Comparison and Critique

of
Reference Models

Comparison

Comparison
OSI Model

TCP / IP Model

General Model

Specific to TCP/IP network and cannot

be used to describe any other network

7 Layers

4 Layers

OSI makes distinction between service, TCP/IP does not distinguish between
interface and protocol
service, interface and protocol
It is devised before the corresponding
protocols were invented

In TCP/IP, the protocols came first and

the model was really just a description
of the existing protocols

Connection-oriented and
connectionless communication in
network layer

Only connectionless communication in

network layer

Only connection-oriented
communication in transport layer

Both connection-oriented and

connectionless communication in
transport layer

Critique of OSI Model and Protocols

1. Bad timing:

The competing TCP/IP protocols were already in widespread

use by research universities by the time the OSI protocols
appeared.
The academic market was large enough that many vendors
had begun cautiously offering TCP/IP products and when
OSI came around, they did not want to support a second
protocol stack.

Critique of OSI Model and Protocols

2. Bad technology:
Both OSI model and the protocols are flawed.

Two of the layers (session and presentation) are nearly

empty, whereas two other layers (data link and network) are
overfull.
The OSI model, along with the associated service definitions
and protocols, is extraordinarily complex.
In addition to being incomprehensible, another problem with
OSI is that some functions, such as addressing, flow control
and error control, reappear again and again in each layer.

Critique of OSI Model and Protocols

3. Bad implementation:
Initial implementation was huge, unwieldy and slow.
In contrast, one of the first implementation of TCP/IP was
part of Berkeley UNIX and was quite good.
4. Bad politics :

TCP/IP was advertised as a better technology than OSI

model, though it was inferior.

Critique of the TCP/IP Reference Model

It is not much of a guide for designing new networks using new

technologies.
Not a general reference model, hence cannot describe any
protocol stack other than TCP/IP.
Host-to-network layer is rather an interface
Does not distinguish (or even mention) data link and physical
layers.
Although the IP and TCP protocols were carefully thought out
and well implemented, many of the other protocols were
designed and implemented ad-hoc. Some of them are a bit of an
embarrassment now.

For example, TELNET was designed for a ten-character per second

mechanical Teletype terminal. It knows nothing of graphical user
interfaces and mice.

The Hybrid Reference Model

In summary, despite of its problems, the OSI model (minus the session
and presentation layers) has proven to be exceptionally useful for
discussing computer networks. In contrast, the OSI protocols have not
become popular.
The reverse is true of TCP/IP: the model is practically nonexistent, but
the protocols are widely used.
Hence, a new hybrid model is designed for study purpose as below.

Virtual-Circuit vs. Datagram Networks