Protocols (Cambridge (CIE) A Level Computer Science): Exam Questions

Name and describe two protocols used by the Application Layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite.

Protocol 1

Description

Protocol 2

Description

Explain the purpose and function of the Application Layer in the TCP/IP protocol suite.

The TCP/IP protocol suite has four layers:

Transport, Application, Link, Internet

Complete the diagram to show the correct order for these layers.

Describe the function of the Transport layer.

Outline one protocol that is associated with the Application layer.

Outline why protocols are essential for communication between computers.

State the names of two different protocols associated with the sending and receiving of emails between computers

Sending.......................................................................

Receiving....................................................................

Draw one line to connect each protocol to its most appropriate use.

Outline the purpose of the Link layer in the TCP/IP protocol suite.

Complete the following paragraph about a protocol suite, using words from the given list.

Some words are not used.

BitTorrent circuit switching layered link list

peer‑to‑peer queue stack star TCP/IP

The protocols in a ............................................................................. determine

the interconnectivity rules for a .............................................................................

network model such as the .............................................................................

model.

A company uses a network that is connected to the internet. The table describes two tasks that are carried out on this network.

Complete the table by writing the name of the protocol that is used for each task.

A group of users want to share one very large video file with each other over the internet. They use the BitTorrent protocol to do this.

Explain how the BitTorrent protocol allows these users to share the file.

A user sends an email to a colleague. The sending computer uses the SMTP protocol. The email is delivered to the mail server that the colleague uses.

The colleague then opens an email client on their own computer to read the email. The email client does not use SMTP.

Explain why the email client needs a different protocol, and name a protocol that the email client could use.

Define the term protocol as it is used in the communication of data between computers.

A company writes its own file-transfer software. Instead of using standard protocols, the company invents its own private set of rules for how data is formatted and sent.

The software works correctly when two of the company's own computers exchange files. It fails when one of the company's computers tries to exchange a file with a computer that belongs to a different organisation.

Explain why the file transfer fails.

A message is sent from one host to another host on the internet. The two hosts are made by different manufacturers and they run different operating systems.

On each host the protocols are implemented as a stack of layers.

Explain how this arrangement allows the message to be delivered successfully.

The TCP/IP protocol suite is implemented as a stack of four layers: Application, Transport, Internet and Link.

Complete the table by writing the name of the layer at which each activity takes place.

Describe the function of the Internet layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite.

A user uploads a file to a server that is on a different network. Before the file leaves the user's computer it passes down through the four layers of the TCP/IP protocol stack.

Describe what happens to the file at each of the four layers.