Network Software

Network Software

Now a days, software plays an important role in computer networks, because without software no meaning. Software is described by structuring few details about that. Functioning of network depends upon its parts or layers, their name and content and function of each layer. For e.g. OSI Reference Model & TCP/IP model are the branches of software network.

Networks are organized in terms of layers or levels. Each layer offers certain services to higher layers ‘n’ layer carries on conversation with ‘n’ layer on another machine. The rules & conventions used in this conversation are collectively called as Protocol or ‘n’ layer protocol. A protocol is an agreement between the communicating parts on how communication is to be proceeding. Violating the protocol will make communication more difficult.

The working of layers in software network is to process data and handle the messages from layer immediately above & below. The processing of data takes place some set of rules. Each layer doesn’t know what is happening above & below to it. The function of each layer is to take data from adjacent layers & process it to other layer under some rules. Each layer on computer can communicate to its Peer i.e. same layer on computer with the help of other layers fall in between them. The method is called Peer Communication. Let us take examples for this on the basis of peer communication using OSI Reference Model.

OSI Model is a open system interconnection model, where it can help to communicate from one system to another using some guidelines or defining protocols. OSI Model defines seven layers/levels for complete communication system i.e. from highest layer (Application Layer) to lowest layer (Physical Layer). But sometimes all seven layers are not needed; only three layers are sufficient. Here in OSI Model, each layer represents a different portion of task.