Answer:
ensure that hardware and software produced by different vendors can work together.
Step-by-step explanation:
Networking standards can be defined as a set of rules and requirements for data communication which are necessary for the inter-operation of network devices (hardware) and software application processes.
Hence, the primary reason for networking standards is to ensure that hardware and software produced by different vendors can work together. This ultimately implies that, networking standards makes it possible for various vendors and manufacturers to develop or produce networks that avail users the ability and opportunity to share informations and communicate with one another easily.
Some examples of organizations responsible for creating networking standards are;
1. International Telecommunications Union— Telecommunications (ITU-T).
2. International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
3. American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Additionally, the generally accepted standards for networking are; HTML, HTTP, IMAP, POP, SNMP, SMTP, TCP etc.