The 7-layer OSI model is the universal framework for understanding how data travels across a network. Know where each protocol lives, what PDU it uses, and which device operates at each layer.
The Internet Protocol (IP) is responsible for logical addressing and routing packets between networks. At which OSI layer number does IP operate? Routers work at this same layer.
Each OSI layer wraps data in its own Protocol Data Unit (PDU). At the Transport layer (Layer 4), TCP wraps the data in a specific PDU. What is it called?
| Layer | Protocol | PDU Name |
|---|---|---|
| 7 — Application | HTTP, DNS, FTP | Data / Message |
| 4 — Transport | TCP / UDP | ??? |
| 3 — Network | IP, ICMP | Packet |
| 2 — Data Link | Ethernet | Frame |
| 1 — Physical | — | Bit |
MAC (Media Access Control) addresses are hardware addresses burned into network interface cards. Switches use MAC address tables to forward frames. At which OSI layer do MAC addresses and switches operate? Enter the layer number.
HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, DNS, SMTP — these protocols form the foundation of internet services that users interact with directly. What is the OSI layer number where these application-level protocols operate?
When data travels down the OSI model from sender to receiver, each layer adds its own header — this process is called encapsulation. At the receiving end, headers are stripped off layer by layer. What is this reverse process called? (one word)