OPEN SYSTEM INTERACONNECTION (OSI)

Established in 1947, the International Standards Organization (ISO) is a multinational body dedicated
to worldwide agreement on international standards. An ISO standard that covers all aspects of network
communications is the Open Systems Interconnection model. It was first introduced in the late 1970s. An open
system is a set of protocols that allows any two different systems to communicate regardless of their
underlying architecture.
Open System Interconnections (OSI) model provides the basis for connecting open systems for
distributed applications processing. The term open denotes the ability of any two systems conforming to the
reference model and the associated standards to connect. It is a model for understanding and designing a
network architecture that is flexible, robust, and interoperable.
The OSI model is a layered framework for the design of network systems that allows communication
between all types of computer systems. It consist of seven layers, which each defines a part of the process of
moving information across a network.
Layer 7

Application

Layer 6

Presentation

Layer 5

Session

Layer 4

Transport

Layer 3

Network

Layer 2

Data Link

Layer 1

Physical

OSI Layers
Layer 1 Physical Layer
The physical layer covers the physical interface between devices and the rules by which bits are
passed from one to another. It is concerned with the connection of devices to media and the directions of
transmission between two devices. It deals with the mechanical and electrical specifications of the interface
and transmission medium. The physical layer defines the type of encoding, how 0s and 1s are changed to
signals.
Layer 2 Data Link
The data link layer makes the physical link reliable and provides the means to activate, maintain and
deactivate link. It provides for the reliable transfer of information across the physical link, sends block of data
called frames, with the necessary synchronization, error control and flow control
Layer 3 Network
The network layer is responsible for the source-to-destination delivery of a packet, possibly across
multiple networks (links). It ensures that each packet gets from its point of origin to its final destination. At this

layer, the computer system engages in a dialogue with the network to specify the destination address and to
request certain network facilities, such as priority.
Layer 4 Transport
The purpose of this layer is to provide a reliable mechanism for the exchange of data between
processes in different systems. It is responsible for the delivery of a message from one process to another. The
transport layer ensures that data units are delivered error-free, in sequence, with no losses or duplications.
Layer 5 Session Layer
The session layer is the network dialog controller, which allows two systems to enter into a dialog. It
establishes, maintains and synchronize the interaction among communicating systems. It allows the
communication between two processes to take place in either half-duplex (one way at a time) or full-duplex
(two ways at a time) mode.
Layer 6 Presentation
This layer is concerned with the syntax of data exchanged between application entities. Its purpose is
to resolve differences in format and data representation. It defines the syntax used between application entities.
The presentation layer is responsible for translation, compression, and encryption.
Layer 7 Application
The application layer provides a means for application process to access the OSI environment and the
network. It provides user interface and support for service such as electronic mail, remote file access and
transfer, shared database management, and other types of disputed information services.

Organization of the Layers

The seven layers can be thought of as belonging to three subgroups. Layers I, 2, and 3-physical, data
link, and network-are the network support layers; they deal with the physical aspects of moving data from one
device to another (such as electrical specifications, physical connections, physical addressing, and transport
timing and reliability). Layers 5, 6, and 7-session, presentation, and application-can be thought of as the user
support layers; they allow interoperability among unrelated software systems. Layer 4, the transport layer,
links the two subgroups and ensures that what the lower layers have transmitted is in a form that the upper
layers can use. The upper OSI layers are almost always implemented in software; lower layers are a
combination of hardware and software, except for the physical layer, which is mostly hardware.

References :
Stallings, William. Data and Computer Communications. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company
Forouzan, Behrouz A. Data Communications and Networking, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill Companies.,
2007