The Transport Layer
The Transport Layer is essential in the TCP/IP protocol suite, bridging application-to-application communication. It includes protocols such as TCP and UDP, which fulfill distinct roles by managing logical communication, ensuring reliable data transfer, and optimizing flow and congestion control. The concepts of multiplexing and demultiplexing are integral to identifying the correct application processes using port numbers.
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What we have learnt
- The Transport Layer enables logical communication between application processes on different host systems.
- TCP provides reliable data transfer through mechanisms like sequence numbers, acknowledgments, flow control, and congestion control.
- UDP, while faster and simpler, sacrifices reliability for speed, making it suitable for applications requiring low latency.
Key Concepts
- -- EndtoEnd Principle
- Functions that require knowledge and participation of communication endpoints should be implemented at those endpoints, ensuring reliability and accuracy.
- -- Multiplexing
- The process of combining data from multiple application processes and passing it to the Network Layer, utilizing a Transport Layer header with source and destination port numbers.
- -- Flow Control
- A mechanism to prevent a fast sender from overwhelming a slow receiver, ensuring efficient data transmission.
- -- Congestion Control
- The strategy implemented to prevent network congestion by managing the data injection rate into the network.
- -- TCP Connection Management
- Includes the procedures for establishing (three-way handshake) and terminating (four-way handshake) a connection between two hosts to synchronize communication.
- -- Reliable Data Transfer (RDT)
- Protocols ensuring that data is delivered accurately, completely, in the correct order, and without duplication.
- -- UDP
- User Datagram Protocol, a connectionless protocol that offers minimal transport services without reliability guarantees.
- -- TCP
- Transmission Control Protocol, a connection-oriented protocol that provides reliable data transfer through its extensive features.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.