Basic SNA concepts

SNA defines the standards, protocols, and functions used by devices - from mainframes to terminals - to enable them to communicate with each other in SNA networks.

SNA functions are divided into a hierarchical structure of separate layers, each performing a specific set of functions. This division of network functions into layers enables network devices to share information and processing resources without having detailed information about each device on the network. A user at a workstation can communicate with another user without knowing anything about the physical devices on the network or the connections between those devices.