Session Layer – Detailed Notes (For Exam)

Summary Table: Session Layer Essentials

Feature Details
OSI Layer 5th Layer
Role Establish, maintain, and terminate
sessions
Key Functions Dialog control, Synchronization, Session
management
Security Handles Authentication
Example Use Online meetings, VoIP, Secure
transactions
Protocols RPC, NetBIOS, PPTP, SIP, SMB

1. Overview of Session Layer

The Session Layer is the fifth layer in the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection)
reference model.

It acts as a dialog controller, managing and controlling the dialog between two
computers or processes.

It is responsible for:
- Establishing the session (connection),
- Maintaining the session while data is being transferred, and
- Terminating the session after the communication ends.

Functions of the Session Layer:

- Dialog Control: Determines whether communication can happen in half-duplex or
full-duplex mode.
- Synchronization: Adds checkpoints (sync points) into the data stream. These
allow communication to resume from the last checkpoint in case of failure.
- Session Management: Ensures that data from different applications is kept
separate and does not mix up.

Example: In video conferencing or online classes (Zoom, Google Meet), the Session
Layer is responsible for starting the session, keeping it alive, and ending it properly
when the meeting ends.

2. Authentication in Session Layer

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, device, or
application before establishing a session.
This is especially critical in secure communication systems.

Purposes of Authentication:
- To ensure that only authorized users are allowed to communicate.
- To prevent security breaches and data leakage.
- To build trust between communicating entities.

Authentication Methods:
- Username & Password
- Digital Certificates (X.509)
- Biometric authentication (Fingerprint, Face ID)
- Token-based authentication (e.g., OAuth, JWT)

Example: When you log in to a banking website, before starting a secure session, the
server verifies your identity through username and password (authentication).
Then, an HTTPS session is established.

3. Session Layer Protocols

The Session Layer uses various protocols to manage and maintain sessions:

i) RPC (Remote Procedure Call): Allows a program on one machine to execute a

procedure (function) on another machine. Abstracts network communication into
procedure calls. Common in distributed systems.

ii) NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System): Provides session and

transport services in LANs. Works with SMB protocol for file sharing and printing in
Windows-based networks.

iii) PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol): A VPN tunneling protocol that

allows the secure transfer of data across public networks like the Internet. Works by
establishing a tunnel between the user and the server and encrypting the data.

iv) SIP (Session Initiation Protocol): Used for initiating, maintaining, and
terminating real-time sessions such as voice calls (VoIP), video conferencing, and
instant messaging. SIP helps set up and tear down media sessions.

v) SMB (Server Message Block): A protocol for sharing files, printers, and serial
ports between nodes on a network. Widely used in Windows networks for session-
based access to shared resources.
1. Overview of Presentation Layer

• The Presentation Layer is the 6th layer in the OSI model.

• Its primary role is to translate, encrypt, and compress data for the
Application Layer.

• It ensures that data sent by the application layer of one system can be
understood by the application layer of another, despite differences in data
representation.

• It acts as a translator and formatter between the network and the

application.

• Key functions include data format translation, character code translation

(e.g., ASCII to EBCDIC), and multimedia support.

2. Data Conversion

• Converts data between different formats or syntax to enable communication.

• Common conversions include:

o Character encoding conversions (ASCII, Unicode, EBCDIC)

o Data structure conversions (integer, floating-point, bit order)

• Handles data syntax differences between sender and receiver.

• Helps systems with different internal data representations understand each

other.

3. Encryption and Decryption

• Provides security by encrypting data before transmission and decrypting it

at the destination.

• Encryption ensures confidentiality and data integrity over insecure

networks.

• Can use symmetric or asymmetric encryption algorithms.

• Ensures data is unreadable to unauthorized users during transmission.

 • Examples of encryption standards: DES, AES, RSA.

4. Presentation Layer Protocols

i) LPP (Logical Link Protocol)

• A protocol used for framing and error detection at the data link level, but
sometimes referenced for presentation tasks.

• Helps in organizing data into logical units.

ii) Telnet

• Provides a virtual terminal protocol.

• Allows a user to remotely log into another computer over a network.

• Works at the presentation layer by managing data format and character

translation during remote sessions.

• Commonly used for command-line access to remote servers.

iii) X.25 Packet Assembler/Disassembler (PAD)

• X.25 is an older packet-switched network protocol.

• The PAD device assembles and disassembles packets for transmission over
X.25 networks.

• Works at the presentation layer by converting character-oriented data into

packet-oriented data.

• Ensures that terminal data can be correctly interpreted over the packet
network.
Introduction to Application Layer

• The Application Layer is the 7th and topmost layer in the OSI model.

• It provides network services directly to end-user applications.

• This layer enables communication between software applications and the

underlying network.

• It handles high-level protocols, issues of representation, encoding, and

dialog control.

• Examples of application layer protocols include HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS, and
SNMP.

• The Application Layer facilitates services such as file transfers, email, web
browsing, and network resource sharing.

• It ensures that communication partners are identified, user authentication

and privacy are maintained, and efficient data exchange happens.

1. Domain Name System (DNS)

• DNS translates human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into

IP addresses that computers use.

• It works like a phonebook for the internet.

• DNS is hierarchical and distributed, consisting of root servers, top-level

domain (TLD) servers, and authoritative name servers.

• It supports caching to reduce lookup times.

• DNS operates over UDP (mainly) and TCP for larger queries.

2. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

• SNMP is a protocol used to monitor and manage devices on IP networks.

• It enables network administrators to manage network performance, find and

solve network problems, and plan for network growth.

• SNMP uses agents on devices and managers on monitoring systems.

 • Works mainly over UDP, using a Management Information Base (MIB) as a
data structure.

3. Electronic Mail (Email)

• Email is an application-layer protocol used to send and receive messages.

• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used to send mail.

• POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) and IMAP (Internet Message Access
Protocol) are used to retrieve emails from the server.

• Email messages include headers, body, attachments, and use MIME

(Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) for multimedia content.

4. World Wide Web (WWW)

• The WWW is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the

internet.

• Users access the WWW through web browsers.

• Web pages are written in HTML and are linked using hyperlinks.

• WWW operates over HTTP/HTTPS protocols.

5. HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

• HTTP is the foundation protocol used by the World Wide Web.

• It is a stateless request-response protocol between clients (browsers) and

servers.

• HTTP methods include GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.

• HTTPS is HTTP over TLS/SSL, providing encryption and security.

6. File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

• FTP is used to transfer files between a client and server over a network.
• Supports authentication with usernames and passwords.

• Operates over two TCP connections: control connection and data connection.

• FTP can work in active or passive mode depending on how the data
connection is established.