•Application, Presentation, and

Session
 Application, Presentation, and Session

Application Layer
• The upper three layers of the OSI
model (application, presentation,
and session) define functions of the
TCP/IP application layer.
• The application layer provides the
interface between the applications
used to communicate, and the
underlying network over which
messages are transmitted.
• Some of the most widely known
application layer protocols include
HTTP, FTP, TFTP, IMAP and DNS.
 Application, Presentation, and Session

Presentation and Session Layer

The presentation layer has three primary functions:
• Formatting, or presenting, data at the source
device into a compatible format for receipt
by the destination device
• Compressing data in a way that can be
decompressed by the destination device
• Encrypting data for transmission and
decrypting data upon receipt
The session layer functions:
• It creates and maintains dialogs
between source and destination
applications.
• It handles the exchange of information
to initiate dialogs, keep them active, and
to restart sessions that are disrupted or
idle for a long period of time.
 Application, Presentation, and Session
TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols
• The TCP/IP application protocols specify the format and control information
necessary for many common internet communication functions.
• Application layer protocols are used by both the source and destination devices
during a communication session.
• For the communications to be successful, the application layer protocols that are
implemented on the source and destination host must be compatible.

Name System Host Config Web

DNS - Domain Name System DHCP - Dynamic Host HTTP - Hypertext Transfer
(or Service) Configuration Protocol Protocol
• TCP, UDP client 53 • UDP client 68, server 67 • TCP 80, 8080
• Translates domain names, • Dynamically assigns IP • A set of rules for exchanging
such as cisco.com, into IP addresses to be re-used text, graphic images, sound,
addresses. when no longer needed video, and other multimedia
files on the World Wide Web
Peer-to-Peer
 Peer-to-Peer

Client-Server Model
• Client and server processes are considered to be in the application layer.
• In the client/server model, the device requesting the information is called a
client and the device responding to the request is called a server.
• Application layer protocols describe the format of the requests and
responses between clients and servers.
 Peer-to-Peer

Peer-to-Peer Networks
• In a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, two or more computers are connected via a network
and can share resources (such as printers and files) without having a dedicated server.
• Every connected end device (known as a peer) can function as both a server and a
client.
• One computer might assume the role of server for one transaction while
simultaneously serving as a client for another. The roles of client and server are set on
a per request basis.
Peer-to-Peer
Peer-to-Peer Applications
• A P2P application allows a device to act as both a client and a server within the same
communication.
• Some P2P applications use a hybrid system where each peer accesses an index
server to get the location of a resource stored on another peer.
 Peer-to-Peer

Common P2P Applications

With P2P applications, each computer in the
network that is running the application can act
as a client or a server for the other computers
in the network that are also running the
application.
Common P2P networks include the following:
• BitTorrent
• Direct Connect
• eDonkey
• Freenet
Web and Email Protocols
 Web and Email Protocols

Hypertext Transfer Protocol and Hypertext

Markup Language
When a web address or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is typed into a web
browser, the web browser establishes a connection to the web service. The web
service is running on the server that is using the HTTP protocol.
To better understand how the web browser and web server interact, examine how
a web page is opened in a browser.

Step 1
The browser interprets the three parts
of the URL:
• http (the protocol or scheme)
• www.cisco.com (the server name)
• index.html (the specific filename
requested)
Web and Email Protocols
Hypertext Transfer Protocol and Hypertext Markup Language
(Cont.)
Step 2 Step 3
The browser then checks with a name In response to the request, the server sends
server to convert www.cisco.com into the HTML code for this web page to the
a numeric IP address, which it uses to browser.
connect to the server.

The client initiates an HTTP request

to a server by sending a GET request
to the server and asks for the
index.html file.
Web and Email Protocols
Hypertext Transfer Protocol and Hypertext Markup Language
(Cont.)
Step 4
The browser deciphers the HTML code and formats the page for the browser window.
 Web and Email Protocols

HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP is a request/response protocol that
specifies the message types used for that
communication.
The three common message types are GET,
POST, and PUT:
• GET - This is a client request for
data. A client (web browser) sends
the GET message to the web
server to request HTML pages.
• POST - This uploads data files to
the web server, such as form data.
• PUT - This uploads resources or
content to the web server, such as
an image. Note: HTTP is not a secure protocol.
For secure communications sent across
the internet, HTTPS should be used.
 Web and Email Protocols

Email Protocols
Email is a store-and-forward method of sending,
storing, and retrieving electronic messages
across a network. Email messages are stored in
databases on mail servers. Email clients
communicate with mail servers to send and
receive email.
The email protocols used for operation are:
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
– used to send mail.
• Post Office Protocol (POP) &
IMAP(Internet Message Access
Protocol) – used for clients to receive
mail.
 Web and Email Protocols

SMTP, POP and IMAP

• When a client sends email, the client
SMTP process connects with a server
SMTP process on well-known port 25.
• After the connection is made, the
client attempts to send the email to
the server across the connection.
• When the server receives the message,
it either places the message in a local
account, if the recipient is local, or
forwards the message to another mail
server for delivery.
• The destination email server may not
be online or may be busy. If so, SMTP Note: SMTP message formats require a message
spools messages to be sent at a later header (recipient email address & sender email
time. address) and a message body.
 Web and Email Protocols

SMTP, POP and IMAP (Cont.)

POP is used by an application to retrieve mail from a mail server. When mail is downloaded from
the server to the client using POP the messages are then deleted on the server.

