In order to get a true understanding of the functionality of CAM’s, you need to dig a little deeper into the domain in which these work. If you look at either the OSI reference model or the TCP/IP stack, you will find that the lower three layers are the ones that are concerned with the packet delivery to its peer, while all the other layers are more concerned with the content, its presentation and formatting.
The physical layer adopts analogue means of data transfer and is not concerned with acknowledgement of the transmitted data. This leaves the next two layers to make sure that the transmitted packet was indeed received in its original form – that is the order of information, encryption used for data protection, etc
Another important task that needs to be performed by these upper layers is to ensure delivery of the packet to its correct recipient. This is done in two ways.
1. Using MAC (media access control) address. This addressing scheme is adopted at layer 2 of the OSI layer. It is used in such network device as switches/bridges.
2. Using IP addresses. This addressing scheme is used to transmit any IP packet and communicate with its peer on the network, which is the data link layer on the destination. It is used in such network devices as routers and layer 3 switches.
Functionality of CAM’s
In order to get a true understanding of the functionality of CAM’s, you need to dig a little deeper into the domain in which these work. If you look at either the OSI reference model or the TCP/IP stack, you will find that the lower three layers are the ones that are concerned with the packet delivery to its peer, while all the other layers are more concerned with the content, its presentation and formatting.
The physical layer adopts analogue means of data transfer and is not concerned with acknowledgement of the transmitted data. This leaves the next two layers to make sure that the transmitted packet was indeed received in its original form – that is the order of information, encryption used for data protection, etc
Another important task that needs to be performed by these upper layers is to ensure delivery of the packet to its correct recipient. This is done in two ways.
1. Using MAC (media access control) address. This addressing scheme is adopted at layer 2 of the OSI layer. It is used in such network device as switches/bridges.
2. Using IP addresses. This addressing scheme is used to transmit any IP packet and communicate with its peer on the network, which is the data link layer on the destination. It is used in such network devices as routers and layer 3 switches.