OSI ModelIntroductionSuccessful communication of any kind contains four key characteristics. These features follow:1. A sender: This is the person who sends information.2. A recipient: This is the person to whom the sender sends the information.3. A common language: If the sender and recipient want to understand each other, they will need a common language and protocol, or a specific method of communication. A common medium: The sender and recipient can choose whether to communicate in person, by telephone, in writing, or any other method mutually agrees. The Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model attempts to define and standardize these key communications characteristics for computer networks. It does this by dividing communication between computers into seven specific levels. Each level performs specific tasks related to achieving communication. This document will address the layers by explaining what they do individually and how they work together as a whole. Each OSI layer labels the portion of data it processes before transmitting it to the next layer. The next level may be above or below the current level depending on whether the computer is receiving or sending data. For the purposes of this document, the layers will be described from top to bottom starting with the application and ending with the physical layer. This simulates the theoretical method by which a computer sends data. When data is received, the layers are reversed and the data flows from the physical layer up to the application layer....... middle of paper ......rk that companies use to develop network protocols. Each level of the model has been discussed separately. These layers are:ApplicationPresentationSessionTransportNetworkData LinkPhysicalProtocol stacks allow computers to communicate with each other over the network even when they have different applications and operating systems.Sources Cited1. http://frontpage.idsonline.com/sallard/MCSE/Net%20Ess/OSI%20Model.html2. http://eratosthenes.informatik.uni-mannheim.de/informatik/pi4/lectures/RN/CN-Title/form/basosie.htm3. http://www.matcmp.sunynassau.edu/~kaplans/classes/osimodel.htm4. http://www.atlantic-tech.com/osimodel.htm