OSIkonseptet

OSIkonseptet, often understood as the OSI-konceptet in Swedish-language networking literature, refers to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model concept. It was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) during the 1980s as a framework to describe and standardize network communications in a vendor-neutral way.

The core of OSIkonseptet is the seven-layer model, which divides network functionality into: physical, data link, network, transport, session, presentation, and application layers. Each layer has specific responsibilities and communicates with adjacent layers through well-defined interfaces. The layering principle aims to separate concerns, promote interoperability, and enable modular design of protocols and services.

Historically, the OSI model was intended as a comprehensive standard for communicating across diverse networks. It influenced the thinking behind many networking standards and helped educators and engineers reason about protocol design. In practice, however, the Internet’s dominant protocol suite—TCP/IP—was adopted widely, and the OSI model did not become the primary implementation stack. Despite this, the OSI concept remains a foundational reference in education and in architectural discussions about network design.

In contemporary use, OSIkonseptet is often employed as a conceptual tool to map and compare protocols and services to a layered structure. Some layers, notably the presentation and session layers, are frequently blended with higher-level application logic in real-world systems. The model’s influence endures in training materials, standards documents, and systems architecture discussions as a clear, modular way to analyze network functionality.