Network services and internal network

operations
Packet network topology
Datagrams and virtual circuits
Routing in packet networks
Shortest-path routing
ATM networks

Network models
OSI model
TCP/IP model

Network Layer

Provides services to the transport & datalink layers

Supported protocols include IP, ARP, RARP, ICMP
and IGMP
Responsible for source-to-destination delivery of
packets across multiple networks
Provide internetworking
Logical addressing
Routing

Peer-to-peer protocols operates end to end

across the network

Connectionless service

Best-effort service
Caters to a user service request from the transport
layer without any prior intimation from the user
Puts error & flow control and sequencing
responsibilities on the end-system transport layer

Connection-oriented service

Guaranteed delivery of messages

Involves connection set up and connection release
procedures apart from the message transfer
Need to allocate dedicated network resources for
the connection duration
Can provide bandwidth, delay and loss guarantees

The network services could include

A best-effort connectionless service

Low-delay connectionless service
Connection oriented reliable stream service
Connection oriented transfer of packets with delay
and bandwidth guarantees

Availability of above services is limited by

End-to-end argument that suggests the
functionality to be closer to the applications than in
network layer
Network scalability issues

Layer 3 entities work together to provide network service to Layer

4 entities

When the internal operation of a network is

connectionless,
The packets are transferred as datagrams within the
network
Each packet will be routed independently and
dynamically packets may arrive at the destination out
of order. Hence need resequencing at the destination.

When the internal operation of a network is

connection-oriented,
Need to establish a virtual circuit prior to data transfer
Packets flow through the virtual circuit along a forward
path from source to destination

Functions that route and forward packets

Priority & scheduling functions to ensure QoS
Certain traffic control functions that support
congestion control
Functions that make the network service
independent of the underlying transmission
mechanisms such as Ethernet, wireless etc.
Functions that support internetworking

What is a Packet (switched) Network?

Transmission of data from a source to a destination
beyond a local area is achieved through a network of
interconnecting switching nodes
Message Packets or datagrams(data + control info)
Frames
Most common packet switching technology TCP/IP
Largest packet switched network Internet
Packet switched network is theoretically capable of
providing any-to-any service among the connected
nodes
Switches and Routers form an integral part of this
network
Switching routers provide both switching and routing
capability

Intradomain &
interdomain levels

Internet Service
Provider Hierarchy