Chapter 3. Understanding How Network Systems Communicate

In this chapter, we'll review how networked systems move data from point A to point B. We're assuming that you already understand the basics of networking, such as how to assign a valid network address to a device. This chapter will focus on exactly what is going on behind the scenes and along your network cabling. This knowledge is critical in order to give context to the security concepts covered in subsequent chapters.

Featured in this chapter:

  • The anatomy of a frame of data

  • A protocol's job

  • The OSI model

  • Routers

  • Connectionless and connection-oriented communications

  • Network services

  • Upper-layer communications

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