Essential Network Protocols for Modern Businesses – And Why They're Not Just IT’s Job

The choice of the right network protocols – from routing and switching to firewall technologies – directly impacts business performance, security, and legal compliance. This article presents key technologies and outlines which solutions are suitable for small, medium, and large organizations.

In the era of digital transformation, network protocols are no longer a topic exclusively for system administrators and IT engineers. Increasingly, strategic decisions – related to security, scalability, and business resilience – depend on understanding (or misunderstanding) key network technologies. But where exactly should the IT department intervene, and which knowledge should also be present at the management level? In this article, we will review the main categories of network protocols and explain their significance according to the type, scale, and needs of a company.

1. Routing Protocols – The Foundation of Connectivity

Routing protocols determine how data reaches its destination within a network. They form the backbone of communication in distributed systems, VPN architectures, multi-site offices, and cloud environments. Here are the main types:

• RIP (Routing Information Protocol) – simple, static, and outdated. Suitable only for very small networks with minimal requirements. Practically unused in modern business.
• OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) – modern, scalable, and supported by all major vendors. Standard for medium and large companies that have many offices or separate VLAN segments.
• EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol) – a semi-proprietary protocol characteristic for Cisco infrastructure. Suitable for medium-sized companies with Cisco infrastructure.
• BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) – the backbone of the Internet. Used by internet service providers and multinational corporations. If your business does not manage its own public routes, deep knowledge is not required.
• IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System) – stable and scalable, mainly used by large telecom operators and some government agencies.

What should management know? – The differences between static and dynamic routing; the importance of failover and redundancy. Deep technical configurations remain within the IT department.

2. Switching Protocols – For Stable Internal Networks

Internal communication between devices within a LAN is crucial for productivity. Here, switching protocols ensure resilience and prevent network issues.

• STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) – prevents loops in Ethernet networks. Required even in small companies if more than one switch is used.
• RSTP (Rapid STP) – a faster and more modern version. Mandatory for medium and large organizations where downtime costs money.

Who needs to know? – Basic concepts such as network redundancy and loop prevention – managers. Technical settings – IT only.

3. Firewall Protocols – Protection Beyond the Perimeter

In today’s cyber environment, firewalls are no longer just “walls” but intelligent systems for access control and perimeter protection – and beyond.

• NAT (Network Address Translation) – hides the internal network from the internet. Used by all companies without exception.
• ACL (Access Control Lists) – rules for allowed and denied traffic. Extremely important in regulated sectors (healthcare, finance, public administration).
• DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) – analyzes packet contents down to the application level. Cannot read HTTPS content unless combined with TLS inspection.
• HTTPS Inspection – allows the firewall to temporarily decrypt traffic, inspect it, and re-encrypt it. Useful for protection against malware but has legal and ethical implications, especially in the EU. Mainly used by large corporations and public institutions.
• ZBF (Zone-Based Firewall) – a modern protection model that segments traffic into zones (e.g., internal, DMZ, external). Needed for medium and large companies seeking centralized and scalable protection.

What is important for managers to know? – The use of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and HTTPS inspection in network security requires careful legal and ethical evaluation, especially in the context of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU. These technologies enable deep traffic analysis – including inspection of content users typically consider private. For HTTPS inspection, encrypted connections can be temporarily decrypted using a “man-in-the-middle” approach with a corporate certificate, raising privacy concerns. Such measures may be technically justified (e.g., to prevent data leaks or malicious traffic) but are not automatically legally permissible. Organizations must assess whether they have legal grounds, informed employee consent, and transparency policies. Otherwise, they risk not only regulatory sanctions but also erosion of trust among staff and customers.

Whether you own a small online store, lead a fast-growing startup, or manage the IT infrastructure of an international company, choosing the appropriate network protocols directly affects your business’s security, performance, and scalability.

For small businesses, relying on basic NAT and a simple firewall is sufficient, but even they should understand the importance of transparency, data protection, and reliable communication. Medium and large companies – especially those in regulated sectors – need to build a more complex network architecture that meets modern security and compliance requirements.

TemplinTech Magazine recommends: if you are unsure whether your current network infrastructure fits your business scale – conduct an audit. A conversation with an IT expert today can save you headaches and potential future breaches. Think forward. Act smart.