OSI Data Link Layer

Network Fundamentals – Chapter 7

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 Objectives
 Explain the role of Data Link layer protocols in data transmission.
 Describe how the Data Link layer prepares data for transmission
on network media.
 Describe the different types of media access control methods.
 Identify several common logical network topologies and describe
how the logical topology determines the media access control
method for that network.
 Explain the purpose of encapsulating packets into frames to
facilitate media access.
 Describe the Layer 2 frame structure and identify generic fields.
 Explain the role of key frame header and trailer fields including
addressing, QoS, type of protocol and Frame Check Sequence.

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 The role of the OSI Data Link layer: to prepare Network
layer packets for transmission and to control access to
the physical media

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 The Data Link layer performs two basic services:
Allows the upper layers to access the media using
techniques such as framing
Controls how data is placed onto the media and is received
from the media using techniques such as media access control
and error detection

 Data Link layer terms:

–Frame
–Node
–Media
–Network

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 Data Link layer protocols are required to control media
access

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 The role of framing in preparing a packet for
transmission on a given media

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 Encapsulation  Decapsulation

3 Network
Layer

2 Data Link
Layer

1 Physical
Layer

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 The role the Data Link layer plays in linking the
software and hardware layers

Software
associated with
the NIC enables
the NIC to perform
its intermediary
functions of
preparing data for
transmission and
encoding the data
as signals to be
sent on the
associated media

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 Data Link Sublayer
Logical Link Control (LLC): places information in the frame that
identifies which Network layer protocol is being used for the frame

Media Access Control (MAC): provides addressing and delimiting

of data according to the physical signaling requirements of the medium

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 Data Link Layer – Accessing the Media
 Standards used by the Data Link layer

(www.iso.org)

(www.ieee.org)

(www.itu.org)

(www.ansi.org)
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 Media Access Control Techniques
 The necessity for controlling access to the media

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 Media Access Control Techniques
 Two media access control methods for shared media
and the basic characteristics of each

Controlled: Each node has its own Contention-based: All nodes

time to use the medium compete for the use of the medium
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 Media Access Control Techniques
 Full Duplex and Half Duplex: Media Access Control for
non-shared media

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 Media Access Control Techniques
Logical topologies

The physical or
cabled topology
of a network will
most likely not be
the same as the
logical topology.
topology

Physical topologies

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 Media Access Control Techniques
 Logical Topology – Physical Topology

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 Media Access Control Techniques
 The characteristics of point-to-point topology and the
implications for media access when using this topology
•The logical connection between nodes
forms what is called a virtual circuit:
circuit
Exchange the frames with each
other
Logical communication constructs
used by some Layer 2 technologies
The logical point-to-point
connection between two nodes may not
necessarily be between two physical
nodes at each end of a single physical
link

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 Media Access Control Techniques
 Multi-access topology and the implications for media
access when using this topology
•Enables a number of nodes to
communicate by using the same
shared media.
•Data from only one node can
be placed on the medium at any
one time.
•Every node sees all the
frames that are on the medium.
•The media access control
method: provide the appropriate
balance between frame control,
frame protection, and network
overhead

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 Media Access Control Techniques
 The characteristics of ring topology:
topology
–Controlled media
access control
technique: token
passing
–A node can only
place a data frame on
the media when it has
the token
–Nodes in a logical
ring topology remove
the frame from the ring,
examine the address,
and send it on if it is not
addressed for that node
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 Media Access Control - Framing Data
 Data Link layer
frames has three
basic parts:
Header
Data
Trailer

 The frame structure

depending on the
media access
control requirements
of the media and
logical topology
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 Media Access Control - Framing Data

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 Media access control addressing - framing data

the beginning the source the upper layer Upper Frame Check Frame Trailer
of the frame and service contained Data Sequence (FCS): - the end of the
destination in the frame errors occurred in frame: used
nodes the transmission when
and reception of Type/Length
the frame field is not
specified

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 Media access control addressing - framing data
 Data Link layer:
•addresses are neede
d

•addresses are not needed

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 Media access control addressing - framing data
 Data Link layer:
•addresses are
needed

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 Media access control addressing - framing data
 Data Link layer:
•addresses are not needed

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 Follow Data through an Internetwork (7.4.1)

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 Summary

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