Chapter Two

Application, Session and Presentation

Layers
 Topics
 Application Layer Introduction
 Session Layer
 Presentation Layer
 Application Protocols

1
Layered Models
The Benefit of Using Layered Models
• To visualize the interaction between various protocols, it is common to use a
layered model.
• A layered model depicts the operation of the protocols occurring within each layer,
as well as the interaction with the layers above and below it.
• Using a layered model:
• Assists in protocol design, because protocols that operate at a specific layer have defined
information that they act upon and a defined interface to the layers above and below.
• Fosters competition because products from different vendors can work together.
• Prevents technology or capability changes in one layer from affecting other layers above
and below.
• Provides a common language to describe networking functions and capabilities.

2
Protocol and Reference model
• There are two basic types of networking models: protocol models and reference
models.
• A protocol model provides a model that closely matches the structure of a particular
protocol suite.
• The hierarchical set of related protocols in a suite typically represents all the
functionality required to interface the human network with the data network.
• The TCP/IP model is a protocol model because it describes the functions that occur
at each layer of protocols within the TCP/IP suite.
• A reference model provides a common reference for maintaining consistency within
all types of network protocols and services.
• A reference model is not intended to be an implementation specification or to provide
a sufficient level of detail to define precisely the services of the network architecture.
• The primary purpose of a reference model is to aid in clearer understanding of the
functions and process involved. 3
• The Open Systems Interconnection
(OSI) model is the most widely
known internetwork reference model.
• It is used for data network design,
operation specifications, and
troubleshooting.
• Although the TCP/IP and OSI models
are the primary models used when
discussing network functionality,
designers of network protocols,
services, or devices can create their
own models to represent their
products.
• Ultimately, designers are required to
communicate to the industry by
relating their product or service to
either the OSI model or the TCP/IP
model, or to both. 4
TCP/IP Model
• The first layered protocol model
for internetwork communications
was created in the early 1970s
and is referred to as the Internet
model.
• It defines four categories of
functions that must occur for
communications to be successful.
• The architecture of the TCP/IP
protocol suite follows the
structure of this model.
• Because of this, the Internet
model is commonly referred to as
5
the TCP/IP model.
• Most protocol models describe a vendor-specific protocol stack.
However, since the TCP/IP model is an open standard, one company
does not control the definition of the model.
• The definitions of the standard and the TCP/IP protocols are discussed
in a public forum and defined in a publicly-available set of documents.
• These documents are called Requests for Comments (RFCs). They
contain both the formal specification of data communications
protocols and resources that describe the use of the protocols.
• The RFCs also contain technical and organizational documents about
the Internet, including the technical specifications and policy
documents produced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

6
 TCP/IP model development
• The late-60s The Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
originally developed Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
(TCP/IP) to interconnect various defense department computer networks.
• The Internet, an International Wide Area Network, uses TCP/IP to connect
networks across the world.
4 layers of the TCP/IP model
 Layer 4: Application
 Layer 3: Transport
 Layer 2: Internet
 Layer 1: Network access

It is important to note that some of the layers in the TCP/IP model have
the same name as layers in the OSI model. Do not confuse the layers of
the two models.

7
TCP/IP protocol stack

8
 TCP/IP Reference Model

Layer Protocols
HTTP TELNET FTP SMTP SNMP
Application
TCP UDP
Transport
IP ICMP
Internet

ETHERNET PACKET RADIO

Network Access
(Host-to-network)

