Chapter 10:

Application Layer

Introduction to Networks v5.1

 10.0 Introduction
10.1 Application Layer Protocols
10.2 Well-Known Application
Layer Protocols and Services
10.3 Summary

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 Upon completion of this section, you should 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.
• Explain how common application layer protocols interact with end user
applications.

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© 2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public 4
• The application layer is closest to the end user.

• Network applications enable users to send and receive data with ease.

• The application layer acts as interface between the applications and the
underlying network.
• Application layer protocols help
exchange data between programs
running on the source and
destination hosts.
• The TCP/IP application layer
performs the functions of the upper
three layers of the OSI model.
• Common application layer protocols
include: HTTP, FTP, TFTP, DNS.

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• The presentation layer has three primary functions:
o Format data
o Compress data
o Encrypt data

• Common standards for video include QuickTime and Motion Picture

Experts Group (MPEG).
• Common graphic image formats are:
• Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
• Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
• Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format

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• The session layer creates and maintains dialogs between source and
destination applications.
• The session layer handles the exchange of information to initiate
dialogs, keep them active, and to restart sessions that are disrupted or
idle for a long period of time.

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• TCP/IP application protocols specify the format and control information
necessary for common Internet functions.
• Application layer protocols must be implemented in both the source and
destination devices.
• Application layer protocols implemented on the source and destination
host must be compatible to allow communication.

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© 2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public 9
• HTTP
o Is a request/response protocol.
o Has three common message types: GET, POST, PUT.
o Is not secure. Messages can be intercepted.

• HTTPS uses authentication and

encryption to secure data.

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• Email is a store-and-forward method of sending, storing, and retrieving
electronic messages.
• Email messages are stored in databases on mail servers.
• Email clients communicate with mail
servers to send and receive email.
• Mail servers communicate with other
mail servers to transport messages
from one domain to another.
• Email clients do not communicate
directly when sending email.
• Email relies on three separate protocols
for operation: SMTP (sending),POP (retrieving),
IMAP (retrieving).

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• SMTP message formats require a message header and body.
• The body can contain any amount of text.
• The header must have a properly formatted recipient email address and a
sender address.
• An SMTP client sends an email by
connecting to a SMTP server on
port 25.
• The server receives the message and
stores it message in a local mailbox or
relays the message to another mail server.
• Users use email clients to retrieve messages
stored on the server.
• IMAP and POP are two protocols commonly
used by email clients to retrieve messages.

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• Messages are downloaded from the server to the client.

• The server listens on port 110 TCP for client requests.

• Email clients direct their POP requests to mail servers on port TCP 110.

• The POP client and server exchange commands and responses until
the connection is closed or aborted.
• POP allows for email messages
to be downloaded to the client’s
device (computer or phone) and
removed from the server.
• There is no centralized location
where email messages are kept.
• A downloaded message resides on
the device that triggered the download.

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• IMAP is another protocol used to retrieve email messages.
• Allows for messages to be displayed to the user rather than downloaded.
• The original messages reside on the server until manually deleted by the user.
• Users view copies of the messages in their email client software.
• Users can create a folder hierarchy on
the server to organize and store mail.
• That file structure is displayed on the
email client.
• When a user decides to delete a message,
the server synchronizes that action and
deletes the message from the server.

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• While IP addresses are crucial for network communication, they are not
easy to memorize.
• Domain names are created to make server addresses more user-
friendly.
• Domain names such as http://www.cisco.com are user-friendly
addresses associated with the IP address of a specific server.
• However, computers still need the actual numeric address before they
can communicate.

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• The DNS protocol allows for the
dynamic translation of a domain
name into the correct IP address.
• The DNS protocol communications
using a single format called a
message.

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• The DNS protocol uses a hierarchical system, with the root at the top
and branches below. The naming structure is broken down into small,
manageable zones.
• Each DNS server is only responsible for managing name-to-IP
mappings for that small portion of the DNS structure.
• Requests for zones not stored in a specific DNS server are forwarded to
other servers for translation.
• Top-level domains represent either the type
of domain or the country of origin.
Examples of top-level domains are:
o .com - a business or industry
o .org - a non-profit organization
o .au - Australia
o .co - Colombia

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• Allows the user to manually place DNS queries.

• It can also be used to troubleshoot name resolution issues.

• Has many options available for extensive testing and verification of the
DNS process.

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• Computers need network addresses to communicate over a network.

• Additional crucial information includes gateway address, subnet mask,

and DNS server.
• Manually configuring end devices is not scalable. DHCP allows for
automated distribution of network information.
• DHCP-distributed addresses are
leased for a set period of time.
• Addresses are returned to the pool
for reuse when no longer in use.
• DHCP supports IPv4 and DHCPv6
supports IPv6.

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• A DHCP client goes through the following basic steps to request an IP:
o The client broadcasts a DHCPDISCOVER.
o A DHCP server replies with a DHCPOFFER message
o The client sends a DHCPREQUEST message to the server it wants to use (in case of
multiple offers).

• A client may also choose to request an address that it had previously

been allocated by the server.
• The server returns a DHCPACK
message to confirm the lease has
been finalized.

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• The server would respond with a DHCPNAK if the offer is no longer
valid
• Leases must be renewed before its expiration through another
DHCPREQUEST.
• DHCPv6 has a similar set of messages:
o SOLICIT
o ADVERTISE
o INFORMATION REQUEST
o REPLY

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• FTP was developed to allow the transfer of files over the network.

• An FTP client is an application that runs on a client computer used to

push and pull data from an FTP server.
• FTP requires two connections between the client and the server: one
connection for commands and replies and another connection for the
actual file transfer.
• The client initiates and establishes the
first connection to the server for control
traffic on TCP port 21.
• The client then establishes the second
connection to the server for the actual
data transfer on TCP port 20.
• The client can download (pull) data from
the server or upload (push) data to the server.
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 Chapter Objectives:
• Explain the operation of the application layer in providing support to end-user
applications.
• Explain how well-known TCP/IP application layer protocols and services
operate.

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Thank you.