THE OSI MODEL

OPEN SYSTEM INTERCONNECTION

REFERENCE MODEL
(OSI REFERENCE MODEL OR OSI MODEL)
 WHAT IS NETWORK?

A computer network is a set of computers connected together for the purpose

of sharing resources. The most common resource shared today is connection
to the Internet. Other shared resources can include a printer or a file server.
 INTRODUCTION OSI

• The Open System Interconnection Reference

Model (OSI Reference Model or OSI Model) is
an abstract description for layered
communications and computer network
protocol design.

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 OSI HISTORY
• In 1978, the International Standards
Organization (ISO) began to develop its OSI
framework architecture.
• OSI has two major components: an abstract
model of networking, called the Basic
Reference Model or seven-layer model, and a
set of specific protocols.
• It divides network architecture into seven layers
which, from top to bottom, are the Application,
Presentation, Session, Transport, Network,
Data Link, and Physical Layers. It is therefore
often referred to as the OSI Seven Layer
Model.
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 WHY A LAYERED NETWORK MODEL?

7 Application

6 Presentation
 Reduces complexity
 Standardizes interfaces
 Facilitates modular engineering 5 Session
 Ensures interoperable technology
 Accelerates evolution 4 Transport
 Simplifies teaching and learning

3 Network

2 Data Link

1 Physical
UNDERSTANDING THE
OSI LAYER
 PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATION

Sender Receiver

Application Application
Presentation Presentation
Session Session
Segments
Transport Transport
Packets
Network Network
Frames
Data Link Data Link
Bits
Physical Physical
SENDING AN EMAIL

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 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application Network Process to Application

- Provides network services to application
6 Presentation process ( such as electronic mail, file transfer,
and terminal emulation )
- Provides user authentication
5 Session
At the Physical layer, data are transmitted
4 Transport using the type of signaling supported by the
physical medium: electric voltages, radio
3 Network frequencies, or pulses of infrared or ordinary
light.
2 Data Link

1 Physical
 JANET’S E-MAIL

• Janet wants to send an e-mail with a photo

attached to her cousin in Australia
• We will look at the 7 layers of the OSI model
to describe how the e-mail is sent and
received
• Each layer has its own protocols (rules) for
handling the data
APPLICATION LAYER
 APPLICATION LAYER

• Janet uses an e-mail application to write her

e-mail and attach the photo
• The application layer takes the data from the
e-mail application
• It provides a service to the e-mail application
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation Data Representation

- Ensures that data is readable by
5 Session receiving system
- Formats system
- Structures data
4 Transport
- Negotiates data transfer syntax for
application layer
3 Network

2 Data Link

1 Physical
PRESENTATION LAYER
 PRESENTATION LAYER

• The presentation layer is concerned with the

format of the data
• It records that the e-mail is plain text (or rich
text) and that the photo is a graphics file
(e.g. jpeg)
• The data is in the form of a data stream
• Any compression or encryption could also be
carried out by the presentation layer
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation - Data Representation

Interhost Communication
5 Session - Establishes, manages, and terminates
sessions between applications
4 Transport

3 Network

2 Data Link

1 Physical
SESSION LAYER
 SESSION LAYER

• The session layer is concerned with starting

managing and ending the communication
between Janet’s computer and her cousin’s
computer
• The data still exists as a data stream
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation - Data Representation

- Interhost Communication
5 Session

Transport End-to-End Connection

4
- Handles transportation issues between
hosts
3 Network - Ensures data transport reliability
- Establishes, maintains, and terminates
2 Data Link virtual circuits
- Provides reliability through fault detection
1 Physical and recovery information flow control
TRANSPORT LAYER
 TRANSPORT LAYER

• The transport layer takes the data from the

session layer and splits it up into segments
that are the right size for sending.
• It adds information to say which protocol is
being used at the upper layers – in this case
that an e-mail protocol is used
• It checks that all the segments reach their
destination – the cousin’s computer
 THE JOURNEY

• Janet’s e-mail is now a stream of electrical

pulses travelling along a cable
• It will pass through many networks and
network devices
• It may be converted to light signals on
optical fibre cables or to radio or microwaves
• Routers will strip off the old physical
address, look at the IP address and put in
the physical address of the next router
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation - Data Representation

- Interhost Communication
5 Session
- End-to-End Connection
4 Transport
Data Delivery
3 Network
- Routes data packets
- Selects best path to deliver data
2 Data Link - Provides logical addressing and path
selection
1 Physical