9
 Network standards and OSI model
• Rapid growth of computer networks caused compatibility
problems
• ISO(International standard organization) recognized the problem
and released the OSI model in 1984
• OSI stands for Open Systems Interconnection and consists of 7
Layers
• The use of layers is designed to reduce complexity and make
standardization easier
• It ensures greater compatibility and interoperability between
various types of network technologies.
• The OSI reference model divides the problem of moving
information between computers over a network medium into
SEVEN smaller and more manageable problems .
• This separation into smaller more manageable functions is known
as layering.
10
• The OSI Reference Model is composed of seven layers, each
specifying particular network functions.
• The process of breaking up the functions or tasks of networking into
layers reduces complexity.
• Each layer provides a service to the layer above it in the protocol
specification.
• Each layer communicates with the same layer’s software or
hardware on other computers.
• The lower 4 layers (transport, network, data link and physical —
Layers 4, 3, 2, and 1) are concerned with the flow of data from end
to end through the network.
• The upper three layers of the OSI model (application, presentation
and session—Layers 7, 6 and 5) are orientated more toward services
to the applications.
• Data is Encapsulated with the necessary protocol information as it
moves down the layers before network transit.
11
 OSI Reference model
 The OSI Reference Model
is a “reference guide” for
understanding network
functionality.
 Each of the 7 layers
(numbered from bottom
to top) represents one
step in the process of
sending data packets
from a source to a
destination.
12
• What are /is the difference between OSI
and TCP/IP models?
• Advantage and disadvantage of TCP/IP
and OSI Models
• Discuss it

13
OSI Model TCP/IP Model
It is developed by ISO (International Standard It is developed by ARPANET (Advanced Research Project
Organization) Agency Network).

OSI model provides a clear distinction between interfaces, TCP/IP doesn’t have any clear distinguishing points
services, and protocols. between services, interfaces, and protocols.

OSI refers to Open Systems Interconnection. TCP refers to Transmission Control Protocol.

OSI uses the network layer to define routing standards and TCP/IP uses only the Internet layer.
protocols.
OSI follows a vertical approach. TCP/IP follows a horizontal approach.
OSI layers have seven layers. TCP/IP has four layers.
In the OSI model, the transport layer is only connection- A layer of the TCP/IP model is both connection-oriented
oriented. and connectionless.

In the OSI model, the data link layer and physical are In TCP, physical and data link are both combined as a single
separate layers. host-to-network layer.

Session and presentation layers are a part of the OSI There is no session and presentation layer in the TCP
model. model.

It is defined after the advent of the Internet. It is defined before the advent of the internet.

The minimum size of the OSI header is 5 bytes. The minimum header size is 20 bytes.

14
 Session Layer
• The session layer is responsible for dialog control and
synchronization.
Specific responsibilities of the session layer include the following:
Dialog control
• The session layer allows two systems to enter into a dialog.
• It allows the communication between two processes to take place in
either half duplex (one way at a time) or full-duplex (two ways at a
time) mode.
Synchronization
• The session layer allows a process to add checkpoints, or
synchronization points, to a stream of data.
15
 Presentation Layer
• The presentation layer is responsible for translation, compression, and
encryption.
Specific responsibilities of the presentation layer include the following:
Translation
• The processes (running programs) in two systems are usually exchanging
information in the form of character strings, numbers, and so on.
• The information must be changed to bit streams before being transmitted.
• Because different computers use different encoding systems, the
presentation layer is responsible for interoperability between these
different encoding methods.
• The presentation layer at the sender changes the information from its
sender-dependent format into a common format.
• The presentation layer at the receiving machine changes the common
format into its receiver-dependent format.

16
Encryption
• To carry sensitive information, a system must be able to ensure
privacy.
• Encryption means that the sender transforms the original
information to another form and sends the resulting message out
over the network.
• Decryption reverses the original process to transform the message
back to its original form.
Compression
• Data compression reduces the number of bits contained in the
information.
• Data compression becomes particularly important in the
transmission of multimedia such as text, audio, and video. 17
 Application Layer – OSI and TCP/IP Models

Two important concepts:

 Application Layer: The first step for getting
data on to the network.
 Application Software: The programs used to
communicate over the network.
For example: When displaying a web page:
 The Application Layer uses the HTTP Protocol.
The Application Software is your browser.

