This document provides an overview of key concepts in network layer design, including:
- Store-and-forward packet switching and the services provided to the transport layer.
- Implementation of connectionless and connection-oriented services, and comparison of virtual circuits and datagrams.
- Routing algorithms like shortest path, flooding, distance vector, link state, and hierarchical routing.
- Quality of service techniques including integrated services, differentiated services, and MPLS.
- Internetworking issues such as connecting different networks, concatenated virtual circuits, tunneling, and fragmentation.
- An overview of the network layer in the Internet including IP, addressing, routing protocols like OSPF and BGP, and