This document provides an overview and introduction to key concepts in computer networking. It discusses the growth of computer networking and its ubiquitous use today. It then covers five key aspects of networking including network applications, data communications, packet switching technologies, TCP/IP internetworking, and additional concepts. It also discusses why networking seems complex due to various standards, models and terminology. The document aims to provide background needed to understand networking complexity at a high level.

1. Introduction and Overview

2. Homework Assignment
• Readings: chapters 1
• Problems: chapter 1/ 5, 8-11, & 13.

3. Topics
1. Growth of Computer Networking
2. Why Networking Seems Complex
3. Five Key Aspects of Networking
4. Public and Private Parts of the Internet
5. Networks, Interoperability, and Standards
6. Protocol Suites and Layering Models
7. How Data Passes Through Layers
8. Headers and Layers
9. ISO OSI Seven-Layer Reference Model
10.The Inside Scoop

4. Growth of Computer Networking
• Computer networking has grown explosively
• Since the 1970s, computer communication has changed
from a research topic to an essential part of infrastructure
• Networking is used in every aspect of our lives:
– Business
– Advertising
– Production
– Shipping
– Planning
– Billing
– Accounting
• Most corporations have multiple networks
• Educational institutions of all types are using computer
networks
– to provide students and teachers with access to online information
• Federal, state, and local government offices use networks

5. 5
Growth of Computer Networking
• In short, computer networks are everywhere
• In 1980, the Internet was a research project that involved a
few dozen sites
• Today, the Internet has grown into a production
communication system that reaches all of the world
• Many users have high speed Internet access through cable
modems. DSL, or wireless technologies
• The advent and utility of networking have created dramatic
economic shifts
– Network has made telecommuting available to individuals
– It has changed business communication
– An entire industry emerged that develops networking technologies,
products, and services
– The importance of computer networks has produced a demand in all
industries for people with more networking expertise
– Companies need workers to plan, acquire, install, operate, and manage
the hardware and software systems for networks

6. Why Networking Seems Complex
• The networking subject seems complex, because
– Many technologies exist
– Each technology has features that distinguish it from the others
– Companies create commercial network products and services
• often by using technologies in new unconventional ways
– Computer networks seem complex
• because technologies can be combined and interconnected in many ways
• Computer networks can be especially confusing to a beginner
because
– No single underlying theory exists that explains the relationship among
all parts
– Multiple organizations have created computer networks standards
• some standards are incompatible with others
– Various organizations and research groups have attempted to define
conceptual models
– The set of technologies is diverse and changes rapidly
• models are either so simplistic that they do not distinguish among details
• or so complex that they do not help simplify the subject

7. 7
Why Networking Seems Complex
• The lack of consistency in the field has produced another
challenge for beginners:
– Multiple groups each attempt to create their own terminology
– Researchers cling to scientifically precise terminology
– Marketing teams often associate their products with a generic technical
term or invent new terms to distinguish their products or services from
others
– Technical terms are confused with the names of popular products
– Professionals sometimes use a technical term from one technology
when referring to an analogous feature of another technology
– A large set of terms and acronyms that contains many synonyms
– Computer networking jargon contains terms that are often abbreviated,
misused, or associated with products

8. The Five Key Aspects of Networking
• To master networking complexity, it is important to gain a
broad background that includes five key aspects:
– Network Applications and Network Programming
– Data Communications
– Packet Switching and Networking Technologies
– Internetworking with TCP/IP
– Additional Networking Concepts and Technologies

9. Network Applications and Network
Programming
• Network services and facilities are provided by an application
software
– an application on one computer communicates across a network with an
application program running on another computer
• Network applications span a wide range, such as:
– email
– file transfer
– web browsing
– voice telephone calls (VoIP)
– distributed databases
– audio/video teleconferencing
• Each application offers a specific service with its own form of
user interface
– But all applications can communicate over a single, shared network
9

