Definition
Zone Information Protocol (ZIP) is a networking tool used in AppleTalk, a set of networking technologies created by Apple for their PCs in the 1980s. It was meant to assist devices on an AppleTalk network to discover and locate each other.
History of Zone Information Protocol
Zone Information Protocol (ZIP) was an integral component of the AppleTalk suite launched in the 1980s. It enabled Apple devices, such as Macintosh printers and devices, to communicate smoothly within LANs (local area networks) and distribute resources like printers and files.
However, with the evolution of technology, AppleTalk was phased out in favor of more modern networking protocols. Only older systems may use them today.
How the Zone Information Protocol Works
- After a new device joins a network, it utilizes Zone Information Protocol to ‘announce’ itself. This broadcast or announcement contains information such as the device’s name and its proficiencies (such as if it’s a file server or a printer).
- Other devices on the same network pay attention to these broadcasts and develop Zone Information Protocol tables to recall who else is accessing the network and what every device offers.
- When a device wishes to identify a particular resource, such as a shared file or printer, it examines its Zone Information Protocol table.
- Zone Information Protocol assists in configuring connections. For instance, when you wish to print a document, Zone Information Protocol allows you to find the correct printer and ensures that your print job is transmitted to the right location.
Zone Information Protocol and AppleTalk are currently considered obsolete. Modern networks depend on protocols such as TCP/IP, which are broadly utilized on the web and in the latest network systems.
