Module 6: Data Link Layer

Module Objectives
Module Title: Data Link Layer

Module Objective: Explain how media access control in the data link layer supports
communication across networks.

Topic Title Topic Objective

Purpose of the Data Link Layer Describe the purpose and function of the data link layer
in preparing communication for transmission on specific
media.

Topologies Compare the characteristics of media access control

methods on WAN and LAN topologies.

Data Link Frame Describe the characteristics and functions of the data
link frame.
6.1 Purpose of the Data Link
Layer
Purpose of the Data Link Layer
The Data Link Layer
• The Data Link layer is responsible for
communications between end-device
network interface cards.
• It allows upper layer protocols to access
the physical layer media and
encapsulates Layer 3 packets (IPv4
and IPv6) into Layer 2 Frames.
• It also performs error detection and
rejects corrupts frames.
Purpose of the Data Link Layer
IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Data Link Sublayers
IEEE 802 LAN/MAN standards are specific to
the type of network (Ethernet, WLAN, WPAN,
etc).

The Data Link Layer consists of two

sublayers. Logical Link Control (LLC) and
Media Access Control (MAC).
• The LLC sublayer communicates
between the networking software at the
upper layers and the device hardware at
the lower layers.
• The MAC sublayer is responsible for
data encapsulation and media access
control.
Purpose of the Data Link Layer
Providing Access to Media
Packets exchanged between nodes may experience numerous data
link layers and media transitions.

At each hop along the path, a router performs four basic Layer 2
functions:
• Accepts a frame from the network medium.
• De-encapsulates the frame to expose the encapsulated packet.
• Re-encapsulates the packet into a new frame.
• Forwards the new frame on the medium of the next network segment.
Purpose of the Data Link Layer
Data Link Layer Standards
Data link layer protocols are
defined by engineering
organizations:
• Institute for Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
• International Telecommunications
Union (ITU).
• International Organizations for
Standardization (ISO).
• American National Standards
Institute (ANSI).
6.2 Topologies
Topologies
Physical and Logical Topologies

The topology of a network is the arrangement and relationship of the network

devices and the interconnections between them.

There are two types of topologies used when describing networks:

• Physical topology – shows physical connections and how devices are
interconnected.
• Logical topology – identifies the virtual connections between devices
using device interfaces and IP addressing schemes.
Topologies
WAN Topologies

There are three common physical WAN topologies:

• Point-to-point – the simplest and most common WAN topology. Consists of
a permanent link between two endpoints.
• Hub and spoke – similar to a star topology where a central site
interconnects branch sites through point-to-point links.
• Mesh – provides high availability but requires every end system to be
connected to every other end system.
Topologies
Point-to-Point WAN Topology

• Physical point-to-point topologies directly connect two nodes.

• The nodes may not share the media with other hosts.
• Because all frames on the media can only travel to or from the two
nodes, Point-to-Point WAN protocols can be very simple.
Topologies
LAN Topologies
End devices on LANs are typically
interconnected using a star or extended
star topology. Star and extended star
topologies are easy to install, very scalable
and easy to troubleshoot.

Early Ethernet and Legacy Token Ring

technologies provide two additional
topologies:
• Bus – All end systems chained
together and terminated on each end.
• Ring – Each end system is connected
to its respective neighbors to form a
ring.
Topologies
Half and Full Duplex Communication

Half-duplex communication
• Only allows one device to send or receive at a time on a shared medium.
• Used on WLANs and legacy bus topologies with Ethernet hubs.

Full-duplex communication
• Allows both devices to simultaneously transmit and receive on a shared medium.
• Ethernet switches operate in full-duplex mode.
Topologies
Access Control Methods

Contention-based access
All nodes operating in half-duplex, competing for use of the medium. Examples are:
• Carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) as used on legacy
bus-topology Ethernet.
• Carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) as used on
Wireless LANs.

Controlled access
• Deterministic access where each node has its own time on the medium.
• Used on legacy networks such as Token Ring and ARCNET.
Topologies
Contention-Based Access – CSMA/CD

CSMA/CD
• Used by legacy Ethernet LANs.
• Operates in half-duplex mode where only one device sends or receives at a time.
• Uses a collision detection process to govern when a device can send and what
happens if multiple devices send at the same time.

CSMA/CD collision detection process:

• Devices transmitting simultaneously will result in a signal collision on the shared
media.
• Devices detect the collision.
• Devices wait a random period of time and retransmit data.
Topologies
Contention-Based Access – CSMA/CA

CSMA/CA
• Used by IEEE 802.11 WLANs.
• Operates in half-duplex mode where only one device sends or receives at a time.
• Uses a collision avoidance process to govern when a device can send and what
happens if multiple devices send at the same time.

CSMA/CA collision avoidance process:

• When transmitting, devices also include the time duration needed for the
transmission.
• Other devices on the shared medium receive the time duration information and know
how long the medium will be unavailable.
6.3 Data Link Frame
Data Link Frame
The Frame
Data is encapsulated by the data link layer with a header and a trailer to form a frame.
A data link frame has three parts:
• Header
• Data
• Trailer
The fields of the header and trailer vary according to data link layer protocol.

The amount of control information carried with in the frame varies according to access
control information and logical topology.
Data Link Frame
Frame Fields

Field Description
Frame Start and Stop Identifies beginning and end of frame
Addressing Indicates source and destination nodes
Type Identifies encapsulated Layer 3 protocol
Control Identifies flow control services
Data Contains the frame payload
Error Detection Used for determine transmission errors
Data Link Frame
Layer 2 Addresses
• Also referred to as a physical address.
• Contained in the frame header.
• Used only for local delivery of a frame on the link.
• Updated by each device that forwards the frame.
Data Link Frame
LAN and WAN Frames

The logical topology and physical media determine the data link
protocol used:
• Ethernet
• 802.11 Wireless
• Point-to-Point (PPP)
• High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC)
• Frame-Relay

Each protocol performs media access control for specified logical

topologies.
6.4 Module Practice and Quiz
Module Practice and Quiz
What did I learn in this module?
• The data link layer of the OSI model (Layer 2) prepares network data for the physical network.
• The data link layer is responsible for network interface card (NIC) to network interface card
communications.
• The IEEE 802 LAN/MAN data link layer consists of the following two sublayers: LLC and MAC.
• The two types of topologies used in LAN and WAN networks are physical and logical.
• Three common types of physical WAN topologies are: point-to-point, hub and spoke, and mesh.
• Half-duplex communications exchange data in one direction at a time. Full-duplex sends and
receives data simultaneously.
• In contention-based multi-access networks, all nodes are operating in half-duplex.
• Examples of contention-based access methods include: CSMA/CD for bus-topology Ethernet
LANs and CSMA/CA for WLANs.
• The data link frame has three basic parts: header, data, and trailer.
• Frame fields include: frame start and stop indicator flags, addressing, type, control, data, and error
detection.
• Data link addresses are also known as physical addresses.
• Data link addresses are only used for link local delivery of frames.
Module 6: Data Link Layer
New Terms and Commands
• Logical Link Control (LLC) • Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC)
• Medial Access Control (MAC) • Contention-based access
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic • Controlled access
Engineers (IEEE)
• International Telecommunications Union
(ITU)
• International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
• American National Standards Institute
(ANSI)
• Physical Topology
• Logical Topology
• Half-duplex
• Full-duplex
• CSMA/CD
• CSMA/CA