What is the primary responsibility of the network layer in the OSI model?

The primary responsibility of the network layer in the OSI model is indeed delivering packets from source to destination. This layer is fundamentally focused on routing data across multiple networks, ensuring that data packets find their way through the network setup, which may include diverse paths, routers, and varying network technologies.

To achieve this, the network layer makes use of logical addressing (such as IP addresses) and determines the best path through the network for information to travel. This involves not just transmitting data, but also making decisions about the route that the data should take to reach its destination effectively, considering factors like network congestion, path availability, and overall efficiency.

While forwarding data packets to their destinations also forms a part of this responsibility, it is inherently included in the concept of delivering packets from the source to the destination. Thus, the aspect of decision-making regarding strategies for how packets traverse the network aligns more closely with the defining role of the network layer. The focus on delivery emphasizes not just the forwarding itself, but the broader process of ensuring successful transmission from the original sender to the intended recipient across potentially complex network structures.