The OSI 7 Layer Model

For the next several weeks we are going to work on one of the critical areas of the MCSE program. It is the OSI 7 Layer Mo el! a str"ct"re generate to separate ifferent parts of networking into ifferent categories an efining the relationships #etween categories. $his is %& F'( the most complex part of the )etworking Essentials test! as it p"lls together protocol stacks! network types! har ware! software! an every other component of networking into a single view. &o" can pass the test witho"t f"lly "n erstan ing the OSI mo el! #"t yo" will never f"lly "n erstan networking witho"t it. What Is The OSI Model? $he International Organi*ation for Stan ar i*ation +ISO, #egan eveloping the Open Systems Interconnection +OSI, reference mo el in -.77. It was create to stan ar i*e the r"les of networking in or er for all systems to #e a#le to comm"nicate. In or er for comm"nication to occ"r on a networking "sing ifferent evice rivers an protocol stacks! the r"les for comm"nication m"st #e explicitly efine . $he OSI mo el eals with the following iss"es/ 0ow a evice on a network sen s it1s ata! an how it knows when are where to sen it 0ow a evice on a network receives it1s ata! an how to know where to look for it. 0ow evices "sing ifferent lang"ages comm"nicate with each other. 0ow evices on a network are physically connecte to each other. 0ow protocols work with evices on a network to arrange ata.

$he OSI mo el is #roken own into 7 layers. 'ltho"gh the first layer is 2-! it is always shown at the #ottom of the mo el. 3e1ll explain why later. For now! remem#er this little trick/ 4lease 5o )ot $ell Secret 4asswor s 'nytime. +From A+ Certification For Dummies, IDG 1999, 0ere are the seven layers. -. 6. 7. 8. 9. :. 7. Protocol Stacks In or er for each layer of the mo el to comm"nicate with the levels a#ove an #elow it! certain r"les were evelope . $hese r"les are calle 4rotocols! an each protocol provi es a specific layer of the mo el with a specific set of tasks or services. Each layer of the mo el has it1s own set of protocols associate with it. 3hen yo" have a set of protocols that create a complete OSI mo el! it is calle a 4rotocol Stack. 'n example of a protocol stack is $C4;I4! the stan ar for comm"nication over the internet! or 'ppletalk for Macintosh comp"ters. 's state #efore! protocols efine how layers comm"nicate with each other. 4rotocols specifically work with O)L& the layer a#ove an #elow them. $hey receive services from the protocol #elow! an provi e services for the protocol a#ove them. $his or er maintains a stan ar that is common to 'LL forms of networking. In or er for two evices on a network to comm"nicate! they m"st #oth #e "sing the same protocol stack. Each protocol in a stack on one evice m"st comm"nicate with it1s e<"ivalent stack! or peer! on the other evice. $his allows comp"ters r"nning ifferent operating systems to comm"nicate with each other easily! s"ch as having Macintosh comp"ters on a 3in ows )$ network. 4hysical Layer 5ata Link Layer )etwork Layer $ransport Layer Session Layer 4resentation Layer 'pplication Layer

