What is Network Virtualization?

Network virtualization represents the administration and monitoring of an entire

computer network as a single administrative entity from a single software-based
administrator’s console.
Network virtualization can include storage virtualization, which contains managing all
storage as an individual resource. Network virtualization is created to enable network
optimization of data transfer rates, flexibility, scalability, reliability, and security. It
automates many network management functions, which disguise a network's true
complexity. All network servers and services are considered as one pool of resources,
which can be used independently of the physical elements.
Virtualization can be defined as making a computer that runs within another computer.
The virtual computer, or guest device, is a fully functional computer that can manage
the same processes your physical device can. The processes performed by the guest
device are separated from the basic processes of your host device. You can run
several guest devices on your host device and each one will identify the others as an
independent computer.

Advantages of Network Virtualization

The advantages of network virtualization are as follows −
 Lower hardware costs − With network virtualization, entire hardware costs are
reduced, while providing a bandwidth that is more efficient.
 Dynamic network control − Network virtualization provides centralized control
over network resources, and allows for dynamic provisions and reconfiguration.
Also, computer resources and applications can connect with virtual network
resources precisely. This also enables for optimization of application support and
resource utilization.
 Rapid scalability − Network virtualization generated an ability to scale the
network rapidly either up or down to handle and make new networks on-demand.
This is a valuable device as enterprises transform their IT resources to the cloud
and shift their model to an ‘as a service’.

Types of Network Virtualization

The types of network virtualization are as follows −
 Network Virtualization − Network virtualization is a technique of combining the
available resources in a network by splitting up the available bandwidth into
different channels, each being separate and distinguished.
 Server Virtualization − This technique is the masking of server resources. It
simulates physical servers by transforming their identity, numbers, processors,
and operating frameworks. This spares the user from continuously managing
complex server resources. It also makes a lot of resources available for sharing
and utilizing, while maintaining the capacity to expand them when needed.
  Data Virtualization − This type of cloud computing virtualization technique is
abstracting the technical details generally used in data management, including
location, performance, or format, in favor of broader access and more resiliency
that are directly related to business required.
 Application Virtualization − Software virtualization in cloud computing abstracts
the application layer, separating it from the operating framework.
What is a network layer?
The network layer creates a logical association between the sender and the user by
giving a logical way. This layer switches and routes the message packet as important to
obtain them to their destination.
It is responsible for sending and distributing the message packets. The network layer
creates routing decisions and advances the packets for devices that are farther away
than an individual connection.
The network layer can also divide the huge packets into little chunks, if the packet is
higher than the most extensive data link layer. The network reassembles the fragments
into packets at the receiving end. Routers and Gateways act in the network layer.
The communication of the network layer to the data link and transport layer is
demonstrated in the figure given below −

It accepts the services from the data link layer and supports the services to the
transport layer.
Functions of network layer
The functions of the network layer are explained below −
 Internetworking: This is the main responsibility of the network layer. It offers a
logical connection between multiple types of networks.
 Addressing: Addressing is important to recognize each device on the internet
specifically.
 Routing: There are several roots possible from a source to a destination, and
one of them is to be selected. Routing algorithms are created to discover the
most efficient paths between the source and destination hub of a message.
 Packetizing: It divides the more outstanding packets into lower packets, if the
packet is greater than the most extensive data from the data link layer. This is
known as packetizing.
 Data Switching: The procedure of changing packet (data blocks) from source to
the destination hub is known as data switching.
 Congestion Control: Congestion in a network can appear when the network's
pack. There are several packets sent to the network, which is higher than their
capacity.
What is a presentation layer?
The presentation layer changes the data from an application layer into the device
native internal mathematical structure and encodes communicated information into a
displayable output format.
It executes the code changes, document compressions, security encryption, etc. It also
defines the data as per the software/hardware environment of the hub. For instance,
demonstrating UNIX structured data in windows.
The link between the presentation layer and the application and session layer has been
shown in the diagram below −
It is concerned with the syntax of data.
Translation
The procedure in two frameworks are generally to exchange the data in the form of
character strings, numbers etc. The data must be exchanged into a bitstream before
being transmitted.
Encryption
To carry any sensitive data, the presentation layer encrypts the data at the sender's
end and decrypts at the receiver's end.
Compression
Compression means the reduction of bits. It is required in the case of multiline text,
audio and video.

