CH:05.

APPLICATION LAYER
PROTOCOL
 APPLICATION LAYER:
The application layer in the TCP/IP
model is the closest layer to the end
user which means that the application
layer and end user can interact directly
with the software application. The
application layer programs are based on
client and servers.

FUNCTIONS OF APPLICATION LAYER:

1. It facilitates the user to use the services of the network.

2. It is used to develop network-based applications.

3. It provides user services like user login, naming network devices, formatting
messages, and e-mails, transfer of files etc.

4. It is also concerned with error handling and recovery of the message as a

whole.

APPLICATION LAYER PROTOCOLS:

▪Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, HTTP − It is the underlying protocol for world wide web. It
defines how hypermedia messages are formatted and transmitted.

▪File Transfer Protocol, FTP − It is a client-server based protocol for transfer of files between
client and server over the network.

▪Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP − It lays down the rules and semantics for sending and
receiving electronic mails (e-mails).

APPLICATION LAYER PROTOCOLS:

▪Domain Name System, DNS − It is a naming system for devices in networks. It provides
services for translating domain names to IP addresses.

▪TELNET − It provides bi-directional text-oriented services for remote login to the hosts over
the network.

▪Simple Network Management Protocol, SNMP − It is for managing, monitoring the network
and for organizing information about the networked devices.

WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW):

▪WWW can be defined as the collection of different
websites around the world, containing different
information shared via local servers(or computers).

▪The World Wide Web is based on several different

technologies: Web browsers, Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol
(HTTP).

HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol):

▪HTTP is a protocol for fetching resources such as HTML
documents. It is the foundation of any data exchange on
the Web and it is a client-server protocol, which means
requests are initiated by the recipient, usually the Web
browser.

▪ A complete document is reconstructed

from the different sub-documents fetched, for instance, text, layout description, images,
videos, scripts, and more.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol):

▪File Transfer Protocol(FTP) is an application layer protocol
that moves files between local and remote file systems. It
runs on top of TCP, like HTTP. To transfer a file, 2 TCP
connections are used by FTP in parallel: control
connection and data connection.

▪There are various other protocols like HTTP which are

used to transfer files between computers, but they lack
clarity and focus as compared to FTP.

TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol):

▪ Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a
simple protocol that provides basic file
transfer function with no user
authentication.
▪ TFTP is intended for applications that do not
need the sophisticated interactions that File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) provides.

ELECTRONIC MAIL: ARCHITECTURE

•Email architecture refers to the structure and
components that make email communication
possible.
•Key components:
• Mail User Agent (MUA): It's the email
client used by the user to compose, send,
and receive emails (e.g., Outlook, Gmail).
• Mail Transfer Agent (MTA): Responsible
for routing and transferring emails
between servers.
• Mail Delivery Agent (MDA): Receives
emails from the MTA and stores them in the recipient's mailbox.

ELECTRONIC MAIL: WEB BASED MAIL

•Web-based email services, also known as webmail,
allow users to access their email accounts through a
web browser.
•Popular webmail services include Gmail, Yahoo
Mail, and Outlook.com.
•Advantages of webmail:
• Accessible from any device with internet
connectivity.
• No need to install email client software.
• Often includes features like spam filtering and
cloud storage.

ELECTRONIC MAIL: EMAIL

SECURITY
 •Email security measures are essential to protect
against various threats, including spam, phishing,
and malware.
•Common email security measures:
• Spam Filters: Automatically identify and
filter out spam emails.
• Encryption: Encrypt email contents to
prevent interception.
• Digital Signatures: Verify the authenticity
of email senders.
• Anti-Phishing Measures: Detect and block
phishing attempts.
• Antivirus Scanning: Scan email attachments for malware.

ELECTRONIC MAIL: Protocols

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol):
•SMTP is a protocol used for sending outgoing email messages from a client to a server or
between servers.
•It uses a set of rules for communication between email servers.
•SMTP is essential for the reliable delivery of emails.
POP (Post Office Protocol):
•POP is an email protocol used for retrieving email messages from a mail server to a client device.
•Typically, it downloads emails to the client, removing them from the server.
•Suitable for users who want to keep a copy of their emails locally.

ELECTRONIC MAIL: Protocols

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol):

▪IMAP is another email protocol for retrieving email messages. Unlike POP, IMAP keeps emails on the server
and syncs them with the client device.
▪Ideal for users who want access to their emails from multiple devices.
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions):
▪MIME is an extension of the original email protocol that allows for the transmission of multimedia content via
email.
▪It enables the inclusion of various types of data beyond plain text, such as images, audio, video, and binary
files, within email messages.
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol):

▪SNMP is a protocol used for managing and monitoring network devices and their performance.▪It allows
network administrators to collect information and control devices remotely.

DNS (Domain Name Server): Domain Name Space

▪The DNS name space is the set of all domain names that are registered in the DNS.
▪These domain names are organized into a tree-like structure, with the top of the tree being the
root domain.

▪ Below the root domain, there are a number of top-level domains, such as .com, .net, and .org.
Below the top-level domains, there are second-level domains, and so on.

▪Each domain name in the DNS name space corresponds to a set of resource records, which contain
information about that domain name, such as its IP address, mail servers, and other information.

DNS (Domain Name Server): DNS Operation

▪Resolving Domain Names: When a user enters a domain name, DNS resolves it to an IP address for
establishing connections.
▪DNS Resolution Steps:
 ▪ Local DNS Resolver: The device checks its local DNS cache for the IP address. If not found, it
proceeds to the next step.
▪ Querying Authoritative DNS Servers: The resolver queries authoritative DNS servers starting
from the root, moving down to TLD, and then the target domain.
▪ Caching Results: DNS servers cache resolved results for efficiency and future use.
▪Role of DNS Servers: DNS servers play a crucial role in storing and providing information about
domain names and their associated IP addresses.
 DHCP(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): Static and
Dynamic allocation
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a network management protocol used to
automate the process of configuring devices on IP networks. It allows devices to
automatically receive IP addresses and other network configuration details like the
default gateway, subnet mask, and DNS servers, without requiring manual configuration
by a network administrator.
o Dynamic Allocation: IP addresses are automatically assigned to devices for a
limited period (lease time). Once the lease expires, the IP address can be
reassigned to another device.
o Static Allocation (DHCP Reservation): A specific IP address is permanently
reserved for a particular device based on its MAC address.
.
 REMOTE LOGIN: TELNET

Definition: TELNET is a protocol used for remote login and

command execution on a networked computer. It allows
users to access another machine over a network, usually
for administrative purposes.
Key Features:
It allows users to connect to a remote computer and
execute commands as if they were physically present at
the machine.
No encryption: All communication is in plain text, including
usernames and passwords, which makes it vulnerable to
interception.
 REMOTE LOGIN: SSH

Definition: SSH is a secure protocol used for remote login and

execution of commands, providing encrypted communication
between a client and a server.

Key Features:

Encryption: All communication between the client and server is

encrypted, making it secure against eavesdropping. Authentication:
Uses secure methods (e.g., password, public key) to verify the identity of users