The Presentation Layer acts as a:

The Presentation Layer in the OSI model acts as a data organizer between the Application Layer (Layer 7) and the Session Layer (Layer 5). It ensures that the data from the application is properly formatted, translated, encrypted, or compressed before being sent to the session layer for transmission.

This layer works like a translator for different systems and applications, helping them understand each other’s data formats even if they are built differently.

Main responsibilities of the Presentation Layer:

• Data Translation: Converts data into a format that the receiving system understands (e.g., from ASCII to EBCDIC).


• Data Compression: Reduces the size of the data for faster transmission across the network.


• Data Encryption and Decryption: Ensures secure data transmission by encoding data before sending and decoding it upon receipt.


• Data Formatting: Organizes the structure of data for proper display or usage on the receiving device.

The Presentation Layer does not handle MAC addresses, error correction at lower levels, or direct transmission of data. Instead, it prepares and organizes the data to ensure that what is sent from one system can be understood and used by another.

Conclusion: The correct answer is Data organizer between Application and Session Layer. This reflects the true function of the Presentation Layer in the OSI model.