Transport layer

Transport layer
Internet
protocol suite
Application layer
BGP

DHCP

DHCPv6

DNS

FTP

HTTP

IMAP

IRC

LDAP

MGCP

NNTP

NTP

POP

RPC

RTP

RTSP

RIP

SIP

SMTP

SNMP

SOCKS

SSH

Telnet

TLS/SSL

XMPP

more...
Transport layer

TCP

UDP

DCCP

SCTP

RSVP

more...
Internet layer
IP

IPv4
IPv6

ICMP

ICMPv6

ECN

IGMP

IPsec

more...

Transport layer

2
Link layer

ARP/InARP

NDP

OSPF

Tunnels

L2TP

PPP

Media access control

Ethernet
DSL
ISDN
FDDI
DOCSIS
more...

v
t

e [1]

In computer networking, a transport layer provides end-to-end or host-to-host communication services for
applications within a layered architecture of network components and protocols.[2] The transport layer provides
services such as connection-oriented data stream support, reliability, flow control, and multiplexing.
Transport layer implementations are contained in both the TCP/IP model (RFC 1122),[3] which is the foundation of
the Internet, and the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model of general networking, however, the definitions of
details of the transport layer are different in these models. In the Open Systems Interconnection model the transport
layer is most often referred to as Layer 4.
The best-known transport protocol is the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). It lent its name to the title of the
entire Internet Protocol Suite, TCP/IP. It is used for connection-oriented transmissions, whereas the connectionless
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is used for simpler messaging transmissions. TCP is the more complex protocol, due
to its stateful design incorporating reliable transmission and data stream services. Other prominent protocols in this
group are the Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) and the Stream Control Transmission Protocol
(SCTP).

The OSI
model
7 Application layer
6 Presentation layer
5 Session layer
4 Transport layer
3 Network layer
2 Data link layer

LLC sublayer
MAC sublayer

1 Physical layer

v
t

e [4]

Transport layer

Services
Transport layer services are conveyed to an application via a programming interface to the transport layer protocols.
The services may include the following features:
Connection-oriented communication: It is normally easier for an application to interpret a connection as a data
stream rather than having to deal with the underlying connection-less models, such as the datagram model of the
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and of the Internet Protocol (IP).
Same order delivery: The network layer doesn't generally guarantee that packets of data will arrive in the same
order that they were sent, but often this is a desirable feature. This is usually done through the use of segment
numbering, with the receiver passing them to the application in order. This can cause head-of-line blocking.
Reliability: Packets may be lost during transport due to network congestion and errors. By means of an error
detection code, such as a checksum, the transport protocol may check that the data is not corrupted, and verify
correct receipt by sending an ACK or NACK message to the sender. Automatic repeat request schemes may be
used to retransmit lost or corrupted data.
Flow control: The rate of data transmission between two nodes must sometimes be managed to prevent a fast
sender from transmitting more data than can be supported by the receiving data buffer, causing a buffer overrun.
This can also be used to improve efficiency by reducing buffer underrun.
Congestion avoidance: Congestion control can control traffic entry into a telecommunications network, so as to
avoid congestive collapse by attempting to avoid oversubscription of any of the processing or link capabilities of
the intermediate nodes and networks and taking resource reducing steps, such as reducing the rate of sending
packets. For example, automatic repeat requests may keep the network in a congested state; this situation can be
avoided by adding congestion avoidance to the flow control, including slow-start. This keeps the bandwidth
consumption at a low level in the beginning of the transmission, or after packet retransmission.
Multiplexing: Ports can provide multiple endpoints on a single node. For example, the name on a postal address is
a kind of multiplexing, and distinguishes between different recipients of the same location. Computer applications
will each listen for information on their own ports, which enables the use of more than one network service at the
same time. It is part of the transport layer in the TCP/IP model, but of the session layer in the OSI model.

Analysis
The transport layer is responsible for delivering data to the appropriate application process on the host computers.
This involves statistical multiplexing of data from different application processes, i.e. forming data packets, and
adding source and destination port numbers in the header of each transport layer data packet. Together with the
source and destination IP address, the port numbers constitutes a network socket, i.e. an identification address of the
process-to-process communication. In the OSI model, this function is supported by the session layer.
Some transport layer protocols, for example TCP, but not UDP, support virtual circuits, i.e. provide connection
oriented communication over an underlying packet oriented datagram network. A byte-stream is delivered while
hiding the packet mode communication for the application processes. This involves connection establishment,
dividing of the data stream into packets called segments, segment numbering and reordering of out-of order data.
Finally, some transport layer protocols, for example TCP, but not UDP, provide end-to-end reliable communication,
i.e. error recovery by means of error detecting code and automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol. The ARQ protocol
also provides flow control, which may be combined with congestion avoidance.
UDP is a very simple protocol, and does not provide virtual circuits, nor reliable communication, delegating these
functions to the application program. UDP packets are called datagrams, rather than segments.
TCP is used for many protocols, including HTTP web browsing and email transfer. UDP may be used for
multicasting and broadcasting, since retransmissions are not possible to a large amount of hosts. UDP typically gives
higher throughput and shorter latency, and is therefore often used for real-time multimedia communication where

Transport layer

packet loss occasionally can be accepted, for example IP-TV and IP-telephony, and for online computer games.
In many non-IP-based networks, for example X.25, Frame Relay and ATM, the connection-oriented communication
is implemented at network layer or data link layer rather than the transport layer. In X.25, in telephone network
modems and in wireless communication systems, reliable node-to-node communication is implemented at lower
protocol layers.
The OSI connection-mode transport layer protocol specification defines five classes of transport protocols: TP0,
providing the least error recovery, to TP4, which is designed for less reliable networks.