10. Network Applications and Network
Programming (Cont’d)
• A unified underlying network that supports all applications
makes a programmer's job much easier
– programmer only needs to learn about one interface to the network and
one basic set of functions to be used – the same set of functions are
used in all application programs that communicates over a network
– it is possible to understand network applications, and even possible to
write code that communicates over a network, without understanding
the hardware/software technologies
– It may seem that once a programmer masters the interface, no further
knowledge of networking is needed
• However, like conventional programmers, the network
programmer must understand the underlying network
mechanisms and technologies to write network applications
that are more reliable, correct, and efficient
10

11. Data Communications
• Data communications refers to the study of low-level
mechanisms and technologies used to send information
across a physical communication medium
– such as a wire, radio wave, or light beam
• Data communications focuses on ways to use physical
phenomena to transfer information
– the subject may only seem useful for electrical engineers who design
low-level transmission facilities
• However, we will see that several key concepts that arise from data
communications influence the design of many protocol layers
• Data communications provides a foundation of concepts
– on which the rest of networking is built
• For example, the data communications concept of
multiplexing information from different sources for
transmission over a shared medium and later route to
multiple destinations is incorporated in most protocols
11

12. Packet Switching and Networking
Technologies
• In 1960s, the packet switching concept revolutionized data communications
• Early communication networks had evolved from telegraph and telephone
systems
– A physical pair of wires between two parties to form a dedicated circuit
• Although mechanical connection of wires was being replaced by electronic
switches, the underlying paradigm remained the same:
– form a circuit and then send information across the circuit
• Packet switching changed networking in a fundamental way
– It provided the basis for the modern Internet
– Packet switching allows multiple users to share a network
– Packet switching divides data into small blocks, called packets
– It includes an identification of the intended recipient in each packet
– Devices throughout the network each have information about how to reach
each possible destination
12

13. Packet Switching and Networking
Technologies (cont’d)
• Many designs for packet switching are possible
• But there is a need for answers to basic questions:
– How should a destination be identified?
– How can a sender find the identification of a destination?
– How large should a packet be?
– How can a network recognize the end of one packet?
– How can a network recognize the beginning of another packet?
– If a network is shared, then how can they coordinate to insure that each
receives a fair opportunity to send?
– How can packet switching be adapted to wireless networks?
– How can network technologies be designed to meet various
requirements for speed, distance, and economic cost?
• Many packet switching technologies have been created
– to meet various requirements for speed, distance, and economic cost
– technologies differ in details such as size of packet and method used to
identify a recipient.
13

14. Internetworking with TCP/IP
• In the 1970s, another revolution in computer networks arose:
Internet
• In 1973, Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn observed that
– no single packet switching technology would ever satisfy all needs
• especially because it would be possible to build low-capacity technologies for
homes or offices at extremely low cost
• They suggested to stop trying to find a single best solution
– Instead, explore interconnecting many packet switching technologies
into a functioning whole
– They proposed a set of standards be developed for such an
interconnection
– The resulting standards became known as the TCP/IP Internet Protocol
Suite (usually abbreviated TCP/IP)
• The success of TCP/IP lies in its tolerance of heterogeneity
• TCP / IP takes a virtualization approach
– that defines a network-independent packet and a network-independent
identification scheme
14

15. Public and Private Parts of the Internet
• The Internet consists of parts that are owned and operated by
individuals or organizations
• From ownership point of view, we can categorize networks
– Public Networks
– Private Networks
• A public network is run as a service that is available to
subscribers
– Any individual or corporation who pays the subscription fee can use
– A company that offers service is known as a service provider
– Public refers to the general availability of service, not to the data being
transferred
• A private network is controlled by one particular group
– network use is restricted to one group
– a private network can include circuits leased from a provider

16. Private Network
• Network vendors generally divide private networks into four
categories based on the size:
– Consumer
– Small Office / Home Office (SOHO)
– Small-to-Medium Business (SMB)
– Large Enterprise
• These categories are related to sales and marketing
– the terminology is loosely defined
– it is possible to give a qualitative description of each type
• but one cannot find an exact definition
16

