Application Layer

Functionality and
Protocols-Layer 7

Network Architecture – Chapter 3

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Objectives
Define the application layer as the source and
destination of data for communication across
networks.
Explain the role of protocols in supporting
communication between server and client
processes.
Describe the features, operation, and use of
well-known TCP/IP application layer services
(HTTP, DNS, SMTP).

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Applications – The Interface Between
Human and Data Networks
Applications provide the means for generating and receiving data
that can be transported on the network

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Most of us experience the Internet through the World
Wide Web, e-mail services, and file-sharing
programs. These applications, and many others,
provide the human interface to the underlying network,
enabling us to send and receive information.

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Applications – The Interface Between Human and Data Networks
Application layer is the layer that provides the interface between the
applications we use to communicate and the underlying network
over which our messages are transmitted.

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Applications – The Interface Between
Human and Data Networks

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TCP/IP Application layer protocols
These protocols specify the format and control information
necessary for many of the common Internet communication
functions. Among these TCP/IP protocols are:

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. (SSH)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for interactive file transfer
between systems.

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Domain Name System (DNS) - TCP/UDP Port 53
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) - TCP Port 80
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - TCP Port 25
Post Office Protocol (POP) - TCP Port 110
Telnet - TCP Port 23
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - UDP Ports 67
and 68
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) - TCP Ports 20 and 21

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‫آ‬

The functions associated with the Application layer

protocols enable our human network to interface with
the underlying data network.

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Within the Application layer, there are two forms of
software programs or processes that provide access to
the network: applications and services.

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1- Network-Aware Applications

Applications are the software programs used by

people to communicate over the network. Some end-
user applications are network-aware, meaning that they
implement the Application layer protocols and are able
to communicate directly with the lower layers of the
protocol stack. E-mail clients and web browsers are
examples of these types of applications.

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2- Application layer Services
Other programs may need the assistance of Application
layer services to use network resources, like file
transfer or network printer. These services are the
programs that interface with the network and prepare
the data for transfer.
Different types of data - whether it is text, graphics, or
video - require different network services to ensure that
it is properly prepared for processing by the functions
occurring at the lower layers of OSI model.

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 Protocols ‫ام‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا آ‬

Each application or network service uses protocols

which define the standards and data formats to be
used. Without protocols, the data network would not
have a common way to format and direct data.

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The Application layer relies on the functions of the
lower layers in order to complete the communication
process. Within the Application layer, protocols specify:
1- what messages are exchanged between the source
and destination hosts,
2- the syntax of the control commands,
3- the type and format of the data being transmitted,
4- and the appropriate methods for error notification
and recovery.

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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. Advantages?

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Servers

In a client/server network, the server runs a service, or

process, sometimes called a server daemon. Like most
services, daemons typically run in the background and
are not under an end user's direct control.
Daemons are described as "listening" for a request
from a client, because they are programmed to respond
whenever the server receives a request for the service
provided by the daemon.

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Additionally, servers typically have multiple clients
requesting information at the same time. For example,
a Telnet server may have many clients requesting
connections to it. These individual client requests must
be handled simultaneously and separately for the
network to succeed. The Application layer processes
and services rely on support from lower layer
functions to successfully manage the multiple
conversations.

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© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Public ١٨
The Peer-to-Peer Model

Peer-to-peer networking involves two distinct forms:

1- peer-to-peer network design and
2- peer-to-peer applications (P2P).

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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. One computer might assume the role
of server for one transaction while simultaneously
serving as a client for another. The roles of client and
server are set on a per request basis.

characteristics of peer-to-peer networks?

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Peer-to-Peer Applications properties

allows a device to act as both a client and a server

within the same communication.
In this model, every client is a server and every server
a client. Both can initiate a communication and are
considered equal in the communication process. (can
be used in client-server networks)

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DNS Services and Protocol

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WWW Service and HTTP Protocol

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WWW Service and HTTP Protocol

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When a web address (or URL) is typed into a web browser, the web browser
establishes a connection to the web service running on the server using the HTTP
protocol. URLs (or Uniform Resource Locator) and URIs (Uniform Resource
Identifier) are the names most people associate with web addresses.
Web browsers are the client applications our computers use to connect to the World
Wide Web and access resources stored on a web server. As with most server
processes, the web server runs as a background service and makes different types
of files available.

