Protocol Layering
Outline
Part 1
Network problems, protocol and layering
concepts
Need for protocols and layering
Part 2
ISO/OSI and TCP/IP models
Comparison
Common points
Final remarks
3
Outline Part 1
Existing problems in communication
networks
Protocol -definition
The need for protocols
Set of protocols: Layering
What is Layering?
Why Layering?
3
Existing Problems in
Communication Networks
Hardware failure
Hosts, routers
Network congestion
Networks have finite capacity
Packet delay
Data corruption
Electric, magnetic interferences
HW failure
Data duplication
Complexity of networks
Networks are
complex !!!
Parts of a network:
Hosts
Routers
Media
Applications
Hardware
Software
Different OS
Different protocols
Is there a Solution?
Organize all the
elements under a
same agreement
Better yet, use a
divide and conquer
approach
Result: the concept of
a communications
protocol
Protocol
Agreement about communication
Specifies
Format of messages
Meaning of messages
Rules for exchange
Procedures for handling problems
Protocols allow to specify or understand
communication without knowing the details of a
particular hardware
Need for Protocols
Hardware is low level
Many problems can occur
Bits corrupted or destroyed
Entire packet lost
Packet duplicated
Packets delivered out of order
Need for Protocols
(continued)
Need mechanisms to distinguish
among
Multiple computers on a network
Multiple applications on a computer
Multiple copies of a single application on
a computer
Different Operating Systems (OS)
Set of Protocols
Work together
Each protocol solves part of a
communication problem
Known as
Protocol suite
Protocol family
Designed in layers
3
Plan for Protocol Design
Intended for protocol designers
Divides protocols into layers
Each layer is devoted to one subproblem
What is layering?
A technique to organize a network
system into a succession of logically
distinct entities, such that the service
provided by one entity is solely
based on the service provided by the
previous entity.
Conceptual Layers of Protocol
Software
Sender
Layer n
Layer 2
Layer 1
The modules of
Protocol SW are
on each machine
stacked vertically
into layers
Network
3
Receiver
Layer n
Layer 2
Layer 1
Conceptual/Realistic view
Conceptual Layers
High Level
Protocol Layer
Software Organization
Protocol 1
Internet
Protocol Layer
Network
Interface Layer
Protocol 2
Protocol 3
IP Module
Interface 1
Interface 2
Interface3
Example: Internet Protocol
Layers
Five layers
Application: supporting
network applications
ftp, smtp, http
Transport: host-host data
transfer
Application
Transport
tcp, udp
Network: routing of a
datagram from source to
destination
Network
ip,routing protocols
Link
Link: data transfer between
neighboring network
elements
ppp, ethernet
Physical: bits on the wire
3
Physical
Protocol Layering and Data
Application
Message
Segment
H H
Datagram
H H H
Frame
Transport
Network
Link
Physical
3
Layers and packet headers
Each layer
Appends header to outgoing packet
Removes header from incoming packet
H Hheader
M
Receiver Huses
as
demultiplexing key
Sender Multiplexes among several
layers
3
Why layering?
Dealing with complex systems:
Explicit structure allows identification of
complex systems pieces
Modularization eases developing,
maintenance, updating of system
Change of implementation of layers service
transparent to rest of system
Example: No layering
Application
Transmission
Media
FTP
Telnet
HTTP
Coaxial cable
Packet radio
Fiber optic
No layering: each new application hast to be
re-implemented for every network technology!
3
Example: now with Layers
Application
Telnet
FTP
HTTP
Transport
& Network
Transmission
Media
Coaxial cable
Fiber optic
Packet radio
Solution: introduce an intermediate layer that provides a
common abstraction for various network technologies
3
ISO Graphical View
Layer 7
Application
Message Passing
Layer 6
Presentation
Encoding
Layer 5
Session
Authentication &
Encryption
Layer 4
Transport
Streams &
Segments
Layer 3
Network
Datagrams
Layer 2
Data Link
Frames & Packets
Layer 1
Physical
Hardware
Signaling & Wiring
The TCP/IP 5-Layer Reference Model
Conceptual Layer
Application
Transport
Internet
Network Interface
Physical
3
Objects Passed
Between Layers
Messages or Streams
Transport Protocol Packets
IP Datagrams
Network-Specific Frames
TCP/IP Layer Description
Layer 5: Application
Used for communicating among applications
Layer 4: Transport
Provides reliable delivery of data
Layer 3: Internet
Defines uniform format of packets forwarded across
networks of different technologies and rules for
forwarding packets in routers
Layer 2: Network
Defines formats for carrying packets in hardware frames
Layer 1: Physical
TCP/IP practical overview
Application
Telnet, FTP,
e-mail, etc.
Transport
TCP, UDP
Internet
Network Interface
Physical
3
IP, ICMP, IGMP
device driver and
interface card
Two hosts running FTP
Two networks connected with a router
Protocol layering principle
Layered protocols are designed so
that layer N at the destination
receives exactly the same object
sent by layer N at the source
Protocol layering
Host A
Host B
Application
Application
Transport
Internet
Network Interface
Identical
message
Identical
packet
Identical
datagram
Identical
Frame
Physical net
3
Transport
Internet
Network Interface
Protocol Layering with a
router
Layering in the presence of Network substructure
Conceptual Layers
Transport
Software Organization
Protocol 1
Internet
Network
Interface
Intranet
3
Protocol 2
Protocol 3
IP Module
Interface 1
Interface 2
Point-To-Point
(Intranet)
Interface3
Multiplexing and
Demultiplexing
ARP Module
IP Module
RARP Module
Demultiplexing
Based on Frame type
Frame arrives
3
More Demultiplexing
UDP Protocol
ICMP Protocol
TCP Protocol
IP Module
Datagram arrives
3
