DATA LINK LAYER

INTRODUCTION

• The data link layer in the OSI (Open System Interconnections) Model, is in between the
physical layer and the network layer.
• The data link layer is responsible for maintaining the data link between two hosts or
nodes.

• This layer converts the raw transmission facility provided by the physical layer to a
reliable and error-free link.
FUNCTIONS OF DLL

The main functions and the design issues of this layer are

• Providing services to the network layer

• Framing
• Error Control
• Flow Control
SERVICES TO THE NETWORK LAYER
• In the OSI Model, each layer uses the services of the layer below it and provides services to the
layer above it.
• The data link layer uses the services offered by the physical layer.
• The primary function of this layer is to provide a well defined service interface to network layer
above it.

The types of services provided can be of three types −

• Unacknowledged connectionless service
• Acknowledged connectionless service
• Acknowledged connection - oriented service
FRAMING
Data Link Layer protocols encapsulate each network frame within a Link layer frame before the
transmission across the link.
The data link layer encapsulates each data packet from the network layer into frames that are then
transmitted.
It specifies the structure of the frame as well as a channel access protocol by which frame is to be
transmitted over the link.

• A frame has three parts, namely −

• Frame Header
• Payload field that contains the data packet from network layer
• Trailer
ERROR CONTROL

• The data link layer ensures error free link for data transmission. The issues it caters to with
respect to error control are −

• Dealing with transmission errors

• Sending acknowledgement frames in reliable connections
• Retransmitting lost frames
• Identifying duplicate frames and deleting them
• Controlling access to shared channels in case of broadcasting

• Error detection: Errors can be introduced by signal attenuation and noise. Data Link Layer
protocol provides a mechanism to detect one or more errors. This is achieved by adding error
detection bits in the frame and then receiving node can perform an error check.
• Error correction: Error correction is similar to the Error detection, except that receiving node not
only detect the errors but also determine where the errors have occurred in the frame.
FLOW CONTROL
• A receiving node can’t receive the frames at a faster rate than it can process the frame.
Without flow control, the receiver's buffer can overflow, and frames can get lost.
• To overcome this problem, the data link layer uses the flow control to prevent the sending
node on one side of the link from overwhelming the receiving node on another side of the link .
• The two common approaches for flow control are −

• Feedback based flow control

• the receiver sends back information to the sender giving it permission to send more data,
or atleast telling the sender how the receiver is doing.
• Rate based flow control
• the protocol has a built-in mechanism that limits the rate at which senders may transmit
data, without using feedback from the receiver.
DESIGN ISSUES
• A design issue often represents a challenging problem through the operational
requirements and capabilities of a system.
• A design issue is usually a very important item of the design process that will lead to
specific design solutions.
SERVICE AGREEMENT TO THE NETWORK LAYER

• The main aim of this service is to give services to the network layer. The concept of this
layer is to transfer the data from the network layer on the source machine to the layer on
the destination machine. Communication between the two data layers is done via Data
Link Control Protocol.

• Here are the important services given by the Data Link layer to the Network layer −

• Unacknowledged connectionless services

• Acknowledged connectionless service

• Acknowledged-oriented service
 FRAMING
• Service given to the network layer, data link uses the services given to the physical layer.
• The source machine sends the data in the form of frames to the destination machine. Starting
point and the endpoint of the frame should point out so that the destination machine can easily
identify the frame.

• The data link layer breaks the bitstream and calculates the checksum for each layer. At the
destination layer, the checksum is enumerated. Therefore, breaking the bitstream by placing
spaces and time gaps is known as framing.

• It is quite difficult and dangerous to count on timing and mark the starting and endpoints of each
frame. Simple techniques used for framing are −
• Character Count
• Starting and ending character with character filling
• Starting and ending flags with little fillings.
FLOW CONTROL

• Flow control is done to stop the data flow at the receiver's end.
• The transmitter will transfer the frames very quickly to the receiver. However, the receiver
will not accept them as quickly as the sender sends because the sender runs on a lightly
loaded machine while the receiver runs on a heavily loaded machine.

• It doesn't matter if the transmission is error-free at some point. The receiver will not be
able to control the frames as they will arrive.

• For stopping the transmission, a mechanism is there which requests the transmitter to
block the incorrect messages.
ERROR CONTROL

• It is done so that there is no copying of the frames for the safe delivery of the frames at
the destination. In addition, Positive and negative acceptance is sent about the incoming
frames.

• Therefore, if the sender gets positive acceptance, that means the frame appears safely,
while negative appearance means that something is wrong with the frame and the frame
will be retransferred.

• The timer is put at the receiver's and sender's end. Besides, the sequence number is
given to the outgoing transmission. So that receiver will easily identify that it is a
retransmitted frame. It is one of the main parts of the data link layer responsibilities.
PHYSICAL ADDRESS OF FRAMES

• The data link layer adds a header to the frame to describe the sender or receiver's
physical address.