4.

2
Application Layer
 4.2 – Learning Outcomes

4.2 Explain Application Layer Protocols

• After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

4.2.1 Explain how the functions of the application layer, session layer and
presentation layer work together to provide network services to end
user applications
4.2.2 Explain how web and email protocols operate
4.2.3 Explain how DNS and DHCP operate
 Chapter 4.2 – Learning Outcomes

4.2 Explain Application Layer Protocols

• After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

4.2.1 Explain how the functions of the application layer, session layer
and presentation layer work together to provide network services
to end user applications
4.2.2 Explain how web and email protocols operate
4.2.3 Explain how DNS and DHCP operate
 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 Protocol
(or Service) Configuration Protocol • TCP 80, 8080
• TCP, UDP client 53 • UDP client 68, server 67 • A set of rules for exchanging text,
• Translates domain names, • Dynamically assigns IP graphic images, sound, video, and
such as cisco.com, into IP addresses to be re-used other multimedia files on the World
addresses. when no longer needed Wide Web
Application, Presentation, and Session
TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols
• Post Office Protocol (POP) TCP 110 - Enables
clients to retrieve email from a mail server.
• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) TCP 143
- Enables clients to retrieve email from a mail
server, maintains email on server.
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) TCP 20 and 21 -
Reliable, connection-oriented, and acknowledged
– Domain Name Server (DNS) TCP,UDP 53 - file delivery protocol.
Translates domain names, such as cisco.com, into
• Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) UDP 69 –
IP addresses.
simple connectionless file transfer protocol.
– (BOOTP) – Bootstrap Protocol - BOOTP is being
superseded by DHCP. • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) TCP 80, 8080 -
– Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) UDP Set of rules for exchanging text, graphic images,
etc. on the World Wide Web.
client 68, server 67 – Dynamically assigns IP
addresses to client stations at start-up. • Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) TCP,
– Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) TCP 25 - UDP 443 – Uses encryption and authentication to
Enables clients to send email to a mail server. secure communication.
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
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.
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
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.
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
Peer-to-Peer Applications

• A P2P application allows a

device to act as both a client
and a server within the same
communication.
• P2P applications require that
each end device provide a user
interface and run a
background service.
• 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.
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
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
 Chapter 4.1 – Learning Outcomes

4.2 Explain Application Layer Protocols

• After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

4.2.1 Explain how the functions of the application layer, session layer and
presentation layer work together to provide network services to end
user applications
4.2.2 Explain how web and email protocols operate
4.2.3 Explain how DNS and DHCP operate
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
Step 2 Step 3
The browser then checks with a In response to the request, the server sends
name server to convert the HTML code for this web page to the
www.cisco.com into a numeric IP browser.
address, which it uses to 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
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.
• Three common HTTP
message types are:
– GET - A client request for
data.
– POST - Uploads data files to
the web server.
– PUT - Uploads resources or
content to the web server.
• HTTP Secure (HTTPS) protocol
uses encryption and
authentication to secure data.
Web and Email Protocols
Email Protocols
• Email clients communicate with mail
servers to send and receive email.
• Mail servers communicate with other
mail servers to transport messages
from one domain to another.
• Three protocols for email:
– Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
to send email.
– Post Office Protocol (POP) to retrieve
email.
– Internet Message Access Protocol
(IMAP) to retrieve email.
Web and Email Protocols
SMTP Operation

• SMTP is used to send email

Web and Email Protocols
POP Operation

• POP is used to retrieve

email from a mail server.
• Email is downloaded
from the server to the
client and then deleted
on the server.
Web and Email Protocols
IMAP Operation
• IMAP is used to retrieve
mail from a mail server.
• Copies of messages are
downloaded from the
server to the client and the
original messages are
stored on the server.
 Chapter 4.1 – Learning Outcomes

4.2 Explain Application Layer Protocols

• After completing this chapter, students will be able to:

4.2.1 Explain how the functions of the application layer, session layer and
presentation layer work together to provide network services to end
user applications
4.2.2 Explain how web and email protocols operate
4.2.3 Explain how DNS and DHCP operate
IP Addressing Services
Domain Name Service

• Domain names convert the

numeric address into a
simple, recognizable name.
• The DNS protocol defines
an automated service that
matches resource names
with the required numeric
network address.
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
• When a client makes a query, the
server’s DNS process first looks at
its own records to resolve the
name.
• If unable to resolve, it contacts
other servers to resolve the name.
• The server temporarily stores the
numbered address in the event
that the same name is requested
again.
• The ipconfig /displaydns
command displays all of the
cached DNS entries on a Windows
PC.
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
DNS Hierarchy
IP Addressing Services
The nslookup Command
• Nslookup - a utility that allows a
user to manually query the name
servers to resolve a given host.
– Can also be used to troubleshoot
name resolution issues and to verify
the current status of the name
servers.
IP Addressing Services
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
• The Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) for IPv4
automates the assignment of
IPv4 addresses, subnet masks,
gateways, and other parameters.
• DHCP-distributed addresses are
leased for a set period of time,
then returned to pool for reuse.
• DHCP is usually employed for
end user devices. Static
addressing is used for network
devices, such as gateways,
switches, servers, and printers.
• DHCPv6 (DHCP for IPv6) provides
similar services for IPv6 clients.
IP Addressing Services
DHCP Operation
Summary

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 30
 Part 3.3

Summary
• Application layer protocols are used to exchange data between programs running on the source and
destination hosts. The presentation layer has three primary functions: formatting, or presenting data,
compressing data, and encrypting data for transmission and decrypting data upon receipt. The session
layer creates and maintains dialogs between source and destination applications. 
• 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. 
• In a P2P network, two or more computers are connected via a network and can share resources without
having a dedicated server.
• The three common HTTP message types are GET, POST, and PUT. 
• Email supports three separate protocols for operation: SMTP, POP, and IMAP.
• DNS protocol matches resource names with the required numeric network address. 
• DHCP for IPv4 service automates the assignment of IPv4 addresses, subnet masks, gateways, and other
IPv4 networking parameters. The DHCPv6 messages are SOLICIT, ADVERTISE, INFORMATION REQUEST,
and REPLY.
• An FTP client is an application which runs on a computer that is being used to push and pull data from
an FTP server. 
• Three functions of SMB messages: start, authenticate, and terminate sessions, control file and printer
access, and allow an application to send or receive messages to or from another device. 
| Practice |