Chapter:3

Network Communication & Protocols

Presented By
K.S.Rajasekhar
Acharya Nagarjuna University

Communication Protocols

Describes the rules that govern the transmission of data over the
communication Network.

Provide a method for orderly and efficient exchange of data between the sender
and the receiver.

Rules for Communication:

Message Encoding & Decoding

Message Formatting and Encapsulation

When a message is sent from source to destination it must use certain format or
structure
When sending a message on a computer it is encapsulated and when a message is
encapsulated it is broken down into some pieces or bits and when it receives it deencapsulated.
Each computer message is encapsulated in a specific format, called a frame, before
it is sent over the network. A frame acts like an envelope; it provides the address of
the destination and the address of the source host
The format and the contents of the frame are determined by the type of message
being sent and the channel over which it is communicated.
Messages that are not correctly formatted are not successfully delevired to or
processed by the host.
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Message Size

when a long message is sent from one host to another over a network, it is necessary
to break the message into smaller pieces.
The size of the message is dependent on the channels used.
The long message will be sent in separate frames, with each frame containing a piece
of the original message. Each frame will also have its own addressing information. At
the receiving host, the individual pieces of the message are reconstructed into the
original message.

Message Timing:

Access Method: Hosts on a network need an access method to know when to begin
sending messages and how to respond when errors occur.
Flow Control: In network communication, source and destination hosts use flow
control methods to negotiate correct timing for successful communication.
Response Time out: Hosts on the network specifys how long to wait for responses
and what action to take if a response timeout occurs.

Message delivery options:

Unicast:A one-to-one delivery option is referred to as a unicast, meaning there is only

a single destination for the message.
Multicast:When a host needs to send messages using a one-to-many delivery option,
it is referred to as a multicast. Multicasting is the delivery of the same message to a
group of host destinations simultaneously.
Broadcast:If all hosts on the network need to receive the message at the same time, a
broadcast may be used. Broadcasting represents a one-to-all message delivery
option.

Roles of Communication Protocol

1.
2.
3.
4.

Data Sequencing to detect loss or duplicate packets.

Data Routing to find the most efficient path between source
and a destination.
Data formatting defines group of bits within a packet
which constitutes data, control, addressing and other
information.
Flow control ensures resource sharing and protection
against traffic congestion by regulating the flow of data on
communication lines.

Roles of Communication Protocol(cont..)

5.
6.
7.
8.

Error control detect errors in messages. Method for correcting errors

is to retransmit the erroneous message block.
Precedence and order of transmission condition all nodes about when
to transmit their data and when to receive data from other nodes. Gives
equal chance for all the nodes to use the communication channel.
Connection establishment and termination
Data security Prevents access of data by unauthorized users

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Network Protocols

Rules and procedures for communicating

To communicate, computers must agree on protocols
Types of protocols:
Connectionless
Connection-oriented
Routable
Nonroutable

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The Function of Protocols

Each protocol has different purpose and function

Protocols may work at one or more layers
More sophisticated protocols operate at higher layers of OSI model
Protocol stack or protocol suite is set of protocols that work cooperatively
Most common protocol stack is TCP/IP used by the Internet and pretty much all
operating systems

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Functions of OSI Model Layers

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Application Layer

The Application layer (Layer-7) provides the interface between the user
application and the network.
The Application layer interacts with the Presentation layer below it. As it is
the top-most layer, it does not interact with any layers above it.

The Application layer provides a variety of functions:

Identifies communication partners
Determines resource availability
Synchronizes communication

Examples of Application layer protocols include:

FTP, via an FTP client
HTTP, via a web browser
POP3 and SMTP, via an email client
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Telnet

Presentation Layer

The Presentation layer (Layer-6) controls the formatting and syntax of user data for
the application layer. This ensures that data from the sending application can be
understood by the receiving application.
If two devices do not support the same format or syntax, the Presentation layer can
provide conversion or translation services to facilitate communication.
Additionally, the Presentation layer can perform encryption and
compression of data, as required.

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Session Layer

The Session layer (Layer-5) is responsible for establishing, maintaining,and

ultimately terminating sessions between devices. If a session is broken,
this layer can attempt to recover the session.
Sessions communication falls under one of three categories:
Full-Duplex simultaneous two-way communication
Half-Duplex two-way communication, but not simultaneous
Simplex one-way communication

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Transport layer

Transport layer communication falls under two categories:

Connection-oriented requires that a connection with specific
agreed-upon parameters be established before data is
sent.
Connectionless requires no connection before data is sent.
Connection-oriented protocols provide several
important services:

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Transport Layer(Cont..)

Segmentation and sequencing data is segmented into

smaller pieces for transport. Each segment is assigned a sequence
number, so that the receiving device can reassemble the data on
arrival.
Connection establishment connections are established,
maintained, and ultimately terminated between devices.
Acknowledgments receipt of data is confirmed
through the use of acknowledgments. Otherwise, data is
retransmitted, guaranteeing delivery.
Flow control (or windowing) data transfer rate is

negotiated to
prevent congestion.

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Network Layer

The Network layer (Layer-3) controls internetwork communication, and

has two key responsibilities:
Logical addressing provides a unique address that identifies both the
host, and the network that host exists on.
Routing determines the best path to a particular destination network,
and then routes data accordingly.
Two of the most common Network layer protocols are:
Internet Protocol (IP)
Novells Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX).

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Data Link Layer

While the Network layer is concerned with transporting data between

networks, the Data-Link layer (Layer-2) is responsible for transporting
data within a network.
The Data-Link layer consists of two sublayers:
Logical Link Control (LLC) sublayer
Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer

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Physical Layer

The Physical layer (Layer-1) controls the signaling and transferring of raw
bits onto the physical medium.
The Physical layer provides specifications for a variety of hardware:
Cabling
Connectors and transceivers
Network interface cards (NICs)
Wireless radios
Hubs

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Network Protocols

Provide addressing and routing information, error checking, and

retransmission requests
Services provided by network protocols are called link services
Popular network protocols include:
Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4)
Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) and NWLink
NetBEUI
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)

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TCP/IP Compared to OSI Model

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Thank You
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