18
 application layer cont. …
 The application layer is responsible for providing services to the user.
 Specific services provided by the application layer include the
following:
Network virtual terminal
• A network virtual terminal is a software version of a physical terminal,
and it allows a user to log on to a remote host.
• To do so, the application creates a software emulation of a terminal at
the remote host.
• The user's computer talks to the software terminal which, in turn, talks
to the host, and vice versa.
• The remote host believes it is communicating with one of its own
terminals and allows the user to log on
19
File transfer, access, and management
• This application allows a user to access files in a remote host (to make changes
or read data), to retrieve files from a remote computer for use in the local
computer, and to manage or control files in a remote computer locally.
Mail services.
• This application provides the basis for e-mail forwarding and storage.
Directory services.
• This application provides distributed database sources and access for global
information about various objects and services.
Upper layer devices
• There are only a few upper layer devices
• They fall into a class of devices called gateways
• A gateway translates one type of network data into another.
• Gateways can be either hardware or software 20
Rules that govern communication
• All communication, whether face-to-face or over a network, is
governed by predetermined rules called protocols.
• These protocols are specific to the characteristics of the conversation.
• In our day-to-day personal communication, the rules we use to
communicate over one medium, like a telephone call, are not
necessarily the same as the protocols for using another medium, such
as sending a letter.
• Think of how many different rules or protocols govern all the
different methods of communication that exist in the world today.
• Successful communication between hosts on a network requires the
interaction of many different protocols.
• A group of inter-related protocols that are necessary to perform a
communication function is called a protocol suite.
• These protocols are implemented in software and hardware that is
loaded on each host and network device.
21
• One of the best ways to visualize how all of the protocols interact on a
particular host is to view it as a stack.
• A protocol stack shows how the individual protocols within the suite are
implemented on the host.
• The protocols are viewed as a layered hierarchy, with each higher level
service depending on the functionality defined by the protocols shown in
the lower levels.
• The lower layers of the stack are concerned with moving data over the
network and providing services to the upper layers, which are focused on
the content of the message being sent and the user interface.
• Using layers to describe face-to-face communication
For example, consider two people communicating face-to-face.
• As the figure shows, we can use three layers to describe this activity.
• At the bottom layer, the physical layer, we have two people, each with a
voice that can utter words aloud.
• At the second layer, the rules layer, we have an agreement to speak in a
common language.
22
• At the top layer, the content
layer, we have the words
actually spoken-the content of
the communication.
• Were we to witness this
conversation, we would not
actually see "layers" floating in
space.
• It is important to understand
that the use of layers is a
model and, as such, it provides
a way to conveniently break a
complex task into parts and
describe how they work.
23
Network Protocols
• At the human level, some communication rules are formal and
others are simply understood, or implicit, based on custom and
practice.
• For devices to successfully communicate, a network protocol suite
must describe precise requirements and interactions.
• Networking protocol suites describe processes such as:
• The format or structure of the message
• The method by which networking devices share information about
pathways with other networks
• How and when error and system messages are passed between
devices
• The setup and termination of data transfer sessions 24
• Individual protocols in a protocol suite may be vendor-specific and
proprietary.
• Proprietary, in this context, means that one company or vendor controls
the definition of the protocol and how it functions.
• Some proprietary protocols can be used by different organizations with
permission from the owner.
• Others can only be implemented on equipment manufactured by the
proprietary vendor.
• Other protocols are freely available for public use.

25
Protocol Suits And industry Standards
• Often, many of the protocols that comprise a protocol suite reference other widely
utilized protocols or industry standards.
• A standard is a process or protocol that has been endorsed by the networking industry
and ratified by a standards organization, such as the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) or the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
• The use of standards in developing and implementing protocols ensures that products
from different manufacturers can work together for efficient communications.
• If a protocol is not rigidly observed by a particular manufacturer, their equipment or
software may not be able to successfully communicate with products made by other
manufacturers.
• In data communications, for example, if one end of a conversation is using a protocol
to govern one-way communication and the other end is assuming a protocol describing
two-way communication, in all probability, no information will be exchanged.

