A.Y.

1439-1440
Faculty of Sciences/Northern Borders University
2018-2019

Chapter VI

Application Layer

Salem.Belhaj@nbu.edu.sa
Computer Science Department

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Applications: The Interface Between Networks

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 OSI and TCP/IP model
• The TCP/IP protocol suite was developed prior to the definition of the
OSI model
• The functionality of the TCP/IP application layer protocols fit roughly
into the framework of the top three layers of the OSI model:
Application, Presentation and Session layers.

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 TCP/IP Application layer protocols
• Domain Name Service Protocol (DNS) is used to resolve
Internet names to IP addresses.
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used to transfer files that
make up the Web pages of the World Wide Web.
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (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.
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for interactive file transfer
between systems.

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 The Client/Server Model
• The device requesting the information is called a client and
the device responding to the request is called a server.
• Client and server processes are considered to be in the
Application layer.
• Application layer protocols describe the format of the
requests and responses between clients and servers.
• Data transfer from a client to a server is referred to as
an upload and data from a server to a client as a
download.

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 Servers
• In a general networking context, any device that responds to
requests from client applications is functioning as a server
• A server is usually a computer that contains information to be
shared with many clients
– For example, web pages, documents, databases, pictures, video, and
audio files

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 Peer-to-Peer Networking and Application
• Another model for networking, is the peer-to-peer model.
• Peer-to-peer networking involves two distinct forms: peer-to-
peer network design and peer-to-peer applications (P2P).
Both forms have similar features but work differently.
• In a peer-to-peer network, two or more computers are
connected via a network and can share resources (such as
printers and files) without having a dedicated server.
• Every connected end device (known as a peer) can function
as either a server or a client.

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 DNS services and protocol
• In data networks, devices are labeled with numeric IP
addresses. However, it is hard to people remembering this
numeric address. Hence, domain names were created to
convert IP address into a simple, recognizable name (URL).
• On the Internet these domain names, such as
www.nbu.edu.sa, are much easier for people to remember
than 198.133.219.25
• Also, if NBU decides to change IP address, it is transparent to
the user, since the domain name will remain the same.

• The Domain Name System (DNS) was created for domain

name to address resolution for these networks.
• DNS uses a distributed set of servers to resolve the names
associated with these numbered addresses.
• DNS is a client/server service.
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 WWW service and HTTP
• When a web address (or URL), the web browser establishes a
connection to the web service running on the server using the
HTTP protocol.
• Web browsers are the client applications our computers use
to connect to the World Wide Web and access resources
stored on a web server.
• Browsers can interpret and present many data types, such as
plain text or Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
• Other types of data, however, may require another service or
program, typically referred to as plug-ins or add-ons.
• The browser interprets the three parts of the URL:
1. http (the protocol or scheme)
2. www.nbu.edu.sa (the server name)
3. index.htm (the specific file name requested)

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 Email Services
• E-mail, the most popular network service, has revolutionized
how people communicate through its simplicity and speed
• Two example Application layer protocols are Post Office
Protocol (POP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

– In order 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

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 FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
• FTP was developed for file transfers between client and server
• FTP requires two connections between client and server: one
for commands and replies, 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
• The file transfer can happen in either direction. The client can
download (pull) a file from the server or, the client can upload
(push) a file to the server

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 DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol)
• Without DHCP, users have to manually input the IP address,
subnet mask and other network settings in order to join the
network
• The DHCP server maintains a pool of IP addresses and
leases an address to any DHCP-enabled client when the
client is powered on
• The DHCP server ensures that all IP addresses are unique
(an IP address cannot be assigned to two different network
devices simultaneously)
• Using DHCP enables network administrators to easily
reconfigure client IP addresses without having to manually
make changes to the clients
• Most Internet providers use DHCP to allocate addresses to
their customers who do not require a static address

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 Complement

How to access to the Internet

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The Internet

The Internet: is a huge network

around the world connecting millions
of devices together.

• In the Internet, the devices that

connect to the internet called
Hosts or End System such as
(computer, mobile, laptop,
server...). Usually these devices
will be connecting to the switch,
or hub, or router. Then the router
will connect to the Internet
Service Provider (ISP).
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 The Internet
 Hosts other Internet devices should
use the network protocols to send
and receive data inside the Network.

 Transport Control Protocol (TCP)

and Internet Protocol (IP) are most
important protocols on the network.

 Usually the hosts don’t connect

directly to each other, but they
connect to router or switches.

 Path/Route: A road that is used by

the data from the sender to the
receiver and vice versa.
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 Accessing the Internet
There is multiple of technologies for accessing the Internet such as:
1.Dial-up Modem

2.LAN

3.Hardwired Broadband Access

1.DSL

2. Fiber to home

4.Wireless Broadband Access

1.WiMax

5.Mobile Broadband
1. 3G

2. 4G

3.LTE

6.and other.
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Dial-up Modem
 Uses existing telephony infrastructure.

 Home modem converts digital output to analog and sends it across

phone line (Digital and Analog are the type of the Signal).

 The ISP modem converts from analog back to digital and pushes data
central
to edge router. office
telephone
network Internet

home ISP
home dial-up modem
PC modem (e.g., STC)

– Problems:

• Slow with max speed of 56 kbps (takes several days to download a

gigabyte movie.)

• Have to choose: Computer or telephone.

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 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
 Also uses existing telephone infrastructure.

 DSL modem uses telephone wire to communicate with the Digital

Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).

 DSLAM and Splitter: Both they

Existing phone line:
0-4KHz phone; 4-50KHz upstream
data; 50KHz-1MHz downstream data Internet
home
phone

DSLAM

telephone
Splitter network

DSL
modem central
office
home
PC

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Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
• Telephone line carries both digital and telephone signals

• Encoded at different frequencies.

• Phone line at 0 - 4KHz

• Upstream data at 4 - 50KHz (128 kbps - 1 mbps)

• Downstream data at 50KHz - 1MHz (1 - 2 megabits per second)

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 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

• A splitter separates the data and telephone signals

arriving to home and forwards the data signal to the DSL
modem.

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 Wireless Broadband (WiMAX)
• The ISP will connect to the Internet through a cabled connection and then
broadcast that connection using radio waves

• the customer, would have some sort of antenna and modem set up that
would let you communicate with the ISP

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 Satellite Broadband
• Satellite Internet service provides Internet access.

• The most expensive forms of broadband Internet access, but may be the
only choice available in remote areas.

• Data rates range from 2 kbit/s to 1 Gbit/s downstream and from 2 kbit/s to 10
Mbit/s upstream.

• The total delay can be 0.75 to 1.25 seconds.

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 Mobile Broadband
• Mobile broadband is the marketing term for wireless Internet access
delivered through mobile phone towers
• 2G (From 1991)

• 3G (From 2001)

• 4G (From 2006)

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