A Hybrid Layering Model

A network model is a collection of documents that outline the network’s requirements in order for it to perform optimally. The modern world is characterized by technical progress and innovation. Internet connectivity is one of the most recent technological advances. To access the internet, computers must be connected to a network. Many applications employed in today’s technological progress necessitate the transfer of data from one location to another. The Hybrid layering approach provides the best structure for supporting information mobility in a network. It contains various layers which support a fast and reliable movement of data across the network to ensure it is delivered on time and to the required destination. The connection of a computer to the web is aided by the presence of TCP/IP. TCP/IP is the language responsible for connecting a computer to the internet. However, TCP/IP is a traditional technique which does not take into account recent development in technology and network connectivity. This has led to the development of the Hybrid layering model which combines the features, rules, and protocols of both the TCP and the Internet Protocol.

Key words: network, models, information, Transport Control Protocol, Internet Protocol, Open system Interconnection.

The Hybrid Layering Model

Introduction

The current computer networking technology has been upgraded from TCP/IP to the Hybrid layering model. Due to increased need to transmit data from one location to another, there has been the development of the hybrid layering model. It combines the functionality of both TCP and IP (Sugarbroad, 1990). The Hybrid model consists of a suite of rules and protocols that establish networks that provide the host with access to internet connectivity. It is made up of five layers which enable the model to leverage aspects of both network models leading to enhanced efficiency and performance of the network. These layers include Application layer, Transport layer, Network layer, Data Link layer and the physical layer. These layers provide the necessary information needed for the functionality of the network. Each layer in the hybrid layering model provides the basic information required to move data across the entire network. Functions are grouped according to the tasks needed to ensure that the network performs adequately. These layers work according to the specific rules and requirements that need to be completed. This article analyses the various aspects of the hybrid layering model to determine specific issues that make the design more efficient.

Application Layer

The Application layer contains the applications that support communication within the network. This layer combines the functions of the first three tiers of the OSI model; Session, Application and the Presentation layer. The Application layer provides the services needed by the application software for it to perform appropriately. It defines the services required by the Application such as requesting connections to the remote hosts. This layer uses the transport layer to send requests to connect to remote hosts to a network. The Application layer acts as the link between the network and the application software running on the computer. An example of the Application layer is the web browser which pulls contents from the website page and provides it to the client computer connected to the network.

Transport Layer

This layer is responsible for facilitating end-to-end communication between different elements in the network. It establishes the link between applications on the network running on different hosts. This layer provides essential services that ensure ample transfer of information from one section in the network to another. In the hybrid model, each layer supports and issues various services to the stratum on top of it (Callon, 1991). In this case, the transport layer protocols are aimed at guaranteeing the delivery of data across the entire network. The efficiency of a network is determined by the ability of the network to transfer and deliver information within the entire network in time. This is supported by a protocol known as the adjacent layer interaction where adjacent layers in the hybrid layering model interact and work together to ensure that each layer performs its intended tasks and responsibilities (Sugarbroad, 1990).

The Application layer requests the transport layer to perform certain essential tasks crucial for the operability of the entire network. The data from the transport layer first determines if the next layer is utilized using the datagram. In case the layer is free, data is transferred to the next tier. The transport layer divides the message into small bits that can be easily managed and transferred within the network. However, it is also involved in detecting errors in the network and undertaking appropriate correction and message reordering to ensure the network performs optimally.

Network Layer

The network layer is concerned with the entire routing of data from the origin of information in the network to the destination computer. The Network layer is concerned with the provision of necessary protocols and hardware needed to deliver information across the entire physical network (Tsuchiya, 1987). This layer is tasked with the responsibility of creating data packets in the network and utilizes the IP address to locate the source and destination of the data. The network layer determines how the client computer access the network by generating the appropriate data packets using the IP address. It also regulates the utilization of the different forms of media by users in the network. As it’s the norm in Hybrid layering model, the network layer provides various services to the transport layer which is the layer above it in the hybrid model. The network layer is responsible for traffic routing and control to ensure steady speeds in the network.

Data Link Layer

The data link layer is tasked with framing the data transmission, reception, and control of errors in a network. This layer is responsible for the provision of the necessary protocols that determine when the device connected to the network can send data using the given medium. The data link protocols define the head and trailer of the data format which allows various devices connected to the network to send and receive data using the appropriate mediums available successfully (Sugarbroad, 1990). It contains essential protocols that will ensure that the transmission of information in the network takes place successfully. The Data Link layer establishes the frames critical to moving data across the network.

Physical Layer

The physical layer is the last layer of the Hybrid layering model. It is responsible for the actual bit transmission of information through either wireless or wired network telecommunication links. This layer contains essential protocols that deal with the physical attributes of the network communication medium required for the functionality of the network. It also contains the rules that guide on the activation and deactivation of the physical transmission medium. This layer is responsible for coding and decoding the information provided in the frames created by the Data Link layer. The layer contains the transceiver protocol that sends and receives the signals from the network (Yan & Yu, 2012).

Conclusion

The Hybrid layering model is similar to both the OSI and the TCP/IP layering model. However, the Hybrid layering model is the most used network model since it combines the aspects of both OSI and TCP/IP to create a single but more efficient network design. The Hybrid model is made up of five layers which are important in the functionality of the network. Each layer contains different rules and protocols that aid in the functionality of the overall network. The functionality of the Hybrid layering model is dependent on the performance of individual layers in the network design (Yan & Yu, 2012). Layering is essential in ensuring that computer devices connected to a network interact and communicate adequately. In Hybrid layering model, the five layers divide the various tasks needed for ample communication into distinct logical functions that makes it easy to solve. The Hybrid model combines the five layers to achieve the desired communication functionality within the network.

References

Callon, R. (1991). Integrated routing for multi-protocol TCP/IP-OSI environments. Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, 23(1-3), 185-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-7552(91)90105-l

Sugarbroad, I. (1990). An OSI-based interoperability architecture for managing hybrid networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 28(3), 61-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/35.52893

Tsuchiya, P. (1987). An architecture for network-layer routing in OSI. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, 17(5), 185-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/55483.55501

Yan, H., & Yu, P. (2012). Research on Layering Model in the Service-Oriented Network Management Architecture. Advanced Materials Research, 542-543, 452-456. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.542-543.452