BGP operates at layer 7 of the OSI model... discuss it.
BGP operates at layer 7 of the OSI model... discuss it.
I wouldn't claim ICMP belongs in layer 7. It doesn't carry actual data; technically it has a small payload, but it's meaningless to anyone using it as an application. I've been thinking about this a lot recently and might be shifting my perspective. If I say BGP is L7, then DHCP should too—but I hadn't really considered it before. My understanding comes more from the TCP/IP model, where RFC1812 labels BGP, DHCP, and DNS as application layer protocols, which seemed logical yesterday. Now I'm not convinced about flipping the other way. I see the OSI model differently; its Application layer is where real work happens. BGP mainly handles routing info, so it could be seen as L3. Similarly, DHCP fits that role. I think you're influencing my view, at least partially. Thanks for the discussion!