Final answer:
The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is the seven-layer framework used to describe network technologies and services. It organizes communication functions into seven layers, which has been instrumental in the development of various networking standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The seven-layer model often used to describe networking technologies and services is the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model. This conceptual framework defines seven distinct layers through which computer systems communicate over a network. The layers, from lowest level to highest, are: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application. The OSI model serves as a universal language for networking standards and helps users and developers understand the structure and functions of network communication. While the OSI model is quite comprehensive, in practice, much of the Internet runs on the slightly simpler four-layer TCP/IP model, which is considered to be more efficient in terms of mapping how data is handled over the internet.