17. Networks, Interoperability, and Standards
• Communication always involves at least two entities
– one that sends information and another that receives it
• All entities in a network must agree on how information will be represented
and communicated
– Communication agreements involve many details
• the way that electrical signals are used to represent data
• procedures used to initiate and conduct communication,
• and the format of messages
• An important issue is interoperability
– it refers to the ability of two entities to communicate
• All communicating parties agree on details and follow the same set of rules,
an exact set of specifications
• Communication protocol, network protocol, or simply protocol to refer to a
specification for network communication
• A protocol specifies the details for one aspect of communication
– including actions to be taken when errors or unexpected situations arise

18. Protocol Suites and Layering Models
• A set of protocols must be constructed
– to ensure that the resulting communication system is complete and
efficient
• Each protocol should handle a part of communication not
handled by other protocols
• How can we guarantee that protocols work well together?
– Instead of creating each protocol in isolation, protocols are designed in
complete, cooperative sets called suites or families
• Each protocol in a suite handles one aspect of networking
– The protocols in a suite cover all aspects of communication
– The entire suite is designed to allow the protocols to work together
efficiently

19. 19
Protocol Suites and Layering Models (Cont’d)
• The fundamental abstraction used to collect protocols into a
unified whole is known as a layering model
• All aspects of a communication problem can be partitioned
into pieces that work together
– each piece is known as a layer
• Dividing protocols into layers helps both protocol designers
and implementers manage the complexity
– to concentrate on one aspect of communication at a given time
• Figure 1.1 illustrates the concept
– by showing the layering model used with the Internet protocols
• Later chapters will help us understand layering
– by explaining protocols in detail
• For now, it is sufficient to learn the purpose of each layer and
how protocols are used for communication

20. Protocol Suites and Layering Models (Cont’d)

21. 21
Protocol Suites and Layering Models
(Cont’d)
• Physical Layer (Layer 1)
– specify details about the underlying transmission medium and hardware
– all specifications related to electrical properties, radio frequencies, and
signals belong in layer 1
• Network Interface Layer (Layer 2)
– some publications use the term Data Link
– specify details about communication between higher layers of protocols
(implemented in SW) and the underlying network (implemented in
hardware)
– specifications about
• network addresses
• maximum packet size that a network can support
• protocols used to access the underlying medium
• and hardware addressing

22. 22
Protocol Suites and Layering Models
• Internet Layer (Layer 3)
– Protocols in the Internet layer form the fundamental basis for the
Internet
– Layer 3 protocols specify communication across the Internet (spanning
multiple interconnected networks)
• Transport Layer (Layer 4)
– Provide for communication from an application program on one
computer to an application program on another
– Includes specifications on
• controlling the maximum rate a receiver can accept data
• mechanisms to avoid network congestion
• techniques to insure that all data is received in the correct order

23. 23
Protocol Suites and Layering Models (Cont’d)
• Application Layer (Layer 5)
– specify how a pair of applications interact when they communicate
– specify details about
• the format and
• the meaning of messages that applications can exchange
• the procedures to be followed
– Some examples of network applications in layer 5
• email exchange
• file transfer
• web browsing
• telephone services
• and video teleconferencing

24. How Data Passes Through Layers
• Protocol implementations follow the layering model
– by passing the output from a protocol in one layer to the input of a protocol in
the next
• To achieve efficiency
– rather than copy an entire packet
– a pair of protocols in adjacent layers pass a pointer to the packet
• Figure 1.2 illustrates layered protocols on the two computers
– Each computer contains a set of layered protocols
– When an application sends data
• it is placed in a packet, and the packet passes down through each layer of protocols
– Once it has passed through all layers of protocols on the sending computer
• the packet leaves the computer and is transmitted across the physical network
– When it reaches the receiving computer
• the packet passes up through the layers of protocols
– If the application on the receiver sends a response, the process is reversed

