Application Layer

Topic: Application Layer
Review Questions
Use these questions to review the important material from the Topic Notes and chapter2 of the prescribed textbook.
The review should take place in your own time. Where possible you should work with your colleagues.
You can discuss your answers with your tutor in the week 3 tutorial.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. What are the different types of application architectures?
2. Describe the four basic functions of an application software package.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of host-based networks versus client-server networks?
4. What is middleware and what does it do?
5. Suppose your organization was contemplating switching from a host-based architecture to client-server. What problems would you foresee?
6. Compare and contrast two-tiered, three-tiered, and n-tiered client server architectures. What are the technical differences and what advantages and disadvantages do each offer?
7. How does a thin client differ from a thick client?
8. For what is HTTP used? What are its major parts?
9. Describe how a Web browser and Web server work together to send a web page to a user.
10. Describe how mail user agents and message transfer agents work together to transfer mail messages.
11. What roles do SMTP, POP, and IMAP play in sending and receiving e-mail on the Internet?
12. What is FTP and why is it useful?
13. What is Telnet and why is it useful?
Lab Preparation
To prepare for the lab in week 3:
1. Study the structure of the HTTP request and response packets, refer Lecture – Week 2: Application Layer slides 23 to 27, chapter 2 of prescribed textbook and look at other source material on Web.
2. Check out Rex Swain’s HTTP Viewer at www.rexswain.com/httpview.html