Protocol Layering

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 Agenda

Introduction
Need for Multiple Protocols
The Conceptual Layers of Protocol Software
Functionality of the Layers
ISO 7-Layer Reference Model
X.25 And its Relation to the ISO Model
The TCP/IP 5-Layer Reference Model

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 Protocol Layering
The concept of protocol was introduced to standardize networks in a way
that allowed multi-vendor systems.

Why multiple protocols?

• Computer communication across a network is a complex problem with
many aspects such as,
 Hardware failure
 Network congestion
 Packet delay/loss
 Data corruption
 Data duplication or Inverted Arrival
• To simplify protocol design and implementation, communication is
segregated into sub-problems that can be solved independently. Each
sub-problem is assigned to a separate protocol.

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The Conceptual Layers of Protocol & Functionalities
• In a layered model, each layer handles one part of the communication
problem.
• Software implementing layer n on the destination machine receives
exactly the message sent by software implementing layer n on the source
machine.

The conceptual
organization of protocol Receiver
Sender
software in layers
Layer n
Layer n
… …

Layer 2 Layer 2

Layer 1 Layer 1

4 Network
ISO 7-Layer Reference Model
• Popularly known as OSI model, designed to understand how the data is
transferred from one computer device to another computer device in the
network.

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X.25 And its Relation to the ISO Model
• Protocol suite: A set of related protocols that are designed for
compatibility.
• X.25 is a protocol-suite developed ITU.
• Considering X.25 will help to understand ISO model. Layers are-
 Layer 7: Application layer:
• Used by network applications like web browsers, Skype
etc.
• Includes application protocols like SMTP, FTP, HTTP
programs.
 Layer 6: Presentation layer:
• Standardize the format of data that application programs
send network.
 Layer 5: Session layer:
• Helps in setting up and establishing, managing and
terminating connections between devices. 6

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 Layer 4: Transport layer:
• Controls the reliability of communication through segmentation,
flow control and error control
 Layer 3: Network layer:
• Transmission of the received data segments from one computer to
another located in different networks.
• Data units are called data packets.
• The functions include logical addressing, routing and path
determination
 Layer 2: Data link layer:
• MAC addresses of
sender and receiver are
assigned to each data
packet to form a frame
• Error checking.

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 Layer 1: Physical layer:
Its key responsibility is to carry the data across the physical hardware such as an
Ethernet cable to the destination.

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The TCP/IP 5-Layer Reference Model
Layer 5: Application
• Users invoke application
programs that access
services available across a
TCP/IP
• Application programs may
send sequence of individual
messages or a continuous
stream of data.

Layer 4: Transport
• Provides communication from one application to another.
• Breaks the information coming from upper layers into manageable
segments. Each segment, the transport layer adds its own header to create
encapsulation.
• Provides reliable delivery of data.
• Create port numbers to support multiple applications on the host
simultaneously
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The TCP/IP 5-Layer Reference Model
Layer 3: Internet
Handles communication from one
computer to another.
Defines uniform format of packets
forwarded across networks of
different technologies and rules for
forwarding packets in routers.
Layer 2: Network Interface
Responsible for accepting IP packets
and transmitting them over a specific
network.
Defines formats for carrying packets
in hardware frames
Layer 1: Physical
Deals with wires, cables and hardware
ports/connectors

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 Locus of Intelligence
In the original telephone network , all the intelligence was
located in phone switches. The host device only consisted the
passive electronics such as microphone, earpiece & a mechanism
used to dial.
The TCP/IP protocols require attached computers to run transport
protocols and applications as well as Layer 3 and Layer 2
protocols. There is a much involvement of the end device in
forwarding the packets.
Unlike traditional analog telephone system, TCP/IP internet can be
viewed s a relatively simple packet delivery system to which
intelligent hosts attach.

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We’re done here,
Thank You for your patience
and have a great day!!