25. How Data Passes Through Layers (Cont’d)

26. Headers and Layers
• Each layer of protocol software performs computations
– that insure the messages arrive as expected
• To perform such computation, protocol software on the two machines must
exchange information
– each layer on the sender prepends extra information onto the packet
– the corresponding protocol layer on the receiver removes and uses the extra
information
• Additional information added by a protocol is known as a header
• Headers are added by protocol software on the sending computer
– That is, the Transport layer prepends a header, and then the Internet layer
prepends a header, and so on
• If we observe a packet traversing the network, the headers will appear in
the order that Figure 1.3 illustrates
• Although the figure shows headers as the same size
– in practice headers are not of uniform size
– and a physical layer header is optional

27. Headers and Layers (Cont’d)

28. ISO and the OSI Seven-Layer Reference
Model
• At the same time the Internet protocols were being developed,
two large standards bodies jointly formed an alternative
reference model
– They also created a set of internetworking protocols
• These organizations are:
– International Standardization Organization (ISO)
– International Telecommunications Union,Telecommunication (ITU-T)
• The ITU was known as the Consultative Committee for International Telephone
and Telegraph (CCITT)
• The ISO layering model is known as the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) Seven-Layer Reference Model
• Figure 1.4 illustrates the seven layers in the model

29. 1.9 ISO and the OSI Seven-Layer
Reference Model (Cont’d)

30. The OSI Model (cont’d)
• Protocol interaction
– Layer directly above and below
• Application layer protocols
– Interact with software
• Physical layer protocols
– Act on cables and connectors

31. The OSI Model (cont’d)
• Theoretical representation describing network communication
between two nodes
• Hardware and software independent
• Every network communication process represented
• PDUs (protocol data units)
– Discrete amount of data
– Application layer function
– Flow through layers 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1
• Generalized model and sometime imperfect

32. Figure 2.1 Flow of data through the OSI model

33. Application Layer
• Top (seventh) OSI model layer
• No software applications
• Protocol functions
– Facilitates communication
• Between software applications and lower-layer network services
– Network interprets application request
– Application interprets data sent from network

34. Application Layer (cont’d.)
• Software applications negotiate with application layer
protocols
– Formatting, procedural, security, synchronization, and other
requirements

35. Presentation Layer
• Protocol functions
– Accept Application layer data
– Format data
• Understandable to different applications and hosts
• Example: text encoding methods
– Presentation layer protocols perform coding and compression
• Example: Presentation layer services manage data
encryption and decryption

36. Session Layer
• Protocol functions
– Coordinate and maintain communications between two nodes
• Session
– Connection for ongoing data exchange between two parties
• Connection between remote client and access server
• Connection between Web browser client and Web server

37. Session Layer (cont’d.)
• Functions
– Establishing and keeping alive communications link
• For session duration
– Keeping communications secure
– Synchronizing dialogue between two nodes
– Determining if communications ended
• Determining where to restart transmission
– Terminating communications

38. Transport Layer
• Protocol functions
– Accept data from Session layer
– Manage end-to-end data delivery
– Handle flow control
• Connection-oriented protocols
– Establish connection before transmitting data
– Checksum
• Unique character string allowing receiving node to determine if arriving data unit
exactly matches data unit sent by source
• Further ensures data integrity

39. Transport Layer (cont’d.)
• Connectionless protocols
– Do not establish connection with another node before transmitting data
– Make no effort to ensure data is delivered free of errors
– More efficient than connection-oriented protocol
– Useful when data must be transferred quickly
• Segmentation
– Breaking large data units received from Session layer into multiple
smaller units called segments
– Increases data transmission efficiency

40. Transport Layer (cont’d.)
• MTU (maximum transmission unit)
– Largest data unit network will carry
– Ethernet default: 1500 bytes
– Discovery routine used to determine MTU
• Reassembly
– Process of reconstructing segmented data units
• Sequencing
– Method of identifying segments belonging to the same group of
subdivided data