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NETWORK LAYER
 NETWORK LAYER

• The network layer takes the segments

• It adds a header to each segment, giving the
IP address of Janet’s PC and her cousin’s
PC
• The new data unit is called a packet
• As the packet travels to Australia, the
routers along the way will look at the IP
address and decide where the packet should
go next
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation - Data Representation

- Interhost Communication
5 Session
- End-to-End Connection
4 Transport
- Data Delivery
3 Network
Access to Media
2 Data Link - Defines how data is formatted and how
access to the network is controlled
1 Physical
- Provides area detection
DATA LINK LAYER
 DATA LINK LAYER

• The data link layer takes the packet and

adds more information, including the
physical (MAC) addresses of the source
computer and of the computer or router that
will handle the packet next
• This new data unit is called a frame
• Switches can look at the MAC address and
pass it on in the right direction
 THE SEVEN LAYERS OF THE OSI MODEL

7 Application - Network Process to Application

6 Presentation - Data Representation

5 Session - Interhost Communication

4 Transport - End-to-End Connection

3 Network - Data Delivery

2 Data Link - Access to Media

1 Physical Binary Transmission

- Defines the electrical, mechanical,
procedural, and functional specifications for
activating, maintaining, and deactivating the
physical link.
PHYSICAL LAYER
 PHYSICAL LAYER

• The physical layer takes the frame.

• It sees the data as a string of bits, (0s and
1s).
• It converts the bits to electrical signals that
can be sent along a cable.
 THE JOURNEY

• Janet’s e-mail is now a stream of electrical

pulses travelling along a cable
• It will pass through many networks and
network devices
• It may be converted to light signals on
optical fibre cables or to radio or microwaves
• Routers will strip off the old physical
address, look at the IP address and put in
the physical address of the next router.
 THE PHYSICAL LAYER

• The electrical signals arrive at the cousin’s

computer
• The physical layer takes the signals and
converts them back to bits (1s and 0s)
• It passes them up to the data link layer
 THE DATA LINK LAYER

• The data link layer checks that the physical

address is the right address for the cousin’s
computer
• It checks that the frame does not contain any
errors
• It strips off the physical addresses and other
frame information (leaving a packet)
• It passes the result up to the network layer
 THE NETWORK LAYER

• The network layer takes the packet from the

data link layer
• It checks that the IP address is the right
address for the cousin’s computer
• It strips off the IP address and other packet
information, leaving a segment
• It passes the result up to the transport layer
 THE TRANSPORT LAYER

• The transport layer takes the segment from

the network layer
• It fits all the segments back together in the
right order to make a data stream again
• If any segments are missing or damaged it
can arrange for them to be sent again
• It checks to see which higher level protocol
was used and finds that the data is an e-mail
 THE SESSION LAYER

• The session layer receives the data stream

of the e-mail from the transport layer
• If the whole of the e-mail has been received
correctly it can close the communication
session between the computers
• It passes the data stream up to the
presentation layer
 THE PRESENTATION LAYER

• The presentation layer takes the data stream

from the session layer
• It finds that the data consists of an e-mail in
plain text and an image in the form of a jpeg
file
• If there was any compression or encryption
the presentation layer could deal with it
• It passes the data up to the application layer
 THE APPLICATION LAYER

• The application layer receives the data from

the presentation layer
• It gives the data in the right form to the
cousin’s e-mail application so that the cousin
will be able to read the e-mail and open the
attachment to see the photo
 ALL THE WAY

• The e-mail has travelled down all 7 layers of

the OSI model in Janet’s computer
• It then passed as electrical, light or radio
signals across many networks and through
many devices
• In the cousin’s computer it travelled up
through the 7 layers of the OSI model to
become an e-mail again
 PEER TO PEER

• At each level it seems to the protocols as if

they are talking directly to protocols at the
same level
• The detail of the lower layers is hidden from
them – the lower layers provide a service to
them
• Communication between protocols at the
same level is called peer to peer
communication
PEER TO PEER
 PERSON TO PERSON

• It seems to Janet and her cousin that they

are communicating directly with each other
• They do not need to know what happens to
the e-mail message on its journey
• That’s the point of having layers. Each layer
does its own special job. No layer has a task
that is too big or complicated
• For Janet the whole thing is easy
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING

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