Network redirector

In DOS and Windows, a network redirector, or redirector, is an operating system driver that sends data to and receives data from a remote device. A network redirector provides mechanisms to locate, open, read, write, and delete files and submit print jobs.
The network redirector was first implemented in MS-DOS 3.1 in 1984.
It provides application services such as named pipes and MailSlots. When an application needs to send or receive data from a remote device, it sends a call to the redirector. The redirector provides the functionality of the presentation layer of the OSI model.
Networks Hosts communicate through use of this client software: Shells, Redirectors and Requesters.
In Microsoft Networking, the network redirectors are implemented as Installable File System drivers.