Application

Layer Protocols

Name:- Varsha S.Raut

 Application Layer Protocols
 An application layer protocol defines how an application processes (clients
and servers); running on different end systems, pass messages to each
other.

 o In particular, an application layer protocol defines:

- The types of messages, e.g., request messages and response messages.

- The syntax of the various message types, i.e., the fields in the message and
o how the fields are delineated.

- The semantics of the fields, i.e., the meaning of the information that the

 field is supposed to contain;

- Rules for determining when and how a process sends messages and
responds to messages.
 Many Internet application-layer protocols are fully specified in
Request.

 For Comments documents (RFCs) and are therefore in the public

domain.

- For example, the HTTP 1.1 specification is included in RFC 2068,

which was

 finalized and made public January 1997.

- If a browser (HTTP client) developer follows the rules of the HTTP

1.1 RFC,

 the browser will be able to retrieve Web pages from any Web
server that has also has followed the rules of the HTTP 1.1 RFC.
Application layer protocols as follows:

1. HTTP(Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

2. DNS(Domain Name System)

3. FTP(File Transfer Protocol)

4. TELNET

5. DHCP(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

6. SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

 HTTP
 Hypertext Transfer Protocol is used to transfer files that make uph
the web pages of the World Wide Web.
 HTTP: TCP port 80.
 Was originally developed to publish and retrieve HTML pages.
 used for distributed, collaborative information systems.
 HTTP is used across the world wide web for data transfer and is
one of the most used application protocols.
 HTTP specifies a request/response protocol.
 When a client, typically a web browser, sends a request message
to a server, the HTTP protocol defines the message types the
client uses to request the web page and the message types the
server uses to respond.
 The three common message types are:

1. GET
2. POST
3. PUT
 GET is a client request for data. A web browser sends the GET
message to request pages from a web server.
 POST and PUT are used to send messages that upload data to the
web server.
 HTTP protocol using GET.
 DNS
 HOSTNAMES:
 IP Addresses are great for computers
- IP address includes information used for routing
 IP addresses are tough for humans to remember.
 IP addresses are impossible to guess.
-ever guessed at the name of a WWW site?
The Domain Name System:
• The domain name system is usually used to translate a hosta
name into an IP address

• Domain names comprise a hierarchy so that names are

unique. yet easy to remember
DNS Hierarchy
o Host name structure:
 Each host name is made up of a sequence of
labels separated by periods.
- Each label can be up to 63 characters
- The total name can be at most255characters.
 Examples:
-whitehouse.gov
- barney.the.purple.dinosaur.com
-monica.cs.rpi.eduo
o Domain Name
 The domain name for a host is the sequence of labels
that lead from the host (leaf node in the naming
tree) to the top of the worldwide naming tree.A
domain is a subtree of the world wide naming tree.
o Top level domains:
 edu, gov, com, net, org, mil, ...
 Countries each have a top level domain(2 letter
domain name).
 New top level domains
include:.aero .biz .coop .info .name.pro
o DNS Organization
 Distributed Database
- The organization that owns a domain name is
responsible for running a DNS server that can
provide the mapping between hostnames within
the domain to IP addresses.
- So - some machine run by RPI is responsible for
everything within the rpi.edu domain.
o DNS Clients:
• A DNS client is called a resolver.
• A call to getByName(host)is handled by a
resolver (typically part of the client).
• Most Unix workstations have the file
/etc/resolv.conf that contains the local domain
and the addresses of DNS servers for that
domain.
o Nslookup:
• nslookup is an interactive resolver that allows
the user communicate directly with a DNS
server.
• nslookup is usually available on Unix
workstations.
o DNS Servers:
• Servers handle requests for their domain
directly.
• Servers handle requests for other domains by
contacting remote DNS server(s).
• Servers cache external mappings.DNS
Message Format:
DNS Message Header:
 FTP
 promote sharing of files.
 encourage indirect use of remote computers.
 shield user from variations in file storage.o
 transfer data reliably and efficiently.
 "FTP, although usable directly by a user at a terminal, is
designeda mainly for use by programs".
 To successfully transfer files, FTP requires two connections
between the client and the server: one for commands and
replies, and the other for the actual file transfer.
 The client establishes the first connection to the server on
TCP port 21. This connection is used for control traffic,
consisting of client commands and server replies.
 The client establishes the second connection to the server
over TCP port 20. This connection is for the actual file
transfer and is created every time a file is transferred..
The client can download (pull) a file from the
server or upload (push)a file to the server.
 FTP Process
 TELNET
 TELNET is a protocol that provides "a general, bi-
directional, eight-bita byte oriented communications
facility".
 telnet is a program that supports the TELNET protocol
over TCP.
 Many application protocols are built upon the TELNET
protocol.
 TELNET service:
o The TELNET Protocol
• TCP connection
• data and control over the same connection.
• Network Virtual Terminal
• negotiated options
o Network Virtual Terminal
• intermediate representation of a generic
terminal.
• provides a standard language for
communication of terminal controla
functions.
o Negotiated Options:
All NVTs support a minimal set of capabilities.
Some terminals have more capabilities than the
minimal set.
The 2 endpoints negotiate a set of mutually
acceptable options (character set, echo mode,
etc).
The protocol for requesting optional features is
well defined and includes rules for eliminating
possible negotiation "loops"
The set of options is not part of the TELNET
protocol, so that new terminal features can be
incorporated without changing the TELNET
protocol.
o Control Functions:
 TELNET includes support for a series of control
functions commonly supported by servers.
 This provides a uniform mechanism for
communication of (the supported) control
functions.Interrupt Process (IP)
- suspend/abort process.Abort Output (AO)
- process can complete, but send no more output to
user's terminal.
 Are You There (AYT)
- check to see if system is still running.
 Erase Character (EC)
- delete last character sent
- typically used to edit keyboard input.
 Erase Line (EL)
- delete all input in current line.
 DHCP
DHCP enables clients on a network to obtain IP
addresses and other information from a DHCP
server.
DHCP allows a host to obtain an IP address
dynamically when it connects to the network.
The DHCP server is contacted by sending a
request, and an IP address is requested.
The DHCP server chooses an address from a
configured range of addresses called a pool and
assigns it to the host client for a set period.
different ways of having DHCP servers
arranged in next diagram
 SMTP
Protocol originated in 1982 (RFC821, Jon
Postel)
Standard message format (RFC822,2822, D.
Crocker)
Goal: To transfer mail reliably and efficiently
o SMTP clients and servers have two main
components:
User Agents Prepares message, encloses it in
an envelope. (ex. Thunderbird, Eudora).
 Mail Transfer Agent - Transfers the mail
across the internet (ex. Sendmail, Exim)
Analogous to the postal system inmany ways
SMTP also allows the
use of Relays
allowing other MTAs
to relay the mail.

Mail Gateways are

used to relay mail
prepared by a
protocol other than
SMTP and convert it
to SMTP.
Connection establishment:
Message Progress:
Connection Termination:
o Limitations in SMTP:
Only uses NVT 7 bit ASCII format
 How to represent other data types?
No authentication mechanisms
Messages are sent un-encrypteda
Susceptible to misuse (Spamming,faking
sender address)
 SUMMARY
OSI model has 7 layers.
In particular, an application layer protocol defines:
- The types of messages, e.g., request messages
and response messages.
Application layer has 6 protocols:1.
1. HTTP(Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
2. DNS(Domain Name System)
3. FTP(File Transfer Protocol)
4. TELNET
5. DHCP(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
6. SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)