Network Models

Network Models

It today’s technology, data transfer is very crucial in ensuring that data from the transmitter reaches the receiver in the original state. Ideally, information from the sender is supposed to reach its destination while it is noise-free. Also, the information should only be received by authorized parties; however, due to pollution in transmission channels by hackers and noise, sometimes the message received may be distorted. Since the main goal during transmission is to achieve such ideal situations where no data is lost, pundits in the technology industry saw it wise to implement network models that could help in the exchange of information. Two major network models are used today in information exchange. The models include the OSI model and the TCP/IP model. To fully decipher these models, this paper focuses on the similarities and differences between the two models, besides the layers making up the models and how data is processed between the layers within the models. To understand the differences, similarities, and how information is handled between these models, it is vital first to examine each model.

TCP/IP model

TCP/IP model is an acronym for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is a model that contains two different protocols that work in hand to ensure data is transmitted from one point to another. In networking, the two significant roles of TCP are multiplexing data packets that are meant for different receivers and dissembling and reassembling packets in hosts. On the other hand, IP ensures that each device connected over a network receives data only meant for it by assigning each device a unique internet protocol address (Zaman & Karray, 2011). The TCP/IP model is made up of four layers that are, application layer, transport layer, internet layer, and network layer. All these layers dependent on each other to ensure that data reaches its destination.

The network layer is just a combination of the data link layer and the physical layer in the OSI model. This layer checks the hardware being addressed and the protocols in use to allow data to be physically transmitted. The internet layer within the TCP/IP model is just like that in the OSI model. It defines the protocols used to transfer data from one host to another logically. Some of the standard protocols used in data transmission include ICMP, ARP, and IP. The transport layer, just like the transport layer in the OSI model, it is responsible for host-to-host delivery of data and ensuring data is not corrupted while under the transmission. The Application layer combines the roles of the application, presentation, and session layer within the OSI model, it controls the user interface and interaction while on the network (Feit, 2013). During data transmission, the client interacts with the application layer, where a request is made. The internet layer determines which protocols should be used during transmission, using the transport layer, data is sent to the network layer for decoding.

OSI model

OSI is an acronym for Open Systems Interchange. It has seven layers that observe a vertical approach while transferring data from one host to another. The seven layers within the OSI model include application, presentation, session, transport, network, data link, and physical layers (Bora et al. 2014). The Physical layer performs the physical connection between devices in a network. The data link layer is responsible for the delivery of error-free information between nodes. The network layer ensures that data is sent between nodes existing in different networks. The transport layer takes the data packets from the network layer into the application layer. It also acknowledges successful data transfer, in case there are errors in transmission, packets are resent. The session layer establishes a connection between hosts, and it also handles authentication, thus improving security. The presentation layer extracts data from the application layer and manipulates it into the correct format to be transmitted over the network. Lastly, the application layer interfaces the client to produce data that has been transferred over the network. When a client requests information using the application layer, a session is established, the presentation layer converts the data into the correct format for transmission (Briscoe, 2000). Data is transferred from the application layer into the network layer works together with the data link to transfer data to its destination, where it is processed at the physical layer.

Similarities

In both models, the communication within the network is divided into layers, where each layer performs a unique role in data transmission. Through sub-dividing the model into smaller, manageable layers, it becomes possible to troubleshoot the components, thus making it easy to maintain the network models. Both models define standards for networking, thus making it easier for manufacturers to create devices that can be used together with other manufactures’ components.   

Differences

References

Zaman, S., & Karray, F. (2011, May). TCP/IP model and intrusion detection systems. In 2011 International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications Workshops (pp. 90-96).

Feit, S. (2013). TCP/IP: architecture, protocols, and implementation. McGraw-Hill.

Bora, G., Bora, S., Singh, S., & Arsalan, S. M. (2014). OSI reference model: An overview. International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology (IJCTT), 7(4), 214-218.

Briscoe, N. (2000). Understanding the OSI 7-layer model. PC Network Advisor, 120(2).