CIS 192

Introduction to
Networking Introduction to
Networks v6 Companion
Module 10 Guide

Application Layer Cisco Press

CLO: Describe TCP/IP applications, transport and network protocols.

Fall
2024
Module Objectives
Module Objective: Explain the operation of application layer protocols in providing support to
end-user applications.

Topic Title Topic Objective

Explain how the functions of the application layer, presentation layer, and
Application, Presentation, and Session session layer work together to provide network services to end user
applications.

review how end user applications operate client –server in a peer-to-

Client–server and Peer-to-Peer
peer network.

Web and Email Protocols Explain how web and email protocols operate.

IP Addressing Services Explain how DNS and DHCP operate.

File Sharing Services Explain how file transfer protocols operate.

2
Application, Presentation, and Session
• The upper three layers of the OSI
model—application, presentation, and
session—align with the TCP/IP
application layer
• Application layer serves as the
interface for applications to
communicate over the network.
• For successful communication, the
application layer protocols used by
both source and destination devices
must be compatible.

3
Application, Presentation, and Session
Presentation layer functions:
• Formatting
• Compressing/decompressing
• Encrypting/decrypting

Session layer functions:

• It creates and maintains dialogs/session
between source and destination
applications and keep them active, .
• Restart sessions that are disrupted or idle
for a long period of time.

4
Client-Server Model

• Client and server processes are considered to be in the application layer.

• In the client/server model, the device requesting the information is called a client
and the device responding to the request is called a server.
• Application layer protocols describe the format of the requests and responses
between clients and servers.

5
Peer-to-Peer Networks
• In a P2P network, computers
connect directly to share resources
like files and printers, without a
dedicated server.
• Each computer, or peer, can act as
both a client and a server, depending
on the request.
• Some P2P applications use a hybrid
model where peers access an index
server to find resources stored on
other peers.
• Common P2P networks include:
BitTorrent, Direct Connect, eDonkey,
Freenet

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Web Protocols - Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP and HTTPS)
The web service is running on the server that
is using the HTTP protocol (port 80).

HTTP is a request/response protocol,

uses TCP.
The three common message types are
GET, POST, and PUT:
• GET - Client request for data. A client
(web browser) sends the GET
message to the web server to
request HTML pages.
• POST - Uploads data to the web
server, such as form data.
• PUT - Uploads resources or content Note: HTTP is not a secure protocol. For
to the web server, such as an image. secure communications sent across the
internet, HTTPS should be used.

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Web Protocols - Accessing a web page
Protocol File path/name

Step1. The browser interprets the URL components: http:// www.cisco.com/ index.html
Server/domain name

Step 2. The browser queries a name server

to convert the server's name into IP address. DNS sever

Step 3. The client sends an HTTP GET request to the server for the index.html file.
The server respond by sending the HTML code for the web page to the browser.

Step 4. The browser deciphers the

HTML code and formats the page
for the browser window.

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HTTP connections: two types

Non-persistent HTTP Persistent HTTP

1. TCP connection opened • TCP connection opened to a
2. at most one object sent server
over TCP connection • multiple objects can be sent
3. TCP connection closed over single TCP connection
between client, and that
downloading multiple objects server
required multiple connections • TCP connection closed

Top-down network design 9

HTTP response status codes
• Status code appears in 1st line in server-to-client response
message.
• Some sample codes:
200 OK
• request succeeded, requested object later in this message
301 Moved Permanently
• requested object moved, new location specified later in this
message (in Location: field)
400 Bad Request
• request msg not understood by server
404 Not Found
• requested document not found on this server
505 HTTP Version Not Supported

Top-down network design 10

Web caches (proxy server)

• Configures browser to use a

(local) web cache
• Browser sends all HTTP requests
HT T Web
to cache P re
que cache q uest
P re
client HTTP st H T T e
ons origin
• Web cache acts as both client and server resp
ons P re
sp
e H T T server
• Benefits u est
req se
• satisfy client requests without HT TP
o n
resp
involving origin server HT
TP
• reduce response time for client
request client

• reduce traffic on an institution’s access

link If object in cache: cache returns object to client
Else cache requests object from origin server,
caches received object, then returns object to client

Top-down network design 11

Email Protocols – SMTP, POP and IMAP

Email uses store-and-forward method for sending,

storing, and retrieving electronic messages across a
network.
Email messages are stored in databases on mail servers.

Email protocols:
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
(SMTP)  to send mail.
• Post Office Protocol (POP) &
Internet Message Access Protocol
(IMAP)  to retrieve mail.

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Email Protocols - SMTP, POP and IMAP
SMTP
• Uses the TCP well-known port 25.

• The server either places the message in a

local account, if the recipient is local, or
forwards the message to another mail
server for delivery.
• If the destination email server is not online
or busy, SMTP spools the message for
later delivery.

Note: SMTP message formats require a message

header (recipient email address & sender email address)
and a message body.

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Email Protocols - SMTP, POP and IMAP

POP
• Uses TCP port 110.
• When mail is downloaded it is then
deleted on the server.

