 The Elements of Communication

➢ Data is divided into smaller parts during transmission – segmentation

➢ Benefits:
 Many different conversations can be interleaved on the network. The
process used to interleave the pieces of separate conversations together
on the network is called multiplexing
 Increase the reliability of network communications. The separate pieces
of each message need not travel the same pathway across the network
from source to destination
➢ Downside:
 Level of complexity is added
 Each segment of the message must go through a similar process to
ensure that it gets to the correct destination and can be reassembled into
the content of the original message
➢ End Devices and their roles
 End devices are referred to as hosts
 A host device is either the sender or receiver
 A sender uses the address of the dest. Host to specify where the message
should be sent
 Software determines the role of a host. (client, server, both)

 OSI Model
♦ All People Seem To Need Data Processing (7-1)
♦ Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away (1-7)
➢ Application - 7
 Provides the means for end-to-end connectivity between individuals in the
human network using data networks
➢ Presentation - 6
 Provides for common representation of the data transferred between
application layer services
• Makes sure data is in right format, before other machine can read it
➢ Session - 5
 Provides services to the Presentation layer to organize its dialogue and to
manage data exchange
• Establishes a session between sender & receiver and terminates when
complete
➢ Transport - 4
 Defines services to segment, transfer, and reassemble the data for
individual communications between the end devices
• Layer handles details of reliable transfer (ensures that the data arrives
completely)
➢ Network - 3
 Provides services to exchange the individual pieces of data over the
network between identified end devices
• Many paths to same destination – which path to follow?
• Segmented data needs address to reach the destination
➢ Data Link - 2
 Protocols describe methods for exchanging data frames between devices
over a common media
 • Provides means for exchanging data frames over a common media
• Detect and possibly correct errors that may occur in the Physical layer
• Physical addressing, topologies and flow control

➢ Physical - 1
 Protocols describe the mechanical, electrical, functional, and procedural
means to activate, maintain and de-activate physical-connections for bit
transmission to and from a network device
• Voltage control
 TCP/IP Model
➢ Application – 4
➢ Transport – 3
➢ Internet – 2
➢ Network Access – 1