The micrometeorological tower flux network is the cornerstone of the global terrestrial vegetation monitoring. The eddy covariance technique used for tower fluxes is derived from the conservation of mass and is most applicable for steady-state conditions over flat, extended, and uniform vegetation. This technique allows us to obtain surface fluxes of energy budget components, greenhouse and trace gases, and other pollutants. The quality-controlled flux data are invaluable to validate various models with temporal scales ranging from minutes to years and spatial scales ranging from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers. In this paper, we review the theoretical background of this important eddy covariance technique, examine the measurement criteria and corrections, and finally suggest some measurement strategies that may facilitate coordinated flux measurements among different disciplines and provide a strong infrastructure for the global flux network.