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Tech Note #37:  Introduction to the TOAD
TM
 Protocol
©
1998 Bionic Buffalo Corporation; All Rights Reserved.
                  12 June 1998
http://www.tatanka.com
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Although the above illustration shows a peer-to-peer relationship among the nodes, TOAD
encourages dynamic topologies. The type of relationship may change during operation of the
nodes. For example, a simple master-slave relationship is possible among nodes.
It is also possible to form hierarchies of two or more levels. The dynamic arrangement is
controlled by management nodes, which will direct the separate TOAD nodes into
relationships as needed to control the level of network traffic or meet other needs. As a node
moves from a peer-to-peer role to some other role (such as slave), the network protocol it uses
will change accordingly.