Chapter 2

Network Models

2.1 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
 Network Model
 A network is a combination of h/w and
s/w that sends data from one location to
another.
 Hardware consists of the physical
equipment that carries signals from one
point to another.
 Software consists of instruction set that
make possible the services that we expect
from a network.

2.2
 2-1 LAYERED TASKS

We use the concept of layers in our daily life. As an

example, let us consider two friends who communicate
through postal mail. The process of sending a letter to a
friend would be complex if there were no services
available from the post office.

2.3
 Figure 2.1 Tasks involved in sending a letter

2.4
  Every layer use services of the layer below
it.

2.5
 2-2 THE OSI MODEL
Established in 1947, the International Standards
Organization (ISO) is a multinational body dedicated to
worldwide agreement on international standards. An ISO
standard that covers all aspects of network
communications is the Open Systems Interconnection
(OSI) model. It was first introduced in the late 1970s.

2.6
 Note

ISO is the organization.

OSI is the model.

2.7
 Figure 2.2 Seven layers of the OSI model

2.8
 Figure 2.3 The interaction between layers in the OSI model

2.9
 Interface
 Shared boundary between components to
exchange information.

2.10
 Figure 2.4 An exchange using the OSI model

2.11
 2-3 LAYERS IN THE OSI MODEL

In this section we briefly describe the functions of each

layer in the OSI model.

Topics discussed in this section:

Physical Layer
Data Link Layer
Network Layer
Transport Layer
Session Layer
Presentation Layer
Application Layer

2.12
 Physical Layer
 It coordinates the functions required to
transmit a bit stream over a physical
medium.
 It deals with the mechanical and electrical
specifications of the interface and
transmission medium.
 It defines the procedures and functions
that physical devices and interfaces have
to perform for transmission to occur.

2.13
 Figure 2.5 Physical layer

2.14
 Physical Layer PROPERTIES
 Physical characteristics of interfaces
and the transmission medium. It also
defines type of medium.
 Representation of bits: bits must be
encoded into signals i.e. electric or optical.
PL defines the type of encoding.
 Data rate: number of bits sent each
second (transmission rate) is also defined
by PL. or we can say it defines the
duration of bits, how long it lasts.
2.15
 Physical Layer
 Synchronization of bits: Sender and
Receiver must be synchronized at the bit
level. The sender and receiver clocks must
be synchronized.
 Type of Connection: PL is concerned
with this.
 Physical topology
 Transmission mode

2.16
 Note

The physical layer is responsible for movements of

individual bits from one hop (node) to the next.

2.17