Hello,

Please support providing a solution for the below-mentioned question for understanding the concepts.

23. (a) Within the context of communications networks, describe the role and general functionality of the network layer. What distinguishes the network layer from the transport layer? Two types of service are supported by the network layer. State what these are and briefly describe their principles of operation. Discuss briefly the pros and cons of each service type, illustrating your answer with an indication of traffic types suited to each service 40% (b) What then is referred to by the term IP and where does IP fit into the layers and services discussed above? What is the name given to an IP node and define two key functions it performs? 20% (c) What are the maximum length of an IP packet and the minimum length of IP packet header? State the THREE fields used in an IP packet to indicate the position of the encapsulated data contained in the payload and explain the role of each. 25% (d) How, within an IP packet, is the number of packets present in the network controlled? Comment upon the merits of the approach used. 15%