OSI REFERENCE MODEL

The OSI model is built of seven ordered layers:

Layer-1 : Physical
Layer-2 : Data Link
Layer-3 : Network
Layer-4 : Transport
Layer-5 : Session
Layer-6 : Presentation
Layer-7 : Application

The seven layers can be further divided into 3 subgroups:

Hierarchical communication
 Within a single machine, each layer calls upon to the services of the layer just below
it.
 The passing of data and network information is made possible by an interface
between each pair of adjacent layers.
 The messages exchanged between adjacent layers, to obtain the required services,
are called Interface Control Information. (ICI)
DATA UNITS
 Protocol Control information (PCI): (N)-PCI is the protocol control information
exchanged between the (N)-entities to coordinate their functions.
 Service Data Units(SDU): (N)-SDU is the data unit transferred between the ends of a
(N)-connection whose identity is preserved during the transfer.
 Protocol Data Unit(PDU): (N)-PDU is the combination of (N)-PCI and (N)-SDU.

Layer-1 (Physical)
 First of the three network support layers.
 Concerned with physical transmission of data bits and ensures that a bit entering at
one end of the transmission media reaches the other end.
 Deals with the mechanical and electrical specifications of the interface and
transmission medium.
 Defines the type of encoding i.e how 0s and 1s are changed to signals.
 Defines the data rate/transmission i.e. defines the duration of a bit.
  Reponsible for synchronisation of sender and the receiver clocks.
 Concerned with the connection of the devices to the medium. Point-to-point
configuration, Multipoint configuration
 Physical topology: Mesh, Star, Ring , Bus
 Transmission mode: simplex, half-duplex, Full-duplex
Layer-2 (Data Link)
 Second of the three network support layers.
 Divides the bit stream received from network layer into manageable data units
called frames.
 Transforms the physical layer into a reliable link by adding mechanism to detect and
retransmit damaged frames.
 Responsible for physical addressing of the devices.
 Responsible for link-by-link flow control and error free delivery of data.
 Responsible for Media Access Control.
Layer-3 (Network)
 Last of 3 network support layers.
 Responsible for source-to-destination delivery of individual packets across multiple
links..
 If two systems are connected to the same link there is usually no need for a network
layer.
 Responsible for the unique logical addressing of the sender and the receiver.
 Responsible for routing of packets.
Layer-4 (Transport)
 Responsible for source-to-destination delivery of the entire message.
 Uses service-point address (port address) for end-to-end delivery.
 Network layer gets each packet to correct computer, transport layer gets the entire
message to the correct process.
 Responsible for segmenting a message into transmittable segments.
 At the destination the message is correctly reassembled.
 Utilises network layer to ensure reliable, sequenced data exchange.
 Transport layer can be connectionless or connection oriented.
-connectionless transport layer treats each segment as an independent packet.
-connection oriented transport layer makes a connection with the transport layer at
the destination machine before delivering the packets.
-After all the data is transmitted, the connection is terminated.
 Responsible for end-to-end flow control of data.
 Responsible for end-to-end error control of data.
-error correction is usually achieved through re transmission.
Layer-5 (Session):
 First of the three user support layers.
 It is the network dialog controller.
 It estabilishes, maintains,, and synchronises the interaction between communicating
systems.
 It allows the communication between two processes to take place either in half-
duplex or full-duplex.
 Allows a process to add checkpoints (synchronisation points) into a stream of data.
Layer-6 (Presentation):
 Second of 3 user support layers.
 Concerned with the syntax and semantics of the information exchanged between
two systems.
 At sender end, chnges the information from sender dependent format into a
common format.
 At the receiving end, changes the information from common format into its receiver
dependent format.
 Responsible for encryption and decryption of sensitive information.
 Responsible for data compression of the data to be transmitted.
Layer-7 (Application):
 Top of the three user support layers.
 Enables the user, human or software, to access the network.
 It provides user interfaces and support for services. E.g electronic mail, remote file
access and transfer, shared database management and other types of distributed
information services.
 Specific services provided by the application layer include
-Network Virtual terminal
 Software version of a physical terminal
 Allows user to log on to a remote host
-File Transfer, Access and Management
 Allows user to access, retrieve, manage and control files in a remote
computer.
-Mail Services
 Provides basis for e-mail forwarding and storage.
-Directory Services
 Provides distributed database sources and access for global information
about various services.