Note: Since POP does not store messages, it is not

recommended for small businesses that need a centralized
backup solution.
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Email Protocols - SMTP, POP and IMAP

IMAP.
• Uses TCP port 143

• Unlike POP, when a user connects to

an IMAP server, copies of the
messages are downloaded to the
client application. The original
messages are kept on the server until
manually deleted.
• When a user decides to delete a
message, the server synchronizes
that action and deletes the message
from the server.

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Domain Name Service (DNS) - IP Addressing
Services
• Fully-qualified domain names (FQDNs),
are much easier for people to remember
than IP address
• http://www.cisco.com, 198.133.219.25.
• DNS protocol defines an automated
service that matches resource names
with the required IP address.
• It includes the format for queries,
responses, and data.

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Domain Name Service (DNS) - DNS Hierarchy
• DNS operates on a
hierarchical system for name
resolution.
• Each server manages a
specific database of name-to-
IP mappings for its zone.
• If a server receives a request
for a name outside its zone, it
forwards the request to the
appropriate DNS server for
translation.

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DNS name resolution: iterated query

Example: host at cis.ufv.ca wants

IP address for gaia.cs.umass.edu root DNS server

Iterated query:
2
• contacted server 3
replies with name of TLD DNS server
server to contact 1 4
• “I don’t know this 5
8
name, but ask this
server” requesting host at
cis.ufv.ca
local DNS server
dns.ufv.ca
gaia.cs.umass.edu
7 6

authoritative DNS server

dns.cs.umass.edu

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DNS name resolution: recursive query

Example: host at cis.ufv.ca wants

IP address for gaia.cs.umass.edu root DNS server

Recursive query: 3
2
• puts burden of name
7 6
resolution on 1 TLD DNS server
contacted name
server 8
• heavy load at upper requesting host at local DNS server
5 4
cis.ufv.ca dns.ufv.ca
levels of hierarchy? gaia.cs.umass.edu

authoritative DNS server

dns.cs.umass.edu

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Domain Name Service (DNS) - IP Addressing Services
The nslookup Command
• Nslookup is a computer operating system
utility that allows a user to manually query
the DNS servers configured on the device
to resolve a given host name.
• When the nslookup command is issued,
the default DNS server configured for your
host is displayed.
• The name of a host or domain can be
entered at the nslookup prompt.
• This utility can also be used to troubleshoot
name resolution issues and to verify the
current status of the name servers.

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Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• The DHCP for IPv4 automates the
assignment of IP addresses and
networking parameters, contrasting
with static addressing, which is done
manually.
• When a host connects to the network,
it requests an address from the
DHCP server, which assigns it from a
preconfigured pool.
• Many networks use both DHCP for
general devices and static addressing
for critical network equipment like
routers and servers.

Note: DHCPv6 offers services for IPv6 clients but does not provide a default gateway address, which
is obtained from the router's Router Advertisement message..

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DHCP Operation
223.1.2.5 DHCP discover
• DHCP can return more src : 0.0.0.0, 68
than just allocated IP Broadcast: is there a
dest.: 255.255.255.255,67
DHCP server
yiaddr: out
0.0.0.0
address on subnet: transaction
there?ID: 654
• name and IP address DHCP offer
of DNS sever src: 223.1.2.5, 67
Broadcast: I’m a DHCP
dest: 255.255.255.255, 68
• network mask server!
yiaddr:Here’s
223.1.2.4an IP
transaction ID: 654
address you can use
lifetime: 3600 secs
DHCP request
• The first two steps can src: 0.0.0.0, 68
be skipped “if a client dest:: 255.255.255.255,
Broadcast: OK. I would 67
remembers and wishes like
yiaddr: 223.1.2.4
to use ID:
transaction this
655IP
to reuse a previously address!
lifetime: 3600 secs

allocated network DHCP ACK

address” src: 223.1.2.5, 67
dest: 255.255.255.255, 68
Broadcast: OK. You’ve
yiaddr: 223.1.2.4
got that IP ID:
transaction address!
655
lifetime: 3600 secs

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File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP enables data transfers between a client and a server, with an FTP client application
facilitating the exchange of data.

1. The client connects to the server on TCP

port 21 for control traffic, exchanging
commands and replies.
2. A second connection is made on TCP
port 20 for data transfer, initiated each time
data is sent.
3. Data can be transferred in both
directions: the client can download from or
upload to the server.

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Server Message Block (SMB)
SMB is a client/server file sharing
protocol that enables servers to share
resources with clients over a network.
Three functions of SMB messages:
• Start, authenticate, and terminate
sessions
• Control file and printer access
• Allow an application to send or receive
messages to or from another device
Unlike FTP’s file sharing, clients create
a long-term connection to servers,
enabling users to access server
resources as if they were local.

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P2P file distribution: BitTorrent
• file divided into 256Kb chunks
• peers in torrent send/receive file chunks

tracker: tracks peers torrent: group of peers

participating in torrent exchanging chunks of a file

Alice arrives …
… obtains list
of peers from tracker
… and begins exchanging
file chunks with peers in torrent

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