Functions of Network Layer
The network layer is responsible for providing the below-given tasks:
- Logical Addressing: Each device on the network needs to be identified uniquely. Therefore network layer provides an addressing scheme to identify the device. It places the IP address of every sender and the receiver in the header. This header consists of the network ID and host ID of the network.
- Host-to-host Delivery of Data: The network layer ensures that the packet is being delivered successfully from the sender to the receiver. This layer makes sure that the packet reaches the intended recipient only.
- Fragmentation: In order to transmit the larger data from sender to receiver, the network layer fragments it into smaller packets. Fragmentation is required because every node has its own fixed capacity for receiving data.
- Congestion Control: Congestion is defined as a situation where the router is not able to route the packets property which results in aggregation of packets in the network. Congestion occurs when a large amount of packets are flooded in the network. Therefore network layer controls the congestion of data packets in the network.
- Routing and Forwarding: Routing is the process that decides the route for transmission of packets from sender to receiver. It mostly chooses the shortest path between the sender and the receiver. Routing protocols that are mostly used are path vector, distance vector routing, link state routing, etc.
Network Layer Protocols
Network Layer is responsible for the transmission of data or communication from one host to another host connected in a network. Rather than describing how data is transferred, it implements the technique for efficient transmission. In order to provide efficient communication protocols are used at the network layer. The data is being grouped into packets or in the case of extremely large data it is divided into smaller sub packets. Each protocol used has specific features and advantages. The below article covers in detail the protocols used at the network layer.