• The server starts the POP service by

passively listening on TCP port 110 for
client connection requests.
• When a client wants to make use of the
service, it sends a request to establish
a TCP connection with the server.
• When the connection is established,
the POP server sends a greeting.
• The client and POP server then
exchange commands and responses Note: Since POP does not store messages, it is not
until the connection is closed or recommended for small businesses that need a centralized
aborted. backup solution.
 Web and Email Protocols
SMTP, POP and IMAP (Cont.)
IMAP is another protocol that describes a
method to retrieve email messages.
• Unlike POP, when a user connects to an
IMAP server, copies of the messages are
downloaded to the client application. The
original messages are kept on the server
until manually deleted.
• When a user decides to delete a
message, the server synchronizes that
action and deletes the message from the
server.
IP Addressing Services
IP Addressing Services

Domain Name Service

• Domain names were created to convert
the numeric IP addresses into a simple,
recognizable name.
• Fully-qualified domain names (FQDNs),
such as http://www.cisco.com, are
much easier for people to remember
than 198.133.219.25.
• The DNS protocol defines an automated
service that matches resource names
with the required numeric network
address. It includes the format for
queries, responses, and data.
 IP Addressing Services

DNS Message Format

The DNS server stores different types of resource records that are used to resolve
names. These records contain the name, address, and type of record.
Some of these record types are as follows:
• A - An end device IPv4 address
• NS - An authoritative name server
• AAAA - An end device IPv6 address (pronounced quad-A)
• MX - A mail exchange record
When a client makes a query, the server DNS process first looks at its own records to
resolve the name. If it is unable to resolve the name by using its stored records, it
contacts other servers to resolve the name.
After a match is found and returned to the original requesting server, the server
temporarily stores the numbered address in the event that the same name is
requested again.
 IP Addressing Services

DNS Message Format (Cont.)

DNS uses the same message format between servers, consisting of a question,
answer, authority, and additional information for all types of client queries and
server responses, error messages, and transfer of resource record information.

DNS message section Description

Question The question for the name server

Answer Resource Records answering the question

Authority Resource Records pointing toward an authority

Additional Resource Records holding additional information

 IP Addressing Services

DNS Hierarchy
• DNS uses a hierarchical system to create a database to
provide name resolution.
• Each DNS server maintains a specific database file and
is only responsible for managing name-to-IP mappings
for that small portion of the entire DNS structure.
• When a DNS server receives a request for a name
translation that is not within its DNS zone, the DNS
server forwards the request to another DNS server
within the proper zone for translation.
• Examples of top-level domains:
• .com - a business or industry
• .org - a non-profit organization
• .au - Australia
 IP Addressing Services

The nslookup Command

• Nslookup is a computer operating system
utility that allows a user to manually
query the DNS servers configured on the
device to resolve a given host name.
• This utility can also be used to
troubleshoot name resolution issues and
to verify the current status of the name
servers.
• When the nslookup command is issued,
the default DNS server configured for
your host is displayed.
• The name of a host or domain can be
entered at the nslookup prompt.
 IP Addressing Services

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

• The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
for IPv4 service automates the assignment of IPv4
addresses, subnet masks, gateways, and other IPv4
networking parameters.
• DHCP is considered dynamic addressing compared
to static addressing. Static addressing is manually
entering IP address information.
• When a host connects to the network, the DHCP
server is contacted, and an address is requested.
The DHCP server chooses an address from a
configured range of addresses called a pool and
assigns (leases) it to the host.
• Many networks use both DHCP and static
addressing. DHCP is used for general purpose
hosts, such as end user devices. Static addressing is
used for network devices, such as gateway routers,
switches, servers, and printers.
Note: DHCP for IPv6 (DHCPv6) provides similar
services for IPv6 clients. However, DHCPv6 does
not provide a default gateway address. This can
only be obtained dynamically from the Router
Advertisement message of the router.
 IP Addressing Services

DHCP Operation
The DHCP Process:
• When an IPv4, DHCP-configured device boots up
or connects to the network, the client broadcasts
a DHCP discover (DHCPDISCOVER) message to
identify any available DHCP servers on the
network.
• A DHCP server replies with a DHCP offer
(DHCPOFFER) message, which offers a lease to
the client. (If a client receives more than one
offer due to multiple DHCP servers on the
network, it must choose one.)
• The client sends a DHCP request (DHCPREQUEST)
message that identifies the explicit server and
lease offer that the client is accepting.
• The server then returns a DHCP acknowledgment
(DHCPACK) message that acknowledges to the
client that the lease has been finalized.
• If the offer is no longer valid, then the selected
server responds with a DHCP negative
acknowledgment (DHCPNAK) message and the Note: DHCPv6 has a set of messages that is similar to those for
process must begin with a new DHCPDISCOVER DHCPv4. The DHCPv6 messages are SOLICIT, ADVERTISE,
message. INFORMATION REQUEST, and REPLY.
•File Sharing Services
 File Sharing Services

File Transfer Protocol

FTP was developed to allow for data transfers between a client and a server. An FTP client is an
application which runs on a computer that is being used to push and pull data from an FTP server.

Step 1 - The client establishes the first connection

to the server for control traffic using TCP port 21.
The traffic consists of client commands and server
replies.
Step 2 - The client establishes the second
connection to the server for the actual data transfer
using TCP port 20. This connection is created
every time there is data to be transferred.
Step 3 - The data transfer can happen in either
direction. The client can download (pull) data from
the server, or the client can upload (push) data to
the server.
 File Sharing Services

Server Message Block

The Server Message Block (SMB) is a
client/server, request-response file sharing
protocol. Servers can make their own
resources available to clients on the
network.
Three functions of SMB messages:
• Start, authenticate, and terminate sessions
• Control file and printer access
• Allow an application to send or receive
messages to or from another device
Unlike the file sharing supported by FTP,
clients establish a long-term connection to
servers. After the connection is
established, the user of the client can
access the resources on the server as
though the resource is local to the client
host.