Communications Between Stacks 3hen a message is sent from one machine to another! it travels own the protocol stack or layers of the mo el! an then "p the layers of the stack on the other machine. 's the ata travels own the stack! it picks "p hea ers from each layer +Except the physical layer,. 0ea ers contain information that is rea #y the peer layer on the stack of the other comp"ter. 's the ata travels "p the levels of the peer comp"ter! each hea er is remove #y it1s e<"ivalent protocol. $hese hea ers contain ifferent information epen ing on the layer they receive the hea er from! #"t tell the peer layer important information! incl" ing packet si*e! frames! an atagrams. Each layer1s hea er an ata are calle ata packages! or service ata "nits. 'ltho"gh it may seem conf"sing! each layer has a ifferent name for it1s service ata "nit. 0ere are the common names for service ata "nits at each level of the OSI mo el 'pplication 4resentation Session $ransport )etwork 5ata Link 4hysical The Physical Layer $he lowest layer on the OSI mo el! an pro#a#ly the easiest to "n erstan is the physical layer. $his layer eals with the physical! electrical! an ca#le iss"es involve with making a network connection. It associates with any part of the network str"ct"re that oesn1t process information in any way. $he physical layer is responsi#le for sen ing the #its across the network me ia. It oes not efine what a #it is or how it is "se merely how it1s sent. $he physical layer is responsi#le for transmitting an receiving the ata. It efines pin assignments for serial connections! etermines ata synchroni*ation! an efines the entire network1s timing #ase. Items efine #y the physical layer incl" e h"#s! simple active h"#s! terminators! co"plers! ca#les an ca#ling! connectors! repeaters! m"ltiplexers! transmitters! receivers! an transceivers. 'ny item that oes not process information #"t is re<"ire for the sen ing an receiving of ata is efine #y this layer. $here are several items a resses #y this layer. $hey are/ Messages an 4ackets 4ackets 4ackets 5atagrams! Segments! an 4ackets 5atagrams an 4ackets Frames an 4ackets %its an 4ackets

)etwork connections types! incl" ing m"lti=point an point=to=point networks. )etwork $opologies! incl" ing ring! star! #"s! an mesh networks. 'nalog or 5igital signaling. %it Synchroni*ation +3hen to sen ata an when to listen for it,.

%ase#an >s. %roa #an transmissions. M"ltiplexing +Com#ining m"ltiple streams of ata into one channel,. $ermination! to give #etter signal clarity an for no e segmentation.

The Data Link Layer $he 5ata Link Layer is responsi#le for the flow of ata over the network from one evice to another. It accepts ata from the )etwork Layer! packages that ata into frames! an sen s them to the 4hysical Layer for istri#"tion. In the same way! it receives frames from the physical layer of a receiving comp"ter! an changes them into packets #efore sen ing them to the )etwork Layer. $he 5ata link Layer is also involve in error etection an avoi ance "sing a Cyclic (e "n ancy Check +C(C, a e to the frame that the receiving comp"ter analyses. $his secon also checks for lost frames an sen s re<"ests for re=transmissions of frames that are missing or corr"pte at this level. $he most important aspect of the 5ata Link Layer is in %roa cast networks! where this layer esta#lishes which comp"ter on a network receives the information an which comp"ters relay or ignore the information. It oes so #y "sing a Me ia 'ccess Control +M'C, a ress! which "ni<"ely i entifies each )etwork Interface Car +)IC,. %ri ges! Intelligent 0"#s! 'n )ICs are all associate with the 5ata Link Layer. $he 5ata Link Layer is s"#= ivi e into two layers. $his is one #eca"se of the two istinct f"nctions that each s"#= ivision provi es. Lo ical Link Control = ?enerates an maintains links #etween network evices Media !ccess Control = 5efines how m"ltiple evices share a me ia channel $he Logical Link Control provi es Service 'ccess 4oints +Saps, for other comp"ters to make reference to when transporting ata the to "pper layers of the OSI Mo el. Me ia 'ccess Control gives every )IC a "ni<"e -6 igit hexa ecimal a ress. $hese a resses are "se #y the Logical Link Control to set "p connections #etween )ICs. Every M'C a ress m"st #e "ni<"e or they will ca"se i entity crashes on the network. $he M'C a ress is normally set at the factory! an conflicts are rare. %"t in the case of a conflict! the M'C a ress is "ser set=a#le. The "etwork Layer $he thir layer of the OSI mo el is the )etwork layer. $his layer is responsi#le for making ro"ting ecisions an forwar s packets that are farther then one link away. %y making the network layer responsi#le for this f"nction! every other layer of the OSI mo el can sen packets witho"t ealing with where exactly the system happens to #e on the network! whether it #e - hop or -@ hops away. In or er to provi e it1s services to the ata link layer! it m"st convert the logical network a ress into physical machine a resses! an vice versa on the receiving comp"ter. $his is one so that no relaying! ro"ting! or networking information m"st #e processe #y a level higher in the mo el then this level. Essentially! any f"nction that oesn1t provi e an environment for exec"ting "ser programs falls "n er this layer or lower. %eca"se of this restriction! all systems that have packets ro"te thro"gh their systems m"st provi e the #ottom three layers1 services to all packets traveling thro"gh their systems. $h"s! any ro"te packet m"st travel "p the first three layers an then own those same three layers #efore #eing sent farther own the network. (o"ters an gateways are the principal "sers of this layer! an m"st f"lly comply with the network layer in or er to complete ro"ting "ties. $he network layer is also responsi#le for etermining ro"ting an message priority. %y having this single layer responsi#le for prioriti*ation! the other layers of the OSI mo el remain separate from ro"ting ecisions. $his layer is also responsi#le for #reaking large packets into smaller ch"cks when the original packet is #igger then the 5ata Link is set. Similarly! it re=assem#les the packet on the receiving comp"ter into the original=si*e packet. $here are several items a resses #y this layer. $hey are/