Function of presentation layer

The functions of presentation layer are explained below −
 Data Compression: It decreases the various bits to be sent by shrinking the
data.
 Data Conversion: It layouts the data on several hubs according to the
software/hardware environment.
  Code Conversion: The form and syntax (language) of the two connecting
frameworks can be different. One framework uses the American Standard Code
for Information Interchange (ASCII) code to document transfer, and the other
facilitates the Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC)
developed by the Computer hardware company IBM. It offers the "translation"
from ASCII to EBCDIC and vice versa.
 Data Encryption: It encodes information in a particular format so that each user
or application cannot understand it.
 All the receiver end performs the decomposition, decoding and decryption.
What is the transport layer?
The transport layer is essential for the source to deliver a complete message. The
network layer is answerable for the end-to-end delivery of single packets.
The transport layer obtains the messages of self-assertive length from the session
layer, and divides them into packets. It also endures them to the network layer for
communication, and completely reassembles the destination's packets.
The transport layer data is an order number in every packet and helps the order
numbers to identify the lost packets. Additionally, it ensures that the messages are
regenerated in the proper order.
The functioning of the transport layer is depicted in the diagram below −

Functions of transport layer

The functions of transport layer are explained below −
  Service Point Addressing: The system can run various programs at the
equivalent time. For this reason, the header, therefore, must contain a type of
address known as service point address or port. The Network layer is taken as
each packet to the correct computer, whereas the transport layer receives the
entire message to restore the process on that computer.
 Segmentation and reassembly: The message is split into several packets. Each
packet has its sequence number. The transport layer reassembles the message
correctly according to the order number and identifies those lost.
 Connection Control: This layer can be connection-oriented or connectionless.
The connectionless transport layer treats each packet as independent and
produces it to the destination. But, the connection-oriented transport layer first
makes the connection and then provides the respective data.
 Flow Control: It is also responsible for flow control implemented end to end
instead of across an individual link.
 Error Control: The transport layer can support error control. The error control at
the transport layer is implemented end to end instead of across an individual link.
Error correction is frequently completed by retransmission.
Multiplexing and Demultiplexing in Transport Layer

Multiplexing
Multiplexing is the process of collecting the data from multiple application processes of
the sender, enveloping that data with headers and sending them as a whole to the
intended receiver.

 In Multiplexing at the Transport Layer, the data is collected from various

application processes. These segments contain the source port number,
destination port number, header files, and data.
 These segments are passed to the Network Layer which adds the source and
destination IP address to get the datagram.

Demultiplexing
Delivering the received segments at the receiver side to the correct app layer
processes is called demultiplexing.

 The destination host receives the IP datagrams; each datagram has a source IP
address and a destination IP address.
 Each datagram carries 1 transport layer segment.
 Each segment has the source and destination port number.
 The destination host uses the IP addresses and port numbers to direct the
segment to the appropriate socket.
Multiplexing and demultiplexing are just concepts that describe the process of the
transmission of data generated by different applications simultaneously. When the data
arrives at the Transport layer, each data segment is independently processed and sent
to its appropriate application in the destination machine.

The main objective of multiplexing and demultiplexing is to allow us to use a multitude

of applications simultaneously.

 The above figure shows that the source computer is using Google, Outlook, and
Chat applications at the same time.
 All the data is forwarded to a destination computer.
 Each application has a segment put on a wire to be transmitted. It signifies that all
applications are running simultaneously.
  Without multiplexing/demultiplexing exists, a user can use only one application at
a time because only the segments of that application are put on the wire and
transmitted. For clarification, see the figure below −

In the above figure, the Application layer has generated data, and then passed it down
to the Transport layer to be segmented.

 After segmenting the data, port numbers are given to each segment to be ready
for transmission.
 Then the segments are put on a wire to travel across the network to the
destination. This process is called "multiplexing".
 When the transmitted segments reach the Transport layer of the destination, they
are automatically sent up to their appropriate applications. This process is called
"demultiplexing".
What are the services provided by the transport layer?
The services provided by the transport layer are explained below −

Address Mapping
It means mapping of transport address onto the network address. Whenever a session
entity requests to send a transport service data unit (TSDU) to another session entity, it
sends its transport service access point address as its identification. The transport
entity then determines the network service access point (NSAP) address. This is known
as address mapping.

