To answer this question, you need to understand the layers of the OSI model and the purpose of the BOOTP protocol.
The BOOTP protocol, which stands for Bootstrap Protocol, is used for assigning IP addresses to network devices. It is a predecessor of the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).
Let's go through each option to understand why it is correct or incorrect:
Option A) Network Layer - This option is incorrect because the network layer is responsible for routing and forwarding data packets across different networks. It does not directly deal with IP address assignment.
Option B) Presentation Layer - This option is incorrect because the presentation layer is responsible for data formatting, compression, encryption, and decryption. It does not handle IP address assignment.
Option C) Session Layer - This option is incorrect because the session layer is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and terminating connections between applications. It does not handle IP address assignment.
Option D) Application Layer - This option is correct because the application layer is the topmost layer of the OSI model and is responsible for providing services to user applications. The BOOTP protocol, which assigns IP addresses, operates at the application layer.
The correct answer is D) Application Layer. This option is correct because the BOOTP protocol operates at the application layer of the OSI model.