### TechNote

Number: 03401-04
Date: October 1994

## What is ODI?

Novell’s Open Data-link Interface (ODI) is Novell's latest specification of the data-link and network layers. ODI allows use of multiple network protocols simultaneously over various media. For example, you can have your workstation attached to both token-ring and Ethernet servers, and communicate with both UNIX and NetWare servers at the same time.

You can use ODI with the following operating systems:

- DOS
- OS/2
- NetWare 386

### What does ODI do?

ODI provides an interface through which the communications protocols and LAN drivers communicate with each other. The ODI acts as a standard interface by hiding protocol- specific information from the LAN driver, and media-specific information from the protocol. Figure 1 illustrates this. The ODI consists of three layers:

- The protocol stacks such as IPX and TCP/IP.
- The Link Support Layer (LSL). For information on the LSL, refer toTechNote 03402.
- The Multiple Link Interface Driver (MLID) layer. For information on the MLID layer,refer to TechNote 03403.

Figure 1: The ODI provides an interface for LAN drivers and protocols