Understanding the OSI 7 Layer Model

This document provides a full length explanation of the OSI 7 layer model including the role of each layer and of the stack. This model defines how applications running upon network-aware devices may communicate with each other. The model is generic and applies to all network types, not just TCP/IP, and all media types, not just Ethernet. The OSI model is a way of describing how different applications and protocols interact on network-aware devices. We explain the role of each layer and of the stack.