OSI Reference Model
Lecture-
2
OSI Model
⚫ OSI stands for Open Systems
Interconnection. The ISO (International
Standards Organization) was introduced
the OSI model in 1984.
⚫ The OSI model is a standard reference
model for communication between two
users in a network. Each layer of this
model does not depend on the other
layer, but the data is transmitted from
one layer to another layer.
⚫ The OSI model describes how to send
and receive data in a network. All layers
of the OSI model have their different
functions so that data can be easily
OSI model divides into seven layers
Layer 1: The Physical Layer
⚫ The first layer is the physical layer in the OSI
model. This layer is also called a bit unit.
The physical layer coordinates the functions
needed to transmit a bit of stream to a
physical medium.
⚫ It is responsible for the actual physical
connection between devices. The physical
layer also describes whether the
communication will be wireless or wired. The
repeater is a device of the physical layer.
Functionalities of Physical Layers
⚫ Physical characteristics of interface and media: It
defines the interface properties between
devices and transmission devices. It also
defines the type of transmission medium.
⚫ Line Configuration: There are two types of
line configuration Point-To-Point Configuration and
Multipoint Configuration. In a point-to-point
configuration, the two devices are connected
through a separate link. In a multipoint
configuration, the link is shared between
multiple devices.
⚫ Data rate: In data rate, the number of bits
transmitted per second, is also defined by the
physical layer. In other words, the physical
layer determines how long the bit lasts.
⚫ Transmission mode: It defines which transmission
mode will be between two devices in the network.
⚫ Topology: The physical layer defines how the
different devices are organized in a network such
Layer 2: The Data Link Layer
⚫ The second layer is the Data Link layer in
the OSI model. It is responsible for moving
frames from one node to another. This
layer is also called the Frame unit.
⚫ In this layer, packets of data sent by the
network layer are decoded and encoded.
This layer also ensures the packets of data
are error-free.
Major functions of the Data link
layer
⚫ Framing: The data link layer divides the bit-
stream received from the network layer
into manageable pieces of data units called
frames.
⚫ Flow control: If the rate at which the receiver
receives
produced atthe thedata is less
sender end, than
the the link
rate at
which
data the data
establishes a flow is control
mechanism at the receiver end.
overloading layer to
⚫ Error control: It controls the error. CRC
(cyclic redundancy check) is addedavoid to the
end of the frame with the trailer so that the
data is error-free.
⚫ Access Control: When two or more devices
are connected to the same link, the layer
Layer 3: The Network Layer
⚫ The third layer is the Network layer in the OSI
model. The data in the network layer
is in the form of packets. It is responsible
for the delivery of individual packets from
the source to the destination. This layer is
also called the packet unit. Switching and
routing techniques are used in this layer.
Major Functionalities of Network
layer
⚫ Routing: When independent networks are
connected to produce Internetworks, the
connecting devices change the packets to
their final end. One of the roles of this layer is
to provide the mechanism.
⚫ Logical addressing: The network layer
defines a logical address so that each
device on the Internet can be uniquely
identified. The IP addresses of the sender
and the receiver are placed in the header
according to the network layer. This
address distinguishes each device
individually and generically.
Layer 4: The Transport Layer
⚫ The fourth layer is the Transport layer in
the OSI model. It is responsible for the
transfer of a message from one process
to another. Although the network layer
monitors the distribution of individual
packets from source to destination, it does
not recognize any connection between
these packets. The transport layer also
confirms a successful data transfer and re-
transmits the data if an error is detected.
Functionalities of Transport Layer
⚫ Segmentation and reassembly: When this layer
receives a message from the upper layers, it divides
the message into many abstract segments. Each
segment has a sequence number so that each
segment can be easily identified.
⚫ Connection control: It provides two types of
connection: –
Connection-oriented and Connectionless.
In a connectionless, it is done by the user diagram
protocol (UDP). It sends the message directly to the
destination without established the connection. UDP is
faster than TCP because TCP does not establish the
connection. In Connection- oriented, it is done by the
transmission control protocol (TCP). In Connection-
oriented, it establish the connection first, then send
the message to the destination. UDP is slower than
TCP because first UDP established the connection
then sent the message.
⚫ Flow control: The transport layer is responsible for
flow control, similar to the data link layer. However,
flow control in this layer is done end to end instead of a
Layer 5: The Session Layer
⚫ The fifth layer is the Session layer in the OSI
model, which controls connections
between many computers. It manages,
establishes, and terminates the session
connection between two communication
hosts.
Functionalities of Session Layer
⚫ Dialog control: In the session layer, it allows
two systems to enter a dialog that
allows the communication between
two processes in either half-duplex mode
or full-duplex mode.
⚫ Synchronization: It allows us to add
the checkpoints into the stream of data.
For example, suppose the system is
sending a message of 1000 bits, it
inserts the checkpoints after every 50 bits
and to ensure that each 50 bits unit is
received and acknowledged individually. In
this case, if a crash happens during the
transmission of 453 bit, that only needs
Layer 6: The Presentation Layer
⚫ The sixth layer is the Presentation Layer in
the OSI model. In the Presentation layer,
it deals with the syntax and semantics
information which exchanges between two
systems.
Major functions of the Presentation Layer
⚫ Translation: It
converts a message to
compatible bit-streams before being
transmitted because various
computers use various encoding methods. It
is responsible for interoperability between
these various encoding methods, which
is changing the message into a
standard format.
⚫ Encryption: Encryption means to transform
the original message into another form,
that will not be readable by others.
⚫ Compression: In Compression, it reduces
the number of bits to be transmitted over
Layer 7: The Application Layer
⚫ The seventh layer is the Application Layer in
the OSI model. The end-user is the
closest of application layer. This layer
enables user access to the network. It
allows remote logging into the application.
Functionalities of Application Layer
⚫ Network Virtual Terminal: It’s a physical
terminal to the software version. It
provides remote host services.
⚫ File transfer, Access, and Management: It allows
a user to access, retrieve, and manage the
files from a remote host.
⚫ Mail services: It provides email forwarding
and storage.