transport Interface (XTI), Unix STREAMs and Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI). Applications written to support Open Transport can directly support a wide range of networking environments (serial, dial-up network, LAN, and WAN), and multiple protocols (AppleTalk, TCP/IP, serial, and others) from a common code base.
This article was published in the "Information Alley":
Volume II, Issue 8, Page 14
Article Change History:
26 Sep 1995 - Added Info Alley information; updated article.
22 Aug 1995 - Changed title.
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