08-04-2009, 06:30 AM
Implementing file transfer, printer sharing, and mail service among Apple systems using the Local Talk interface built into Apple hardware, these were the main tasks of AppleTalk developed by Apple Computer. AppleTalk ports to other network media such as Ethernet with the aod of LocalTalk to Ethernet bridges or by Ethernet add-in boards for Apple machines. In addition to many third-party applications, internetwork routing, transaction and data stream service, naming service, and comprehensive file and print sharing are some of the provisions of this multi-layered protocol. With the introduction of AppleTalk Phase 2 in 1989, the addressing capability of AppleTalk networks were extended and thereby provided compliance with the IEEE 802 standard. Some other additions present in AppleTalk Phase 2 were the range of available network layer addresses and the use of the IEEE 802.2 Logical Link Control (LLC) protocol at the Data Link Layer.