26
Application Layer protocols
• The application layer in TCP/IP is equivalent to the combined session,
presentation, and application layers in the OSI model.
• Many protocols are defined at this layer such as HTTP, SMTP,
POP3 , FTP, DNS, Telnet ,DHCP
• Application layer protocols provide the rules for communication
between applications
Protocols
• Define process on either end of the communication
• Define the type of message
• Define the syntax of message
• Define the meaning of any informational fields
• Define how messages are sent and expected response
• Define interaction with the next lower layer 27
 Application Layer protocols (chapter..)
 Application Layer TCP/IP protocols: specify the format and control
information necessary for many of the common Internet
communication

 DNS: is used to resolve Internet names to IP addresses

 HTTP: is used to transfer files that make up the Web pages of the
World Wide Web

 SMTP: is used for the transfer of mail messages and attachments

 Telnet, a terminal emulation protocol, is used to provide remote

access to servers and networking devices

 FTP: is used for interactive file transfer between systems 28

HTTP
• Short for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is the underlying protocol
used by the world wide web.
• HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and
what actions web servers and browsers should take in response to
various commands
• For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this actually
sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch
and transmit the requested Web page.

29
 An HTTP conversation
Client Server
• I would like to open
a connection • OK

• GET <file location>

• Send page or error message

• Display response
• Close connection
• OK

HTTP is the set of rules governing the format and content of the
conversation between a Web client and server
30
 HTTP

 HTTP protocol and how it supports delivery of web pages

 Request(URL)-->web browser establish conn.-->web service (using HTTP)
 Web browser (Request, accept, interpret, format & present data (plain text,
HTML, plug-in))

• http://www.UoG.edu.et
• http://www.google.com

• Reading: HTTP protocol message types GET, POST, PUT 31

SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
• SMTP is used when email is delivered from an email
client to an email server or when email is delivered from
one email server to another
• Most e-mail systems that send mail over the Internet use
SMTP to send messages from one server to another; the
messages can then be retrieved with an e-mail client using
either POP or IMAP
• This is why you need to specify both the POP or IMAP
server and the SMTP server when you configure your e-
mail application.

32
 SMTP
• SMTP clients and servers
have two main components

– User Agents – Prepares the

message, encloses it in an
envelope.

– Mail Transfer Agent –

Transfers the mail across the
internet.

– Analogous to the postal

system in many ways

33
Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3)
• A protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server.
• most e-mail applications (sometimes called an e-mail client)
use the POP protocol, although some can use the newer
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol).
• There are two versions of POP. The first, called POP2,
became a standard in the mid-80's and requires SMTP to send
messages.
• The newer version, POP3, can be used with or without
SMTP.

34
POP and SMTP protocols, and how they support e-mail services

35
 POP and SMTP protocols, and how they support e-mail services
 Like HTTP they define client/server processes

 Mail User Agent (MUA), or e-mail client

 allows messages to be sent and places received messages into the
client's mailbox,
 both of which are distinct processes.
 to receive e-mail messages from an e-mail server, the e-mail client can
use POP
 Sending e-mail from either a client or a server uses message formats
and command strings defined by the SMTP protocol
 Usually an e-mail client provides the functionality of both protocols
within one application
36
Telnet
 Telnet protocol and its uses in examining and managing networks
 Provides a standard method of emulating text-based terminal devices
over the data network
 A connection using Telnet is called a Virtual Terminal (VTY) session,
or connection
 Telnet uses software to create a virtual device that provides the same
features of a terminal session with access to the server (CLI).
 To support Telnet client connections, the server runs a service called the
Telnet daemon
 On a Microsoft Windows PC, Telnet can be run from the command
prompt.
 Other common terminal applications that run as Telnet clients are
 HyperTerminal, Minicom, and TeraTerm. 37
38
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• The protocol for exchanging files over the Internet.
• FTP works in the same way as HTTP for transferring Web pages
from a server to a user's browser and SMTP for transferring
electronic mail across the Internet in that, like these technologies,
FTP uses the Internet's TCP/IP protocols to enable data transfer.
• FTP is most commonly used to download a file from a server using
the Internet or to upload a file to a server (e.g., uploading a Web
page file to a server).
• Two connections between the client and the server:
 First connection to the server on TCP port 21
 control traffic, consisting of client commands and server
replies
 Second connection to the server over TCP port 20
 actual file transfer and is created every time there is a file
transferred.
 The file transfer can happen in either direction
 client can download (pull)
 the client can upload (push) 39
40
DHCP protocol
 DHCP protocol and its uses in enabling devices to obtain ip address & other
info from a DHCP server
 allows a host to obtain an IP address dynamically when it connects to the
network
 How
 The DHCP server is contacted and an address requested
 The DHCP server chooses an address from a configured range of
addresses called a pool and
 assigns ("leases") it to the host for a set period.
 On larger networks, or where the user population changes frequently, DHCP
is preferred
 DHCP distributed addresses are not permanently assigned to hosts but are
only leased for a period of time
 DHCP makes it possible for you to access the Internet using wireless hotspots
at airports or coffee shops
 As you enter the area, your laptop DHCP client contacts the local DHCP
server via a wireless connection. The DHCP server assigns an IP address to
your laptop.
 DHCP can pose a security risk because any device connected to the network
41
can receive an address
DHCP

