Session Layer

Session layer is the fifth layer in the OSI

(Open Systems Interconnection) Model. This

layer is responsible for managing the connection

between two machines during the course of

communication between them.

 It is at this layer where it is determined

whether all the information for the session has

been received or not. And thus, it can decide

whether to stop the reception or transmission of

data packets. Since we are dealing with data

packets, this layer also has built-in error correction

and recovery methods.

 The Session layer communicates between

service requestors and providers. There are certain

mechanisms that help control communication

sessions. These mechanisms help in establishing,

maintaining synchronization, and managing

dialogue between the communicating entities.

 Within the layering arrangements of the

OSI Network architecture, the session layer

responds to service requests from the

presentation layer and issues service requests to

the transport layer.

 Thus, the main aim of the Session layer is

to manage and synchronizing conversation

between two different applications and avoid

any premature loss of data stream.

Purpose of the
Session Layer
 The Session layer facilitates

communications between service requestors,

and providers, as already mentioned. Often, this

layer helps the upper layers identify and connect

to the services that are available on the network.

 The session layer could be compared to

telephone operators and telephone directory

services.
 For example, suppose that you wanted to

call a hotel for room reservations but you do not

know the Hotel’s telephone number; you could

call a telephone operator who provides

directory services.
 That operator uses information provided

by other telephone company employees to find

the number of the Hotel. Similarly, the Session

layer uses logical address information provided

by lower layers to identify the server names and

addresses that upper layers need.

 After you have been told the telephone

number, you could ask the telephone operator

to place the call for you. The session layer also

places the “calls” and initiates conversations

(between service providers and requestors).

Function of the
Session Layer
1. Session establishment, maintenance, and

termination

The layer allows the two communicating

sides to establish, use and terminate a

connection.
2. Synchronization

Information transactions at the sender and

receiver should be happening at the same time,

this is called synchronization. To achieve this,

checkpoints are added by this layer.

Such checkpoints are called as

synchronization points in the data. This helps

in error identification, re-synchronizing data

properly, and avoiding premature cutting of

the ends of messages thereby avoiding data

loss.
3. Dialog Controller:

With the use of various modes of

communication, such as half-duplex or full-

duplex, this Layer allows entities to start

communication.
 In Simplex dialog permits communication

on the transmission channel to occur in one

direction only. Only one device transmits at a

time and another device(s) receives. Full channel

bandwidth is available.
 In simplex channels transmitting device(s)

cannot receive information while receiving

device(s) cannot transmit information. This

provides a broad coverage area and a large

target audience. For instance, commercial

television broadcasts use this mode.

 In Half Duplex dialog method, only one

device transmits at a time and each device can

both transmit and receive. Hence, here also the

channel’s full bandwidth is available and bi-

directional communication can be established.

 Disadvantages of it are: only one unit

transmits at a time; channel not being effectively

used while waiting for direction change, and it

uses relatively more expensive hardware than

simplex. For instance, Police wireless

communication devices use this mode.

 In the Full Duplex dialog method, every

device can both transmit and receive at the

same time or simultaneously. Thus, to achieve

this, every device ought to have two physical or

logical transmission channels, i.e. on for

receiving and others for transmitting.

 Certain disadvantages to it are: hardware

concerned becomes more expensive than

simplex and half-duplex. Requires more

transmission media, and can connect to a limited

or exclusive target audience at a time. For

instance, modern telephone systems provide

Full-Duplex Channels.
Session Administration
Methods
 In Connection Establishment, subtasks are
performed so as the entities recognize and
communicate with each other. This includes:
verification of username and passwords;
establishing connection identification numbers;
agreeing on serves required for what durations;
coordinating acknowledgment numbering and
retransmission procedures.
 In Data Transfer, maintaining connection

and passing of messages between the entities is

ensured. Subtasks performed are: actual transfer

of data; acknowledgment of receipt of data, and

this includes negative acknowledgment when

the data is not received; resumption of

interrupted communications.
 In Connection Release, the task of ending a

communication session is carried out. This can

be done by willful acknowledgment of the

communication entities, or due to the loss of a

connection caused probably by the accidental

breakup of communication among other causes.

 The Communicating entities recognize the

loss of connection when they don’t get expected

acknowledgment or negative acknowledgment.

What makes a
Session layer
Vital?
 Session Layer is a vital part of the OSI

Model because it is responsible for two

important functions in the computers;

authorization and authentication of a connection

between two end-user applications.

 It establishes the communication between

systems and servers through the three

communication channels: Simplex, Half Duplex,

and Full Duplex. It communicates with the layers

above and below it; the transport layer and the

presentation layer.
 The Session Layer is one of the three

‘upper layers’, as they are called, and with the

two other upper layers, it is responsible for the

communication of the applications between

hosts.
 The reason for categorizing these three

layers separately from the other four layers is

that their role in the model is to build

communication channels and they have no

knowledge of the process of networking and

network addresses.
 The most known protocols that are used in

Session Layer are Domain Name Server (DNS)

Protocol, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol

(LDAP) And Network Basic Input/Output System

(NetBIOS), Remote Procedure Call Control (RPC),

Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Session

Control Protocol (SCP), Session Description

Protocol (SDP).
Services Provided by the
Session Layer
Management – So many layers and with so

many applications and protocols can be

confusing especially for the system itself. Session

Layer manages the order of the operation in case

more than one party is attempting a critical

operation at the same time.

 Opening and closing of a connection or

session between end-user applications is also

the role of this layer.

Authorization – After authentication comes to

the authorization, after the verification of your

identity it is important that you receive the

permit to establish a session and this is the

simple process of that which most probably is

the simplest function of the entire model.

 The failed attempts of communication by

the upper layers are fixed by this layer by re-

establishing the connection.

 To understand the session layer, you need

to imagine a live stream of a sports program

where video and audio come from two different

sources but are synchronized to give viewers a

great experience.