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Datacom Network, Architecture, Protocols, and Standards

Network Architecture. A system that outlines the products and

services necessary for the individual components within a data
communications network to operate together.

It is a set of equipment, transmission media, and procedures that

ensures that a specific sequence of events occurs in a network in the
proper order to produce the intended results.

Data Communications Protocol. Sets of rules governing the

orderly exchange of data within the network or a portion of the
network.

Protocol Stack. The list of protocols used by a system which

normally includes one protocol per layer.

Network Protocol Classification.

o Current. Most modern and sophisticated

o Legacy. Old but still useful
o Legendary. Old and no longer in use
Computer Network General Classification.

o Broadcast. Involves all stations in the network sharing the

communications channel.

o Point to point. Involves only two stations at a time.

 Connection-Oriented Protocol.

o Requires a handshake prior to transmission

o Generally requires acknowledgement procedures
o Often provides an error control mechanism
o - Connection is dropped by a specific handshake when it is no
longer needed.

Handshake. A connection procedure that ensures the

integrity of the connection between stations in a network
prior to the exchange of data between them.

Connectionless Protocol.

o Does not require a handshake prior to transmission

o Does not support error control or acknowledgment procedures
o Is more efficient because the data being transmitted do not
justify the extra overhead required by connection-oriented
protocols.

Standard. An object or procedure considered by an authority or

by general consent as a basis of comparison.

Data Communications Standards. Guidelines that have been

generally accepted by the data communications industry. They outline
procedures and equipment configurations that help ensure an orderly
transfer of information between two or more data communication
equipment of networks.

Classification of Standards.
 o Proprietary Standards. Closed system standards generally
manufactured or controlled by one company.

o Open System Standards. Guidelines that can be used by any

company to produce compatible equipment or software after a
royalty has been paid to the original company.

Standards Organizations for Data Communications

ISO. International Standards Organization

ITU-T. International Telecommunications Union-

Telecommunications Sector

CCITT. International Consultive Committee for Telephone and

Telegraph.

IEEE. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

ANSI. American National Standards Institute

EIA. Electronics Industry Association

TIA. Telecommunications Industry Association

 ITU-T Study Groups:

o Network and Service Operation

o Tariff and Accounting Principles
o Telecommunications Management Network and Network
Interface

o Protection Against Electromagnetic Environment Effects

o Outside Plant
o Data Networks and Open Systems Communications
o Characteristics of Telematic Systems
o Television and Sound Transmission
o Language and General Software Aspects of Telecommunication
Systems

o Signaling Requirements and Protocols

o End-to-end Transmission Performance of Networks and Terminals
o General Network Aspects
o Transport Networks, Systems, and Equipment
o Multimedia Services and Systems

IAB. Internet Architecture Board

o Oversees Internet architecture protocols and procedures.

o Manages processes used to create internet standards and serves
as an appeal board for complaints on the proper of execution of
such processes.

o Administers various Internet assigned numbers.

 o Represents Internet Society interests in liaison relationships with
other organizations.

o Source of advice for guidance to the Internet Society concerning

technical, architectural, procedural, and policy matters
concerning the Internet and its enabling technologies.

IETF. Internet Engineering Task Force

IRTF. Internet Research Task Force

Layered Network Architecture

The layering of network responsibilities allows each layer to add

value to services provided by sets of lower layers.

Layered architecture facilitates peer-to-peer network protocols.

Layered architecture allows different computers to communicate

at different levels.

When technological advances occur, it is easier to modify all the

other layers.

The disadvantage of layered architecture is the tremendous

amount of overhead required.
 Protocol Data Unit (PDU). A unit of data used to facilitate
seamless exchange of information between layers of the protocol
stack. Consists of a header and/or trailer appended to the data as it
passes through a layer.

Encapsulation. The process of adding a protocol data unit as the

data frame passes from an upper layer to the layer immediately below
it. (Downward direction)
 Decapsulation. The process of removing a protocol data unit as
the data frame passes from a lower layer to the layer immediately
above it. (Upward direction)

Popular Layered Protocols

OSI (Open Systems Interconnection). A seven layer protocol

developed and adopted by the ISO and the ITU-T in 1983.

TCP-IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). A three

or four layer protocol developed by the Department of Defense of the
United States before the inception of the OSI model.

CISCO THREE-LAYER MODEL. A three-layer logical hierarchy

developed by CISCO that specifies where things belong, how they fit
together, and what functions go where.

Open Systems Interconnection

Layers

Application (7)

Serves as the window for users and application processes to access the
network services

User networking applications and interfacing to the network

Presentation (6)

Formats the data to be presented to the Application layer. It can be

viewed as the Translator for the network.

Encoding language used in transmission

Session (5)

Allows session establishment between processes running on different

stations.

Job management tracking

Transport (4)

Ensures that messages are delivered error-free, in sequence, and with

no losses or duplications.

Data tracking as it moves through a network

 Network (3)

Controls the operations of the subnet, deciding which physical path the
data takes.

Network addressing and packet transmission on the network

Data Link (2)

Provides error-free transfer of data frames from one node to another

over the Physical layer.

Frame formatting for transmitting data across a physical

communications link

Physical (1)

Concerned with the transmission and reception of the unstructured raw

bit stream over the physical medium

Transmission method used to propagate bits through a network.

TCP-IP Protocol Layers

Network Access Layer. Provides a means of physically delivering

data packets using frames or cells.

Host-to-host Layer. Services the process and Internet layers to

handle the reliability and session aspects of data transmission.

Internet Layer. Contains information that pertains to how data

can be routed through the network.

Process Layer. Provides applications support.

 CISCO Protocol Layers

Core Layer. Top layer responsible for transporting large amounts

of data traffic reliably and quickly. Primarily tasked to switch traffic as
quickly as possible.

Distribution Layer/Workgroup Layer. The communication point

between the access and the core layers that provides routing, filtering,
WAN access, and control on the number of data packets allowed to
access the core layer.

Access Layer/Desktop Layer. Responsible for access control,

segmentation (creation of collision domains), and workgroup
connectivity to the distribution layer.