42
 DHCP protocol

 How it works

 client broadcasts a DHCP DISCOVER packet to identify any available

DHCP servers on the network
 A DHCP server replies with a DHCP OFFER, which is a lease offer
message with an assigned
 IP address,

 subnet mask,

 DNS server, and

 default gateway information as well as the duration of the lease

 Once the client receives the offer, it will respond with a DHCP Request,
indicating that it will accept the offered protocol information. 43
• Finally, the server responds with a DHCP ACK, acknowledging
the clients acceptance of offered protocol information.
 If the offer is no longer valid - perhaps due to a time-out or another
client allocating the lease - then the selected server will respond
with a DHCP NAK message (Negative Acknowledgement)
 If a DHCP NAK message is returned, then the selection process
must begin again with a new DHCP DISCOVER message being
transmitted.

44
 DHCP protocol
 How it works
 Once the client has the lease, it must be renewed prior to the lease
expiration through another DHCP REQUEST message.

45
DNS
• Short for Domain Name System (or Service or Server), an
Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses.
• Because domain names are alphabetic, they're easier to remember.
• The Internet however, is really based on IP addresses.
• Every time you use a domain name, therefore, a DNS service must
translate the name into the corresponding IP address.
• For example, the domain name www.example.com might translate
to 198.105.232.4.
• The DNS system is, in fact, its own network. If one DNS server
doesn't know how to translate a particular domain name, it asks
another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned.
46
 Features of the DNS protocol and it supports DNS services

• Convert the numeric address into a simple, recognizable name.

47
DNS protocol and How it supports DNS services
 Easier to remember www.cisco.com than 198.132.219.25
 If the number is changed the domain name will remain www.cisco.com,
it’s transparent
 DNS uses a distributed set of servers to resolve the names associated
with these numbered addresses.
 When configuring a network device
 We provide the DNS server address
 Usually the ISP provides the address
 OS have nslookup
 allows the user to manually query the name servers to resolve a
given host name
 used to troubleshoot name resolution issues and to verify the current
status of the name servers
• nslookup UoG.edu.et 48
49
 Application Layer – Services, Ports

 DNS (Domain Name System)

• Resolves Internet names (URLs) to IP Addresses, port 53
 Telnet, SSH (Terminal emulation, Secure shell)
• access to servers and network devices, port 23, 22
 SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
• Transfer of mail messages and attachments (outgoing), port 25
 POP3, POP3S (Post Office Protocol)
• Transfer of mail messages and attachments (incoming), port 110, 995
 IMAP
• Internet Message Access Protocol, port 143
 DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
• Assigns IP Addresses (IP, subnetmask) and other parameters (DNS, Gateway, …) to hosts, port 67,
68
 HTTP(s) (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
• Transfer !les that make up web pages, port 80, 443
 FTP(S) ((Secure) File Transfer Protocol)
• Interactive !le transfer between systems, port control:21,data:21 and 3713, data:989,990

50
 • End of chapter two

• Thank you

51