41. Transport Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-2 Segmentation and reassembly

42. Transport Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-3 A TCP segment

43. Network Layer
• Protocols functions
– Translate network addresses into physical counterparts
– Decide how to route data from sender to receiver
• Addressing
– System for assigning unique identification numbers to network devices
• Types of addresses for nodes
– Network addresses
– Logical addresses

44. Network Layer (cont’d.)
• Packet formation
– Transport layer segment appended
• Logical addressing information
• Routing
– Determine path from point A on one network to point B on another
network
• Routing considerations
– Delivery priorities, network congestion, quality of service, cost of
alternative routes

45. Network Layer (cont’d.)
• Common Network layer protocol
– IP (Internet Protocol)
• Fragmentation
– Network layer protocol (IP) subdivides Transport layer segments
received into smaller packets

46. Network Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-4 An IP packet

47. Data Link Layer
• Function of protocols
– Divide data received into distinct frames for transmission in Physical
layer
• Frame
– Structured package for moving data
• Includes raw data (payload), sender’s and receiver’s network addresses, error
checking and control information

48. Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
• Possible partial communication mishap
– Not all information received
• Corrected by error checking
– Error checking
• Frame check sequence
• CRC (cyclic redundancy check)
• Possible glut of communication requests
– Data Link layer controls flow of information
• Allows NIC to process data without error

49. Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
• Two Data Link layer sublayers
– LLC (Logical Link Control) sublayer
– MAC (Media Access Control) sublayer
• MAC address components
– Block ID
• Six-character sequence unique to each vendor
– Device ID
• Six-character number added at vendor’s factory
• MAC addresses frequently depicted in hexadecimal format

50. Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-5 The Data Link layer and its sublayers

51. Physical Layer
• Functions of protocols
– Accept frames from Data Link layer
– Generate signals as changes in voltage at the NIC
• Copper transmission medium
– Signals issued as voltage
• Fiber-optic cable transmission medium
– Signals issued as light pulses
• Wireless transmission medium
– Signals issued as electromagnetic waves

52. Physical Layer (cont’d.)
• Physical layer protocols responsibility when receiving data
– Detect and accept signals
– Pass on to Data Link layer
– Set data transmission rate
– Monitor data error rates
– No error checking
• Devices operating at Physical layer
– Hubs and repeaters
• NICs operate at both Physical layer and Data Link layers

53. Applying the OSI Model
Table 2-1 Functions of the OSI layers

54. Communication Between Two Systems
• Data transformation
– Original software application data differs from application layer NIC data
• Header data added at each layer
• PDUs
– Generated in Application layer
• Segments
– Generated in Transport layer
– Unit of data resulting from subdividing larger PDU

55. The Inside Scoop
• ISO and the ITU use a process that accommodates as many viewpoints as
possible when creating a standard
– As a result, some standards can appear to have been designed by a committee
making political compromises rather than by engineers and scientists
• The seven-layer reference model is controversial
– It did indeed start as a political compromise
• the model and the OSI protocols were designed as competitors for the Internet protocols
• ISO and the ITU are huge standards bodies that handle the world-wide
telephone system and other global standards
• The Internet protocols and reference model were created by a small group
of about a dozen researchers
– It is easy to see why the standards organizations might be confident that they
could dictate a set of protocols and everyone would switch away from protocols
designed by researchers
– At one point, even the U.S. government was convinced that TCP/IP should be
replaced by OSI protocols

56. The Inside Scoop
• Eventually, it became clear that TCP/IP technology was
technically superior to OSI
– and efforts to develop and deploy OSI protocols were terminated
• Standards bodies were left with the seven-layer model
• Advocates for the seven-layer model have tried to stretch the
definitions to match TCP/IP
• They argue that layer three could be considered an Internet
layer and that a few support protocols might be placed into
layers five and six
• Perhaps the most humorous part of the story is that many
engineers still refer to applications as layer 7 protocols
– even when they know that layers five and six are unfilled and
unnecessary

57. END