Networking Technologies and the OSI Model

Running Head: NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE OSI MODEL
Brief study of the Networking technologies and the OSI Model
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1NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE OSI MODEL
Summary of lecture 1:
The slides mainly enlightens on computer networks. Previously, the computers were not
connected in a network. However, for the physical exchange of data from one computer to the
other computers needs to be connected in a network. The data will then flow from one computer
to another through magnetic media such as a floppy disc or a magnetic tape. Some of the daily
applications such as Facebook, eBay and emails are all interconnected through network (Molz,
2013). The example of data exchange through eBay provides knowledge of the process through
which data transfer takes place in a networked connection. Any data or piece of information that
needs to be exchanged requires undergoing through the process of authentication and encryption.
Two networking tools that are used during data transfer are Wireshark and VirtualBox
(DeCusatis, Carranza & Delgado-Caceres, 2016). The lecture also provides information on the
number systems, the conversion techniques between binary, octal, hexadecimal and decimal
numbers. The bases for the various number systems are: 2 is the base for binary system, 10 is the
base of decimal number system, 8 is the base for the octal number system and 16 is the base for
the hexadecimal number system. The windows calculator provides a smart feature that converts
quantities to various number systems. The next topics will discuss on the various layers in the
OSI model.
Summary of lecture 2:
This lecture will help to gain knowledge on circuit switching and packet switching and
the differences between them. In circuit switching, a dedicated path is established before call is
set up. One example of use of circuit switching is the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS).
However, in packet switching small packets of data are sent over the network to establish
communication between two devices in a network. Data in circuit switched networks can be

2NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE OSI MODEL
destroyed by bombs however, in bombs cannot destroy data in packet switched networks. One of
the early packet switched network that used both packet switching as well as the TCP/IP protocol
is the ARPANET. Packet switching is used from small home networks to large networks as well
as in mobile telephone systems. Devices that are connected in a network needs two things. One is
a PC and the other web server. The devices should possess a Network Interface Card (NIC) to
facilitate networking (Kamble & Pandey, 2015). The lecture provides a brief idea on the various
networking devices like hubs, switches and routers that are required to maintain connectivity in
the network. There are two networking models namely OSI model and TCP/IP model. The OSI
model consists of seven layers namely physical layer, data link layer, network layer, transport
layer, session layer, presentation layer and the application layer (Bora, Bora, Singh & Arsalan,
2014). However, the TCP/IP model consists of 5 layers namely the physical layer, network
interface layer, internet, transport and application layer.
Summary of lecture 3:
This lecture explains the application layer in details. Application layer provides
application to the user that allows them to interact with other devices on the network and share
data. Some of the applications are Facebook and Google maps. In the local network, the
application layer allows the user to access the printers, network faxes, storages and other local
machines (Lv et al., 2014). Clients and server are the two terms that is commonly used in the
application layer. Clients requests service and servers provide the requested service. Two types
of network architecture exists in this layer. One is the peer-to-peer architecture and the other is
the client server architecture. In peer-to-peer architecture, the any device connected to the
network can act as both server and client. However, in client server network a particular device
acts as a client and a particular device act as a server (Oluwatosin, 2014). There are two more