Application Layer

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

• Explain how the functions of the application
layer, session layer, and presentation layer
work together to provide network services to
end user applications.
• Describe how common application layer
protocols interact with end user applications.
• Describe, at a high level, common application
Objectives layer protocols that provide Internet services to
end-users, including WWW services and email.
• Describe application layer protocols that
provide IP addressing services, including DNS
and DHCP.
• Describe the features and operation of well-
known application layer protocols that allow for
file sharing services, including FTP, File
Sharing Services, SMB protocol.
PROTOCOLS

• Network protocols are sets of rules and conventions

that govern how data is transmitted, received, and
processed in computer networks.
• These protocols define the format and structure of data
packets, as well as the procedures for communication
between devices on a network.
Application Layer Protocols And their functions

 Domain Name Service Protocol (DNS) – used to resolve Internet names to

IP addresses
 Telnet – a terminal emulation protocol used to provide remote access to
servers and networking devices
 Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) – a precursor to the DHCP protocol, a network
protocol used to obtain IP address information during bootup
 Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) – used to assign an IP address,
subnet mask, default gateway and DNS server to a host
 Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) – used to transfer files that make up
the Web pages of the World Wide Web
TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols (cont.)

 File Transfer Protocol (FTP) - used for interactive file transfer between
systems
 Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) - used for connectionless active file
transfer
 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - used for the transfer of mail
messages and attachments
 Post Office Protocol (POP) - used by email clients to retrieve email from a
remote server
 Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) – another protocol for email
retrieval
Common Application Layer Protocols
Hypertext Transfer Protocol and Hypertext Markup Language

Example URL: http://www.vox.com/index.html

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

 http (the protocol or scheme)
 www.vox.com (the server name)
 index.html (the specific file name requested)
2. Browser checks with a name server to convert www.vox.com into a
numeric address
3. Using the HTTP protocol requirements sends a GET request to the server
and asks for the file index.html
4. Server sends the HTML code for this web page
5. Browser deciphers the HTML code and formats the page
Common Application Layer Protocols
HTTP and HTTPS
 Developed, publish and retrieve HTML pages
 Used for data transfer
 Specifies a request/response protocol
 Three common message types are GET, POST, and PUT
 GET is a client request for data
 POST and PUT are used to send messages that upload data to the web server

443 HTTPS (over

SSL)
Common Application Layer Protocols
SMTP, POP, and IMAP
 Typically use an application
called a Mail User Agent
(email client)
 Allows messages to be sent
 Places received messages into
the client's mailbox
 SMTP - Send email from either
a client or a server
 POP - Receive email messages
from an email server
 IMAP - Internet Message
Access Protocol
 Email client provides the
functionality of both protocols
within one application
Common Application Layer Protocols
SMTP, POP, and IMAP (cont.)
Common Application Layer Protocols
SMTP, POP, and IMAP (cont.)
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
 transfers mail
 message must be formatted properly
 SMTP processes must be running on both the client and server
 message header must have a properly formatted recipient email address and a
sender
 uses port 25
 Transfers mail reliably and efficiently

Post Office Protocol (POP)

 enables a workstation to retrieve mail from a mail server
 mail is downloaded from the server to the client and then deleted on the server
 uses port 110
 POP does not store messages
 POP3 is desirable for an ISP, because it alleviates their responsibility for managing
large amounts of storage for their email servers

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)

 Another protocol that retrieves email messages
 Unlike POP, when the user connects to an IMAP-capable server, copies of the
messages are downloaded to the client application
 Original messages are kept on the server until manually deleted
Domain Name Service: HOW IT WORKS?

A human legible
name is resolved
to its numeric
network device
address by the
DNS protocol.
 Providing IP Addressing Services
Domain Name Service (cont.)

A human legible
name is resolved
to its numeric
network device
address by the
DNS protocol.
Providing IP Addressing Services
Domain Name Service (cont.)
 DNS Hierarchy

Examples top-
level domains:

.us - united
states

.za - South
Africa

.com - business
or industry

.jp - Japan

.org - non-profit http://www.google.com/index.htmp

organization
 Providing IP
Addressing
Services
nslookup

• Operating system utility

called nslooqkup allows
the user to manually
query the name servers
to resolve a given host
name
• This utility can be used
to troubleshoot name
resolution issues and to
verify the current
status of the name
servers
Providing IP Addressing Services
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

• DHCP allows a host to obtain an IP address

dynamically.

• DHCP server is contacted and address

requested - chooses address from a configured
range of addresses called a pool and “leases” it
to the host for a set period.

• DHCP used for general purpose hosts such as

end user devices, and static addressing is used
for network devices such as gateways,
switches, servers and printers.
Providing IP Addressing Services
Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (cont.)
Providing File Sharing Services
File Transfer Protocol
 FTP allows data transfers between a client and a server.

 FTP client is an application that runs on a computer that is used to push and
pull data from a server running an FTP daemon.

 To successfully transfer data, FTP requires two connections between the

client and the server, one for commands and replies, the other for the
actual file transfer.
Server Message Block(sharing files)
 Clients establish a
long-term
connection to
servers.

 After the
connection is
established, the
user can access
the resources on
the server as if the
resource is local to
the client host.

SMB is a client-server, request-response protocol. Servers

can make their resources available to clients on the network.
Server Message Block (cont.)

A file may be copied from PC to PC with Windows

Explorer using the SMB protocol.
Protocols and their port
numbers
Protocol Port Number(s) Description

Translates internet names to their globally registered IP

Domain Name System (DNS) 53 addresses. For example, “google.com” is registered in
global DNS as IP address 8.8.8.8.

Sends data to and from web browsers and web servers,

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) 443
but securely with the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

File Transfer Protocol FTP 20, 21 Transfers files from a client to a server and vice versa.

Connects to computers remotely and in a secure,

Secure Shell(SSH) 22
encrypted way.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol(SMTP) 25 Sends and receives email.

Automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol(DHCP) 67
network.

Used in a client/server method. IRC clients

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) 194
communicate through an IRC server.

Used for email where the client receives mail by

Post Office Protocol 3(POP3) 110 (unsecured), 995 (secured) downloading it locally to a computer from a server
mailbox.