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Data Link Layer

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29 views12 pages

Data Link Layer

Uploaded by

juvelynasug.wri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Data Link Layer

• The data link layer is the second


layer from the bottom in the OSI
(Open System Interconnection)
network architecture model. It is
responsible for the node-to-node
delivery of data. Its major role is to
ensure error-free transmission of
information. DLL is also responsible
for encoding, decoding, and organizing
the outgoing and incoming data.
• This is considered the most complex
layer of the OSI model as it hides all
the underlying complexities of the
hardware from the other above layers.
In this article, we will discuss Data Link
Layer in Detail along with its functions,
and sub-layers.
Sub-Layers of The Data Link
Layer
• Logical Link Control (LLC)
• Media Access Control (MAC)
Logical Link Control
(LLC)
This sublayer of the data link layer
deals with multiplexing, the flow of
data among applications and other
services, and LLC is responsible for
providing error messages and
acknowledgments as well.
Media Access
Control
MAC sublayer manages the device’s
interaction, responsible for addressing
frames, and also controls physical
media access.
The data link layer receives the
information in the form of packets from
the Network layer, it divides packets
into frames and sends those frames bit-
by-bit to the underlying physical layer.
Functions of The
Data-link Layer
Framing

• The packet received from the Network layer is


known as a frame in the Data link layer. At the
sender’s side, DLL receives packets from the
Network layer and divides them into small frames,
then, sends each frame bit-by-bit to the physical
layer. It also attaches some special bits (for error
control and addressing) at the header and end of
the frame. At the receiver’s end, DLL takes bits
from the Physical layer organizes them into the
frame, and sends them to the Network layer.
Addressing

• The data link layer encapsulates the source and


destination’s MAC address/physical address in
the header of each frame to ensure node-to-node
delivery. MAC address is the unique hardware
address that is assigned to the device while
manufacturing.
Error Control

• Data can get corrupted due to various reasons


like noise, attenuation, etc. So, it is the
responsibility of the data link layer, to detect the
error in the transmitted data and correct it using
error detection and correction techniques
respectively. DLL adds error detection bits into
the frame’s header, so that receiver can check
received data is correct or not. It adds reliability
to phyiscal layer by adding mechansims to detect
and retransmit damaged or lost frames.
Flow Control

• If the receiver’s receiving speed is lower than the sender’s sending


speed, then this can lead to an overflow in the receiver’s buffer and
some frames may get lost. So, it’s the responsibility of DLL to
synchronize the sender’s and receiver’s speeds and establish flow
control between them.
Access
Control
• When multiple devices
share the same
communication channel
there is a high probability
of collision, so it’s the
responsibility of DLL to
check which device has
control over the channel
and CSMA/CD and
CSMA/CA can be used to
avoid collisions and loss of
frames in the channel.
Protocols in Data link layer

There are various protocols in the data link layer, which are as follows:
• Synchronous Data Link Protocol (SDLC)
• High-Level Data Link Protocol (HDLC)
• Serial Line Interface Protocol (SLIP) for encoding
• Point to Point Protocol (PPP)
• Link Access Procedure (LAP)
• Link Control Protocol (LCP)
• Network Control Protocol (NCP)

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