' ressing for logical network an service a Circ"it message an packet switching (o"te iscovery an selection

resses.

Connection services! incl" ing layer flow control an packet se<"ence control. ?ateway Services

Trans#ort Layer $he transport layer1s main "ty is to "ns"re that packets are sen error=free to the receiving comp"ter in proper se<"ence with no loss of ata or "plication. $his is accomplishe #y the protocol stack sen ing acknowle gements of ata #eing sen an receive ! an proper checks"m;parity;synchroni*ation of ata #eing maintaine . $he transport layer is also responsi#le for #reaking large messages into smaller packets for the network layer! an for re=assem#ling the packets when they are receive from the network layer for processing #y the session layer. Session Layer $he session layer is the section of the OSI mo el that performs the set"p f"nctions to create the comm"nication sessions #etween comp"ters. It is responsi#le for m"ch of the sec"rity an name look="p feat"res of the protocol stack! an maintains the comm"nications #etween the sen ing an receiving comp"ters thro"gh the entire transfer process. Asing the services provi e #y the transport layer! the session layer ens"res only lost or amage ata packets are re=sent! "sing metho s referre to as ata synchroni*ation an checkpointing. $his ens"res that excess traffic is not create on the network in the event of a fail"re in the comm"nications. $he session layer also etermines who can sen ata an who can receive ata at every point in the comm"nication. 3itho"t the ialog"e #etween the two session layers! neither comp"ter wo"l know when to start sen ing ata an when to look for it in the network traffic.

The Presentation and Application Layers

The presentation layer is responsible for protocol conversation, data translation, compression, encryption, character set conversion, and graphical command interpretation between the computer and the network. The main working units in the presentation are the network redirectors, which make server files visible on client computers. The Network redirector is also responsible for making remote printers appear as if they were local. The application layer provides services that support user applications, such as database access, e-mail services, and file transfers. The application layer also allows Remote Access Servers to work, so that applications appear local on remotely hosted servers. $ow "T and OSI Work To ether% In or er for 3in ows )$ to work with all stan ar protocols! an to fit the OSI mo el! a metric ha to #e forme that fit #oth systems. Systems insi e of 3in ows )$ ha to comply with all the r"les of the OSI mo el in or er for stan ar i*ation to take place. $he following is how 3in ows )$ fits into OSI. Dri&ers

