Chapter 3

The OSI Model

The Model
Functions of the Layers

The Model
OSI Open Systems Interconnection
an ISO (International Standard Organization)
standard that covers all aspects of network
communications

An open system is a model that allows any two different

systems to communicate regardless of their underlying
architecture

The Model Layered

Architecture

The Model Layered

Architecture
A mnemonic for remembering the layers

Please Do Not Touch Steves Pet Alligator

Physical, Data link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation,

Application (1 to 7)

All Pupils Should Treat Nice Lecturer Properly!

Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, data Link,

Physical (7 to 1)

The Model Layered

Architecture
Each layer defines a family of functions (or
services) distinct from those of the other layers

modular, comprehensive, flexible

The OSI model allows complete transparency

between otherwise incompatible systems

The Model Layered

Architecture
Each layer communicates
with the peer layer by
means of a protocol

an agreed-upon series
of rules and conventions

Each layer calls upon

of the services of the
layer below it by
means of an interface

what information and

services a layer must
provide for the layer above

The Model Layered

Architecture
Organization of the layers (subgroups)

Network support layers (1, 2, 3)

deal with the physical aspects of moving data from one device
to another (electrical specifications, physical connections,
physical addressing, transport timing, routing, etc)

End-to-end reliable data transmission layer (4)

User support layers (5, 6, 7)

allow interoperability among unrelated software systems

The Model Layered

Architecture
Data
exchange

data will be
encapsulated
with headers
and trailers by
the senders
headers and
trailers will be
stripped off by
the receiver
leaving the
data intact

Functions of the Layers (P)

Physical
Layer

Physical characteristics of interfaces and media

Representation of bits bits are encoded into signals (electrical or
optical) and type of encoding
Data transmission bits per second

Functions of the Layers (P)

Physical Layer (cont)

Synchronization of bits sender and receiver clocks must be

synchronized
Line configuration point-to-point or multipoint
Physical topology mesh, star, ring, bus, etc
Transmission mode simplex, half-duplex, duplex

Functions of the Layers (DL)

Data Link Layer transform the raw transmission facility of the
physical layer to a reliable link and is responsible for node-to-node
delivery

Functions of the Layers (DL)

Data Link Layer (cont)

Framing the streams of bits received from the network layer are
grouped into manageable data units (frames)
Physical addressing header is added to define the addresses of
the sender (source) and the receiver (destination)
Flow control a mechanism to manage senders rate and
receivers rate
Error control adds reliability by adding error detection and
retransmission of lost or damaged frames
Access control which device has control over the link

Functions of the Layers (DL)

Data Link Layer Example

Header contains source address, destination address, etc

Trailer usually contains extra bits for error detection

Functions of the Layers (N)

Network Layer

Responsible for the source-to-destination packets delivery across

multiple network (links) unlike frame delivery at the data link layer
which deals
only between
two systems
on the same
network (links)

Functions of the Layers (N)

Network Layer
Logical addressing makes packet passing beyond
network boundaries possible
Routing the use of routers (or gateways) in
internetworking environment

Functions of the Layers (N)

Network Layer
Example (cont)

Functions of the Layers (T)

Transport Layer

Responsible for source to destination (end-to-end) delivery of the

entire message unlike the network layer that oversees end-to-end
delivery of
individual
packets

Functions of the Layers (T)

Transport Layer

Service-point addressing maintains different service-point addresses

(or port addresses) for different processes (running programs) on the
same machine.

Segmentation and reassembly a message is divided into

transmittable segments (each containing a sequence number); upon
arrival the segments are reassembled accordingly.

Connection control can be either connectionless (each segment is

independent packet) or connection-oriented (virtual circuit is to be
established prior to delivering the segments and terminated after all data
are transferred)

Functions of the Layers (T)

Transport Layer (cont)

Flow control end-to-end flow control (unlike flow control of data link
layer for single link)

Error control guarantees the entire message arrive at the receiving

transport layer without error (damage, loss, or duplicate) (unlike error
control of data link layer for single link)

Functions of the Layers (T)

Transport Layer
Example

j, k service point (port)

addresses
A, P logical address

Functions of the Layers (T)

Transport Layer
Example (cont)

Functions of the Layers (S)

Session Layer

Dialog control establishes, maintains, terminates dialog between

communicating systems.

Synchronization allows a process to add checkpoints

(synchronization points) into a stream of data (for efficient retransmission
if necessary).

Functions of the Layers (S)

Session Layer (cont)

syn synchronization point

Functions of the Layers (P)

Presentation Layer concerns with the syntax and semantics
of
the information
exchange

Functions of the Layers (P)

Presentation layer (cont)

Translation information in the form of character strings, numbers,

etc need to be encoded to bit streams before being transmitted; possible
different sender-dependent format and receiver-dependent format need to
be encoded and decoded.

Encryption encryption and decryption may be necessary for

sensitive information.

Compression compression and decompression if required will

reduce the number of bits transmitted.

Functions of the Layers (A)

Application Layer provides interfaces to various applications, emails, remote file access and transfer, shared data base management, etc.
Example:
X.500 (directory
services),
X.400 (message
handling),
FTAM (file transfer
access and
management)

Functions of the Layers (A)

Application Layer (cont)

Network virtual terminal allows user to log on to a remote host

via terminal emulation software

File transfer, access and management (FTAM)

allows
user to access (read, make changes), retrieve, send, manage files on a
remote computer

Mail services e-mail forwarding and storage

Directory services provides distributed database source and

access for global information about various objects and services

Functions of the Layers

Summary