Assignment of Network Connection

The transport entity assigns a network connection for carrying the transport protocol
data units (TPDUs). The transport entity establishes this assigned network connection.
In some of the transport protocols, recovery from network disconnection is allowed. In
such protocols, whenever a disconnection occurs, the transport entity reassigns the
transport of TPDUs to a different network connection.

Multiplexing of Transport Connections

For optimum network link uses, the transport entity can create multiple end-to-end
transport connections to the network connection, referred to as multiplexing.
There are various TSDUs (multiplexed) identified by the receiving transport entity using
the transport connection endpoint identifier (TCEPI), attached to each TSDU by the
sending transport entity.
The TCEP identifier is unique for each connection, as shown in the figure below −

Splitting of Transport Connection

When the service quality offered by the network service is less than the required quality
of service or when greater resilience is required against network connection failures,
then splitting is done by the transport entity. Splitting means TPDUs belonging to one
transport connection may be sent over different network connections.
Splitting requires the re-sequencing because it results in the reordering of TSDUs, as
shown in the figure shown below −

Establishment of Transport Connection

The transport layer establishes the transport connection by sending a request. For
establishing a link, it uses the T-CONNECT service primitives. The transport entity
provides the quality of service, requirement, and collect addresses services.

Data Transfer
The transport layer provides the data transfer of two types, such as the regular data
transfer and expedited data transfer. In normal data transfer, the user can request to
transfer user data with any integral number of octets.
This transfer is transparent, i.e., user data boundaries are preserved during the
transfer, and there are no constraints on the content and number of octets. The mode
of data transfer can be two ways simultaneously. The expedited data transfer has a
distinct control flow, and it can pass all the data queue with maximum priority for
delivery. It is a user optional or optional provider service. The number of user data
octets is restricted to 16.
Segmentation and Concatenation of TPDUs
The transport entity divides the transport service data unit into several transport
protocol data units, each with a separate header containing a PCI (Protocol Control
Identifier). This function is known as segments.
This segmenting function is used when the network service cannot support the
transport protocol data unit's size containing an unsegmented TSDU. A reassembly
process is performed at the transmitting end for such TPDUs.

The reverse function of segments is known as concatenation. The concatenation

enables the mapping of several TPDUs onto a single NSDU (Network Service Data
Unit). These TPUs may belong to the same or several transport connections. If they
belong to different transport connections, they must be travelling in the exact directions.
At the receiving end, a separation function is performed by the transport entity.
The transport entity identifies the boundary of different TPDUs. Concatenation is done
for improving the efficiency of utilization of the network service.
On concatenation, there are some restrictions as to which type of TPDUs can be
concatenated so that their boundaries should be identified by the transport entity, as
shown in the figure below.
Flow Control
The transport entity uses a modified form of sliding window protocol for flow control.
This flow control is required because the transport layer may experience back pressure
from the network layer.
In the mechanism, the window size is variable and controlled by the receiver. A credit
allocated is sent to the receiver's sender, which indicates how many TPDUs can be
received by it.

Error Recovery
The errors at this level can be introduced due to TPDU errors, protocol errors or signal
failure conditions of network connections, i.e., reset or release of network connections.
Such errors occurring at layer 3 are reported to the transport layer. The TPDU errors
can be in the form of lost TPDU, duplicated TPDU, re-ordering of sequence, or content
errors.
The duplicate TPDUs are discarded, lost are acknowledged to resend. In the recording,
they are re-sequenced, and content errors are detected by incorporating error detection
bytes in TPDUs by the transport entity.
Such TPDUs with content errors are discarded and treated as lost, and hence they are
also acknowledged. In the case of protocol errors, the connection is released, and in
the case of signal failure errors, reassignment of network connection and
resynchronization is done.

Sequence Numbering
Each TPDU is given a sequence number by a transport entity that is seven bits long in
the normal operations mode. This sequence numbering is done to provide flow control
and error recovery. In the case of extended mode, the sequence number can be 31 bits
long.