In or er for any piece of e<"ipment to work on any system! rivers are re<"ire to stan ar the comm"nication path #etween the e<"ipment an the operating system. $he same is tr"e for networking components! which re<"ire rivers to provi e the comm"nication path so that )IC1s can work efficiently an properly with the rest of the network an the comp"ter itself. $he network re irector "ses the network a aptor car 1s river to provi e services s"ch as file storage an printing to the "ser1s application. Originally rivers for a )IC co"l only #o"n to a single protocol stack. $his is okay for client=si e comp"ting #eca"se normally only one protocol stack an one )IC were nee e . Server1s presente a new pro#lem! as they often re<"ire more then one protocol to eal with the large n"m#er of machines they were linke to. ODI and "DIS $o solve this pro#lem! two ifferent sol"tions were esta#lishe to allow single car s to #e #o"n to m"ltiple stacks. O5I +Open 5river Interface, was evelope #y )ovel! 'pple! an others was one sol"tion. $he other was )5IS +)etwork 5river Interface Specifications,! create #y Microsoft for 3in ows. Microsoft pro "cts re<"ire yo" to "se )5IS! where as programs like )ovell )etware re<"ire O5I. O5I an )5IS #oth allowe yo" to accomplish the same task. $hey ma e it possi#le to have one )IC #in to several protocol stacks sim"ltaneo"sly! s"ch as $C4;I4 an I4B! or have several a aptor car s "sing the same $C4;I4 stack. In the OSI mo el! network rivers fall into the 5ata Link layer of the mo el! as o the network car s themselves. $he 5ata Link Layer is split #y the IEEE mo el into two s"#=layers. $he Logical Link Control +LLC, s"# layer correspon s to the software rivers section! an the Me ia 'ccess Control +M'C, s"# layer correspon s to the network car itself. 'ssentials o( "etworkin ) Physical Connections o( ! "etwork $he MCSE Exams re<"ire yo" to "n erstan the physical connections that make "p a network. $here are two main components of a network! consisting of the network me ia an the network interface car . "etwork Media C $here are many forms of network me ia! #"t they fall into two istinct categories/ 4hysical an 3ireless. $here are three maDor types of physical ca#ling. $hey are Coaxial! $wiste 4air! an Fi#er Optics. $hey all share certain attri#"tes! #"t iffer in their "ses. Coaxial ca#ling is m"ch like the ca#le "se on ca#le television wiring! #"t has certain shiel ing an impe ance properties that make it ifferent from that kin of wiring. It is also s"#= ivi e into two ifferent categories/ (?=E an (?=9E. $hey iffer in their shiel ing! an therefore their metho s of "se. $wiste 4air consists of pairs of wires that looks m"ch like telephone ca#ling! #"t with a m"ch ifferent connection en . 'gain! there are two forms of $wiste 4air/ A$4 +Anshiel e $wiste 4air, an S$4 +Shiel e $wiste 4air,. $hey also can iffer on the n"m#er of pairs of wires "se to connect! "s"ally "sing either 6 or 8 pairs of wires. Fi#er Optic Ca#le is ifferent from the other two forms of wiring. Instea of "sing electricity to sen signals across the ca#le! it "ses light. 5epen ing on the Spectr"m "se ! Fi#er Optics is generally the fastest form of network ca#ling. 3ireless me ia consist of Infra=re +I(,! (a io Fre<"ency +(F,! Microwave! an Satellite systems. 'll these me ia forms share one common element/ Instea of "sing a physical form of transfer! they "se wave forms esigne to flow thro"gh the air to sen their signals.

3ireless me ia is not as efficient as physical me ia! an has a m"ch higher cost. $herefore! it is mostly "se to #ri ge istances that can1t #e connecte #y wire me ia! s"ch as to make the connections #etween in ivi "al L')1s to the larger 3'). )ext week we will look more extensively at 3ire an 3ireless Me ia! an the theories that make them work. "etwork Inter(ace Cards *"ICs+ C Each form of networking me ia re<"ires it1s own special form of connection to the comp"ter system. ' Coaxial connector will not work with a Fi#er Optic )IC! an a A$4 connection will not transmit to an I( )IC. $herefore! which ever form of me ia yo" choose to connect yo"r network! yo" m"st choose the e<"ivalent form of )etwork Interface Car