What is L4-L7 Network Services? Definition and Related FAQs | Avi Networks (2024)

FAQs

What is L4-L7 Network Services? Definition and Related FAQs | Avi Networks? ›

L4-L7 Network Services Definition are a set of functions such as: load balancing, web application firewalls, service discovery, and monitoring for network layers within the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The OSI model is a standard for telecommunications and computing systems.

L7 service network is at the application layer and helps with the distribution of traffic. The L4 service network is known as a transport layer that includes TCP and UDP. L4-L7 network services provide data storage, manipulation, and communication services.

The layers are: Layer 1—Physical; Layer 2—Data Link; Layer 3—Network; Layer 4—Transport; Layer 5—Session; Layer 6—Presentation; Layer 7—Application.

Layer 7 refers to the outermost seventh layer of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Model. This highest layer, also known as the application layer, supports end-user applications and processes. This layer is closest to the end user and is wholly application-specific.

Layer 7 refers to the top layer in the 7-layer OSI Model of the Internet. It is also known as the "application layer." It is the top layer of the data processing that occurs just below the surface or behind the scenes of the software applications that users interact with.

The L4-L7 Virtual IPs option was introduced in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) Release 1.2(1m). This option is located at Tenant > Application Profiles > Application EPGs or uSeg EPGs. This option disables data-plane IP learning for the specific DSR virtual IP address.

Layer 4 of the OSI model, also known as the transport layer, manages network traffic between hosts and end systems to ensure complete data transfers. Transport-layer protocols such as TCP, UDP, DCCP, and SCTP are used to control the volume of data, where it is sent, and at what rate.

A Layer 7 load balancer, unlike a Layer 4 load balancer, disconnects network traffic and processes the message inside. It makes the call depending on the message's content. Once decided , it establishes a new TCP connection to the designated upstream server and sends the request to the server.

Because TLS operates at Layers 4 through 7 of the OSI model, as opposed to Layer 3, which is the case with IPsec, each application and each communication flow between client and server must establish its own TLS session to gain authentication and data encryption benefits.

Layer 2 (Internet): This layer is similar to the OSI model's L3. Layer 3 (Transport): Also called the Host-to-Host layer. This layer is similar to the OSI model's L4. Layer 4 (Application): Also called the Process layer, this layer combines the OSI model's L5, L6, and L7.

What is the difference between L3 and L7? ›

L3 firewalls make decisions based on a much more narrow set of variables (IPs and ports) than L7 firewalls, which look at a literally infinite amount of unique requests. Thus, L3 firewalls are generally able to have much greater throughput than L7 firewalls.