NBF provides compatibility with computers running under the earlier operating systems of Microsoft LAN Manager and MS-Net, and IBM LAN Server. NBF can be used to connect LAN workstation and server computers, and to connect remote and dial-up clients, including laptop computers, to computers running the Windows NT-based RAS.
NBF can be used with programs that implement a variety of services based on the following application programming interfaces (APIs):
NBF is most efficient when used for computers connecting to small to medium-sized, single-location networks. NBF is not a routable protocol like TCP/IP or IPX, although NBF does support a form of routing known as Token Ring routing, available only on IBM Token Ring networks. Additionally, NBF uses a single part naming scheme that does not support network segmentation used in most large networks.