Type of Stations for HDLC Protocol

• Last Updated : 30 Jul, 2020

High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) is basically bit-oriented protocol for communication that means it uses bit
stuffing to achieve data transparency over very point-to-point and multipoint links in Data Link Layer (DLL).
Transparency is basically separation of data from control signals. HDLC was being derived from Synchronous
Data Link Control (SDLC).
HDLC is most important and essential protocol in data link layer. Data is also organized and divided into small
units also known as data frames and is transferred across network to destination that verifies and ensures its
successful arrival. ITU (International Telecommunication Union) simply modified HDLC for the use in X.25
network interface and called it LAPB (Balanced Link Access Protocol). It is the most essential protocol because
of the following reasons :
• HDLC was highly developed and used by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for point-to-
point communication.
• HDLC uses similar format and mechanisms as that of other essential data link protocols.
• It also supports full-duplex communication or transmission as well as half-duplex communication or
transmission.
Types of Stations :
HDLC generally specifies the three types of stations for data link control as given below :

1. Primary Station :
Primary Station simply takes care of data link management. The main responsibility of primary station is to
control operation of all other stations on links. It usually acts as master and controls operation of secondary
stations and also handles error recovery at data link layer. It also manages and controls connection to all
secondary sessions by sending commands.
A primary issue basically commands and secondary issues basically responses. Commands are actually
frames that are issued by this primary station. This station is also responsible for error detection, line
control, and control of data flow. To communicate with Secondary stations, it requires use of unbalanced
mode. The primary station is responsible for connecting and disconnecting data link in case of
communication among primary and secondary stations.
2. Secondary Station :
Secondary stations generally give responses to commands that are sent from primary station. This station
act as slave and basically operates and works under control of primary station. It only transmits or sends
response frame when this response frame is being requested by primary station. Responses are frames that
are issued by secondary station. These stations are usually terminals that are attached to mainframes.
A secondary station has no ability, or have direct responsibility to control data link. An unbalanced mode is
communication among primary and secondary stations.
 3. Combined Station :
Combined Station as name suggests generally acts as combination of both primary and secondary stations.
It establishes and tears down their own connections. The combined station usually issues both command
or response. The balanced mode is communication among two combined stations. Each of combined
stations is fully in control of itself and does not even rely on any of other stations on data link.
Combined stations are generally used and required in point-to-point serial links like V.35 link to CSU/DSU
(Channel Service Unit / Data Service Unit) or among various connected routers by T1 or frame relay.
Types of HDLC Frames
• Difficulty Level : Basic
• Last Updated : 30 Jul, 2020

High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) generally provides flexibility to simply support all options that are possible
in various data transfer modes and configurations. To provide flexibility, HDLC basically uses and explains three
different types of frames.
Type of frame is basically determined by control field of frame. Each type of frame generally serves as an
envelope for transmission of various types of messages. These three different classes of frames used in HDLC
are given below.

1. I-frame :
I-frame stands for Information frames. This frame is generally used for transporting user data from network
layer. These frames actually carry actual data or information of upper layer and some control information.
This frame carries data along with both send sequence number and an acknowledgment number. It can also be
used to piggyback acknowledgment information in case of ABM (Asynchronous Balanced Mode). The first bit of
this frame of control filed is 0.

2. S-frame :
S-frame stands for Supervisory frames. These frames are basically required and essential for error control and
flow control. They also provide control information. It contains or includes only an Acknowledgment number.
First two bit of this frame of control filed is 10. S-frame does not have any information fields. This frame contains
send and receive sequence numbers.
 Example –
• Receive Ready (RR)
• Receive Not Ready (RNR)
• Reject on frame N(R) (REJ)
• Selective reject on N(R) (SREJ), etc.
3. U-frame :
U-frame stands for Unnumbered frames. These frames are also required in various functions like link setup and
disconnections. These frames basically support control purposes and are not sequenced. First two bit of this
frame of control filed is 11. Some of U-frame contain an information field depending upon type.
These frames are also used for different miscellaneous purposes along with link management. U-frame is
required for managing link itself. This frame does not include any type of acknowledgment information i.e. in
turn it includes or contained in sequence number. These frames are generally reserved for system management.

Example –
• Set Normal Response Mode (SNRM)
• Set Asynchronous Response Mode (SARM)
• Set Asynchronous Balanced Mode (SABM)
• Unnumbered Polling (UP)
• Unnumbered Acknowledge (UA), etc.

Basic Frame Structure of HDLC

• Difficulty Level : Expert
• Last Updated : 31 Jul, 2020

High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) generally uses term “frame” to indicate and represent an entity of data
or a protocol of data unit often transmitted or transferred from one station to another station. Each and every
frame on link should begin and end with Flag Sequence Field (F). Each of frames in HDLC includes mainly six
fields. It begins with a flag field, an address field, a control field, an information field, an frame check sequence
(FCS) field, and an ending flag field. The ending flag field of one frame can serve as beginning flag field of the
next frame in multiple-frame transmissions.
The basic frame structure of HDLC protocol is shown below :
Size of Different Fields :
Field Name Size (bits)

Flag Field 8 bits

Address Field 8 bits

Control Field 8 or 16 bits

Variable (not used in some type of HDLC

Information Field frames)

FCS (Frame Check Sequence)

Field 16 or 32 bits

Closing Flag Field 8 bits

Let us understand these fields in details :

1. Flag Field –
The flag field is generally responsible for initiation and termination of error checking. In HDLC protocol,
there is no start and stop bits. So, the flag field is basically using delimiter 0x7e to simply indicate
beginning and end of frame.
It is an 8-bit sequence with a bit pattern 01111110 that basically helps in identifying both starting and
end of a frame. This bit pattern also serves as a synchronization pattern for receiver. This bit pattern is
also not allowed to occur anywhere else inside a complete frame.

2. Address Field –
The address field generally includes HDLC address of secondary station. It helps to identify secondary
station will sent or receive data frame. This field also generally consists of 8 bits therefore it is capable of
addressing 256 addresses. This field can be of 1 byte or several bytes long, it depends upon requirements
of network. Each byte can identify up to 128 stations.
 This address might include a particular address, a group address, or a broadcast address. A primary
address can either be a source of communication or a destination that eliminates requirement of
including address of primary.

3. Control Field –
HDLC generally uses this field to determine how to control process of communication. The control field
is different for different types of frames in HDLC protocol. The types of frames can be Information frame
(I-frame), Supervisory frame (S-frame), and Unnumbered frame (U-frame).

This field is a 1-2-byte segment of frame generally requires for flow and error control. This field basically
consists of 8 bits but it can be extended to 16 bits. In this field, interpretation of bits usually depends
upon the type of frame.

4. Information Field –
This field usually contains data or information of users sender is transmitting to receiver in an I -frame
and network layer or management information in U-frame. It also consists of user’s data and is fully
transparent. The length of this field might vary from one network to another network.
Information field is not always present in an HDLC frame.

5. Frame Check Sequence (FCS) –

FCS is generally used for identification of errors i.e., HDLC error detection. In FCS, CRC16 (16 -bit Cyclic
Redundancy Check) or CRC32 (32-bit Cyclic Redundancy Check) code is basically used for error detection.
CRC calculation is done again in receiver. If somehow result differs even slightly from value in original
frame, an error is assumed.
This field can either contain 2 byte or 4 bytes. This field is a total 16 bit that is required for error detection
in address field, control field, and information field. FCS is basically calculated by sender and receiver
both of a data frame. FCS is used to confirm and ensure that data frame was not corrupted by medium
that is used to transfer frame from sender to receiver.