In order to access the content, web clients make connections to the server and
request the desired resources. The server replies with the resources and, upon
receipt, the browser interprets the data and presents it to the user.
Browsers can interpret and present many data types, such as plain text or
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML, the language in which web pages are
constructed). Other types of data, however, may require another service or
program, typically referred to as plug-ins or add-ons. To help the browser determine
what type of file it is receiving, the server specifies what kind of data the file
contains.

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To better understand how the web browser and web client interact, we can
examine how a web page is opened in a browser. For this example, we
will use the URL: http://www.cisco.com/web-server.htm.

First, the browser interprets the three parts of the URL:

1. http (the protocol or scheme)

2. www.cisco.com (the server name)

3. web-server.htm (the specific file name requested).

The browser then checks with a name server to convert www.cisco.com
into a numeric address, which it uses to connect to the server. Using the
HTTP protocol requirements, the browser sends a GET request to the
server and asks for the file web-server.htm. The server in turn sends the
HTML code for this web page to the browser. Finally, the browser
deciphers the HTML code and formats the page for the browser window.

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For secure communication across the Internet, the
HTTP Secure (HTTPS) protocol is used for accessing
or posting web server information. HTTPS can use
authentication and encryption to secure data as it
travels between the client and server.

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E-mail Services and SMTP/POP Protocols

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E-mail Services and SMTP/POP Protocols
E-mail, the most popular network service. Yet to run on a computer
or other end device, e-mail requires several applications and
services. Two example Application layer protocols are Post Office
Protocol (POP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). As with
HTTP, these protocols define client/server processes.
When people compose e-mail messages, they typically use an
application called a Mail User Agent (MUA), or e-mail client. The
MUA allows messages to be sent and places received messages
into the client's mailbox, both of which are distinct processes.
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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© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Public ٣٩
E-mail Server Processes - MTA and MDA
The e-mail server operates two separate processes:
Mail Transfer Agent (MTA)
Mail Delivery Agent (MDA)
The Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) process is used to forward e-mail.
The MTA receives messages from the MUA or from another MTA on
another e-mail server. Based on the message header, it determines
how a message has to be forwarded to reach its destination. If the
mail is addressed to a user whose mailbox is on the local server, the
mail is passed to the MDA. If the mail is for a user not on the local
server, the MTA routes the e-mail to the MTA on the appropriate
server.

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© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Public ٤١
The Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) accepts a piece of e-
mail from a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) and performs
the actual delivery. The MDA receives all the inbound
mail from the MTA and places it into the appropriate
users' mailboxes. The MDA can also resolve final
delivery issues, such as virus scanning, spam filtering,
and return-receipt handling.

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Home Works
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
The Server Message Block (SMB)

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A small home network has been installed to
interconnect three computers together for gaming and
file sharing. (Application Model?)

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Chapter Quiz

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1.Which three layers of the O S I model make up the
Application Layer of the TCP/IP model? (Choose
three.)
A.data link
B.network
C.transport
D.session
E.presentation
F.application

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2.What protocol is used to transfer web pages from
server to client?
A.HTML
B.SMTP
C.HTTP
D.SSH
E.Telnet
F.POP

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4.Which protocols use authentication and encryption to
secure data traveling between the client and server?
(Choose two.)
A.HTTP
B.DNS
C.HTTPS
D.SMTP
E.SSH

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8.A network administrator is troubleshooting failed
access to www.cisco.com. Typing the IP address of the
web server into the browser successfully brings up the
web page. What Application Layer protocol is
responsible for the failure?
A.DHCP
B.DNS
C.CDP
D.HTTP
E.HTTPS
F.SSL

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© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Public ٥٠