The Session layer is the fifth layer in the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model. It plays a crucial role in managing and controlling the dialog between two computers, establishing, maintaining, and terminating communication sessions.

The tasks performed are:

1.Session Establishment, Maintenance, and Termination

2.Synchronization

3.Dialog Control

4.Session Recovery

5.Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)

What is Session Establishment, Maintenance, and Termination?

– Establishment: Initiates connections between applications on different devices, ensuring that communication sessions are properly started.

– Maintenance: Keeps the session alive and manages the data exchange, ensuring that the connection remains open and functional.

– Termination: Properly closes the session once communication is complete, freeing up resources.

SESSION LAYER:

Synchronization:

– Manages synchronization points, or checkpoints, within a stream of data. If a session is interrupted, these checkpoints allow the session to be resumed from the last checkpoint rather than starting over.

– This ensures data integrity and continuity, particularly important for long communications or large data transfers.

Dialog Control:

– Controls whether the communication is in half-duplex or full-duplex mode.

– Half-Duplex: Allows data transmission in one direction at a time.

– Full-Duplex: Allows simultaneous data transmission in both directions.

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA):

Authentication: Verifies the identity of users and devices attempting to establish a session. Ensures that only authorized entities can initiate communication.

Authorization: Determines whether an authenticated user has permission to access the requested resources or perform certain operations during the session.

Accounting: Tracks the usage of network resources by users and devices, often for auditing, billing, or resource allocation purposes.