Data Link Layer

INTRODUCTION

The data link layer is responsible

for the node-to-node delivery of the
message. The main function of this
layer is to make sure data transfer
is error-free from one node to
another, over the physical layer.
When a packet arrives in a
network, it is the responsibility of
DLL to transmit it to the Host using
its MAC address.
 Data Link Layer is divided into
two sublayers:

● Logical Link Control (LLC)-

Provides the logic for the data link,
Thus it controls the
synchronization, flow control, and
error checking functions of the
data link layer.

Functions are –

● (i) Error Recovery.

● (ii) It performs the flow
control operations.
● (iii) User addressing.
 ● Media Access Control
(MAC)-
It is the second sub-layer of
data-link layer. It controls the flow
and multiplexing for transmission
medium. Transmission of data
packets is controlled by this layer.
This layer is responsible for
sending the data over the network
interface card.

Functions are –

● (i) To perform the control of

access to media.
 ● (ii) It performs the unique
addressing to stations directly
connected to LAN.
● (iii) Detection of errors.

The packet received from the

Network layer is further divided
into frames depending on the
frame size of NIC(Network
Interface Card). DLL also
encapsulates Sender and
Receiver’s MAC address in the
header.

The Receiver’s MAC address is

obtained by placing an
ARP(Address Resolution Protocol)
request onto the wire asking “Who
has that IP address?” and the
destination host will reply with its
MAC address.

The functions of the Data Link

layer are :

1. Framing: Framing is a function

of the data link layer. It provides
a way for a sender to transmit a
set of bits that are meaningful to
the receiver. This can be
accomplished by attaching
 special bit patterns to the
beginning and end of the frame.
2. Physical addressing: After
creating frames, the Data link
layer adds physical addresses
(MAC address) of the sender
and/or receiver in the header of
each frame.
3. Error control: Data link layer
provides the mechanism of error
control in which it detects and
retransmits damaged or lost
frames.
4. Flow Control: The data rate
must be constant on both sides
else the data may get corrupted
 thus, flow control coordinates
the amount of data that can be
sent before receiving
acknowledgement.
5. Access control: When a
single communication channel is
shared by multiple devices, the
MAC sub-layer of the data link
layer helps to determine which
device has control over the
channel at a given time.

* Packet in Data Link layer is

referred to as Frame.
** Data Link layer is handled by the
NIC (Network Interface Card) and
device drivers of host machines.
*** Switch & Bridge are Data Link
Layer devices.

Data Link Layer protocols are

generally responsible to simply
ensure and confirm that the bits
and bytes that are received are
identical to the bits and bytes
being transferred. It is basically a
set of specifications that are used
for implementation of data link
layer just above the physical layer
of the Open System
Interconnections (OSI) Model.

Some Common Data Link

Protocols :

There are various data link

protocols that are required for
Wide Area Network (WAN) and
modem connections. Logical Link
Control (LLC) is a data link
protocol of Local Area Network
(LAN).
Some of data link protocols are
given below :
 1. Synchronous Data Link
Protocol (SDLC) –
SDLC is basically a
communication protocol of
computer. It usually supports
multipoint links even error recovery
or error correction also. It is usually
used to carry SNA (Systems
Network Architecture) traffic and is
present precursor to HDLC. It is
also designed and developed by
IBM in 1975. It is also used to
connect all of the remote devices
to mainframe computers at central
locations may be in point-to-point
(one-to-one) or point-to-multipoint
(one-to-many) connections. It is
also used to make sure that the
data units should arrive correctly
and with right flow from one
network point to next network
point.

2. High-Level Data Link

Protocol (HDLC) –
HDLC is basically a protocol that is
now assumed to be an umbrella
under which many Wide Area
protocols sit. It is also adopted as
a part of X.25 network. It was
originally created and developed
by ISO in 1979. This protocol is
generally based on SDLC. It also
provides best-effort unreliable
service and also reliable service.
HDLC is a bit-oriented protocol
that is applicable for point-to-point
and multipoint communications
both.

3. Serial Line Interface

Protocol (SLIP) –
SLIP is generally an older protocol
that is just used to add a framing
byte at end of IP packet. It is
basically a data link control facility
that is required for transferring IP
packets usually among Internet
Service Providers (ISP) and a
home user over a dial-up link. It is
an encapsulation of the TCP/IP
especially designed to work with
over serial ports and several router
connections simply for
communication. It is some
limitations like it does not provide
mechanisms such as error
correction or error detection.

4. Point to Point Protocol

(PPP)-
PPP is a protocol that is basically
used to provide same functionality
as SLIP. It is most robust protocol
that is used to transport other
types of packets also along with IP
Packets. It can also be required for
dial-up and leased router-router
lines. It basically provides framing
method to describe frames. It is a
character-oriented protocol that is
also used for error detection. It is
also used to provides two
protocols i.e. NCP and LCP. LCP
is used for bringing lines up,
negotiation of options, bringing
them down whereas NCP is used
for negotiating network-layer
protocols. It is required for same
serial interfaces like that of HDLC.

5. Link Control Protocol (LCP)-

It was originally developed and
created by IEEE 802.2. It is also
used to provide HDLC style
services on LAN (Local Area
Network). LCP is basically a PPP
protocol that is used for
establishing, configuring, testing,
maintenance, and ending or
terminating links for transmission
of data frames.
 6. Link Access Procedure
(LAP)-
LAP protocols are basically a data
link layer protocols that are
required for framing and
transferring data across
point-to-point links. It also includes
some reliability service features.
There are basically three types of
LAP i.e. LAPB (Link Access
Procedure Balanced), LAPD (Link
Access Procedure D-Channel),
and LAPF (Link Access Procedure
Frame-Mode Bearer Services). It is
actually originated from IBM
SDLC, which is being submitted by
IBM to the ISP simply for
standardization.

7. Network Control Protocol

(NCP)-
NCP was also an older protocol
that was implemented by
ARPANET. It basically allows users
to have access to use computers
and some of the devices at remote
locations and also to transfer files
among two or more computers. It
is generally a set of protocols that
is forming a part of PPP. NCP is
always available for each and
every higher-layer protocol that is
supported by PPP. NCP was
replaced by TCP/IP in the 1980s.