Protocols
This list shows some protocols that are commonly placed in the transport layers of TCP/IP, OSI, NetWare's
IPX/SPX, AppleTalk, and Fibre Channel.

ATP, AppleTalk Transaction Protocol

CUDP, Cyclic UDP
DCCP, Datagram Congestion Control Protocol
FCP, Fibre Channel Protocol
IL, IL Protocol

MTCP, Multipath TCP

RDP, Reliable Datagram Protocol
RUDP, Reliable User Datagram Protocol
SCTP, Stream Control Transmission Protocol
SPX, Sequenced Packet Exchange
SST, Structured Stream Transport
TCP, Transmission Control Protocol
UDP, User Datagram Protocol
UDP Lite
TP, Micro Transport Protocol

Comparison of transport layer protocols

Feature Name

UDP

UDP Lite
8 bytes

TCP

Packet header size

8 bytes

Transport layer packet entity

Datagram Datagram Segment

Multipath TCP

2060 bytes 5090 bytes

Segment

SCTP

DCCP

12 bytes

12 or 16 bytes

Datagram Datagram

RUDP

Datagram

Connection oriented

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Reliable transport

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Unreliable transport

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Preserve message boundary

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ordered delivery

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Unordered delivery

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Data checksum

Optional

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Unsure

Checksum size (bits)

16

16

16

16

32

16

Unsure

Partial checksum

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

Path MTU

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Unsure

Flow control

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Transport layer

Congestion control

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Unsure

Explicit Congestion Notification

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Multiple streams

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Multi-homing

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Bundling / Nagle

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Unsure

Comparison of OSI transport protocols

ISO/IEC 8073/ITU-T Recommendation X.224, "Information Technology - Open Systems Interconnection - Protocol
for providing the connection-mode transport service", defines five classes of connection-mode transport protocols
designated class 0 (TP0) to class 4 (TP4). Class 0 contains no error recovery, and was designed for use on network
layers that provide error-free connections. Class 4 is closest to TCP, although TCP contains functions, such as the
graceful close, which OSI assigns to the session layer. All OSI connection-mode protocol classes provide expedited
data and preservation of record boundaries. Detailed characteristics of the classes are shown in the following table:
Service

TP0 TP1 TP2 TP3 TP4

Connection oriented network

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Connectionless network

No

No

Concatenation and separation

No

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Segmentation and reassembly

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Error Recovery

No

Yes

No

Yes Yes

Reinitiate connection (if an excessive number of PDUs are unacknowledged)

No

Yes

No

Yes

multiplexing and demultiplexing over a single virtual circuit

No

No

Yes Yes Yes

Explicit flow control

No

No

Yes Yes Yes

Retransmission on timeout

No

No

No

No

Reliable Transport Service

No

Yes

No

Yes Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

There is also a connectionless transport protocol, specified by ISO/IEC 8602/ITU-T Recommendation X.234.

References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Template:IPstack& action=edit

RFC 1122, 1.1.3.
RFC 1122, Requirements for Internet Hosts Communication Layers, IETF, R. Braden (Editor), October 1989
http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Template:OSI_model& action=edit

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Transport layer Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=602950786 Contributors: 1ForTheMoney, Adoniscik, Alansohn, Aldie, AlistairMcMillan, Altenmann, Alvestrand, Andrew
Hampe, Andreyf, BenBreen2003, Bigmantonyd, Borgx, Brettmeyers, BronsonP, Butko, Butlerm, Choudesh, Conan, Costello, Dave Braunschweig, Dgreen34, Dgtsyb, Dough34, Dsimic,
Dzlinker, Eggnock, EnOreg, Enjoi4586, FatalError, Fmunshi, Fred Bradstadt, Gavinatkinson, GermanX, Giftlite, Gilliam, Gurnec, Guy Harris, Hadal, Hede2000, Highlandsun, Hullbr3ach,
Imcdnzl, Int21h, Inwind, Ipatrol, Izno, J.delanoy, JHolman, Jafeluv, Jec, Jeffrd10, Jimfbleak, Jnc, Johnuniq, JonThackray, Kadin2048, Kbolino, Kbrose, Kingpin13, Kkkdc, Kungfuadam, Kvng,
Kwi, LiDaobing, Limbo socrates, Liotier, Looxix, Lost.goblin, MTC, Mange01, Marcan, MartinHarper, Mirv, Mmmready, Nealmcb, Nixdorf, Ovy, Phantomsteve, Phatom87, PrologFan, Quibik,
Razorflame, Retroguy90, Rmhermen, Robth, Samjoopin, SatyrTN, ScottDavis, Simon04, Suffusion of Yellow, Suruena, Tcmcfaul, Template namespace initialisation script, Tpvibes, Vipinhari,
Wmasterj, Xpclient, Yacht, Yintan, Yyy, Zac439, ZeroOne, Zoicon5, 168 anonymous edits

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/