# Secure communication protocols on Illumina systems

**What is a communication protocol, in simple terms?**

When data is transferred from Illumina sequencers and servers to a user network storage location, there are different levels of Server Message Block (SMB) protocols that can be employed.

**What are the latest secure communication protocols supported on Illumina instruments?**

All Windows 10 systems support SMB 3.1.1

The NextSeq 1000/2000 (CentOS 7) supports SMB 3.0

The NovaSeq X/X Plus (Oracle Linux 8) supports SMB 3.1.1

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