Chapter 9: Application Layer

Computer Networks

Dr Basma Oueslati
Chapter 9- Sections & Objectives
 9.1 Application Layer Protocols

• Explain the operation of the application layer in providing support to end-user applications.
• 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.
 9.2 Well-Known Application Protocols and Services
• Explain how well-known TCP/IP application layer protocols operate.
• Explain how web and email protocols operate.
• Explain how DNS and DHCP operate.
• Explain how file transfer protocols operate.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 2
9.1 Application Layer
Protocols

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 3
Application, Presentation, and Sessio
Application Layer
 Application Layer:
• Closest to the end user.
• Used to exchange data between
programs running on the source
and destination hosts.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 4
Application, Presentation, and Session
Presentation and Session Layer
 Presentation Layer function:
• Formatting data at the source
device into a compatible form for
the receiving device.
• Compressing data.
• Encrypting data.
 Session Layer Function
• Create and maintain dialogs
between source and destination
applications.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 5
Application, Presentation, and Session
TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols • Post Office Protocol (POP) TCP 110 -
Enables clients to retrieve email from a mail
server.

• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)

TCP 143 - Enables clients to retrieve email
from a mail server, maintains email on server.

• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) TCP 20 and 21 -

Reliable, connection-oriented, and
acknowledged file delivery protocol.
• Domain Name Server (DNS) TCP,UDP 53 - Translates
domain names, such as cisco.com, into IP addresses. • Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) UDP 69 –
• (BOOTP) – Bootstrap Protocol - BOOTP is being simple connectionless file transfer protocol.
superseded by DHCP.
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) TCP 80,
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) UDP client 8080 - Set of rules for exchanging text, graphic
68, server 67 – Dynamically assigns IP addresses to images, etc. on the World Wide Web.
client stations at start-up.
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
• Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) TCP 25 -
TCP, UDP 443 – Uses encryption and
Enables clients to send email to a mail server.
authentication to secure
© 2016 Cisco and/or communication.
its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 6
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
Client-Server Model
 Client and server processes are
considered to be in the
application layer.
 Application layer protocols
describe the format of the
requests and responses between
clients and servers.
 Example of a client-server
network is using an ISP’s email
service to send, receive and
store email.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 7
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
Peer-to-Peer Networks
 Data is accessed from a peer
device without the use of a
dedicated server.
 Each device (known as a peer)
can function as both a server and
a client.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 8
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
Peer-to-Peer Applications
 A P2P application allows a
device to act as both a client and
a server within the same
communication.
 P2P applications require that
each end device provide a user
interface and run a background
service.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 9
How Application Protocols Interact with End-User Applications
Common P2P Applications
 Common P2P networks include:
• G2
• Bitcoin
• BitTorrent
• eDonkey
 Some P2P applications are based on
the Gnutella protocol, where each
user shares whole files with other
users.
 Many P2P applications allow users to
share pieces of many files with each
other at the same time –this is
BitTorrent technology.
© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 10
9.2 Well-Known Application
Layer Protocols and Services

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 11
Web and Email Protocols
Hypertext Transfer Protocol and Hypertext Markup Language
 When a web address or uniform
resource locator (URL) is typed into a
web browser, the web browser
establishes a connection to the web
service running on the server, using the
HTTP protocol.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 12
Web and Email Protocols
HTTP and HTTPS
 HTTP is a request/response protocol.

 Three common HTTP message types

are:
• GET - A client request for data.
• POST - Uploads data files to the web
server.
• PUT - Uploads resources or content to
the web server.
 HTTP Secure (HTTPS) protocol uses
encryption and authentication to
secure data.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 13
Web and Email Protocols
Email Protocols
 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.
 Three protocols for email:
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
to send email.
• Post Office Protocol (POP) to retrieve
email.
• Internet Message Access Protocol
(IMAP) to retrieve email.
© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 14
Web and Email Protocols
SMTP Operation
 SMTP is used to send email

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 15
Web and Email Protocols
POP Operation
 POP is used to retrieve
email from a mail server.
 Email is downloaded from
the server to the client and
then deleted on the server.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 16
Web and Email Protocols
IMAP Operation
 IMAP is used to retrieve
mail from a mail server.
 Copies of messages are
downloaded from the
server to the client and the
original messages are
stored on the server.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 17
IP Addressing Services
Domain Name Service
 Domain names convert the
numeric address into a
simple, recognizable name.
 The DNS protocol defines
an automated service that
matches resource names
with the required numeric
network address.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 18
IP Addressing Services
DNS Message Format
 When a client makes a query, the
server’s DNS process first looks at
its own records to resolve the name.
 If unable to resolve, it contacts other
servers to resolve the name.
 The server temporarily stores the
numbered address in the event that
the same name is requested again.
 The ipconfig /displaydns
command displays all of the cached
DNS entries on a Windows PC.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 19
IP Addressing Services
DNS Hierarchy

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 20
IP Addressing Services
The nslookup Command
 Nslookup - a utility that allows a
user to manually query the name
servers to resolve a given host.
• Can also be used to troubleshoot
name resolution issues and to verify
the current status of the name servers.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 21
IP Addressing Services
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
 The Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) for IPv4 automates the
assignment of IPv4 addresses, subnet
masks, gateways, and other parameters.
 DHCP-distributed addresses are leased
for a set period of time, then returned to
pool for reuse.
 DHCP is usually employed for end user
devices. Static addressing is used for
network devices, such as gateways,
switches, servers, and printers.
 DHCPv6 (DHCP for IPv6) provides
similar services for IPv6 clients.
© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 22
IP Addressing Services
DHCP Operation

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 23
File Sharing Services
File Transfer Protocol
 FTP requires two connections between
the client and the server, one for
commands and replies, the other for the
actual file transfer:
• The client establishes the first connection to
the server for control traffic using TCP port
21.
• The client establishes the second
connection to the server for the actual data
transfer using TCP port 20.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 24
File Sharing Services
Server Message Block
 The Server Message Block (SMB) is
a client/server file sharing protocol:
• SMB file-sharing and print services
have become the mainstay of
Microsoft networking.
• Clients establish a long-term
connection to servers and can access
the resources on the server as if the
resource is local to the client host.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 25
9.3 Summary

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 26
Conclusion
Chapter 9: Application Layer

 Explain the operation of the application layer in providing support to end-

user applications.
 Explain how well-known TCP/IP application layer protocols operate.

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 27
Chapter 9
New Terms and Commands
• Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP)
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
• Post Office Protocol (POP)
• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
• client-server
• Server Message Block (SMB)

© 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 28