DATA COMMUNICATIONS

IT – 21012
(SEMESTER I)
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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 DATA COMMUNICATIONS

The term telecommunication means communication at a

distance. The word data refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating and using the data. Data
communications are the exchange of data between two devices via
some form of transmission medium such as a wire cable.

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 The effectiveness of a data communications system depends on
four fundamental characteristics: delivery, accuracy, timeliness, and
jitter.
1. Delivery. The system must deliver data to the correct destination.
Data must be received by the intended device or user and only by
that device or user.
2. Accuracy. The system must deliver the data accurately. Data that
have been altered in transmission and left uncorrected are unusable.
3. Timeliness. The system must deliver data in a timely manner
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4. Jitter. Jitter refers to the variation in the packet arrival time. It is the
uneven delay in the delivery of audio or video packets. For example,
let us assume that video packets are sent every 30 ms. If some of the
packets arrive with 30-ms delay and others with 40-ms delay, an
uneven quality in the video is the result.

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COMPONENTS
A data communications system has five components.

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COMPONENTS (CONT.)
1. Message. The message is the information (data) to be
communicated. Popular forms of information include text, numbers,
pictures, audio, and video.
2. Sender. The sender is the device that sends the data message. It can
be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so
on
3. Receiver. The receiver is the device that receives the message. It can
be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on.
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COMPONENTS (CONT.)
4. Transmission medium. The transmission medium is the physical
path by which a message travels from sender to receiver. Some
examples of transmission media include twisted-pair wire, coaxial
cable, fiber-optic cable, and radio waves.
5. Protocol. A protocol is a set of rules that govern data
communications. It represents an agreement between the
communicating devices. Without a protocol, two devices may be
connected but not communicating, just as a person speaking French
cannot be understood by a person who speaks only Japanese. 8
DATA FLOW
Communication between two devices can be simplex, half-duplex, or
full-duplex as shown in Figure 1.2.

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Simplex
In simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, as on a one-way
street. Only one of the two devices on a link can transmit; the other can only
receive. Keyboards and traditional monitors are examples of simplex devices.
Half-Duplex
In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and receive, but not at
the same time. When one device is sending, the other can only receive, and vice
versa.
Full-Duplex
In full-duplex mode (also called duplex), both stations can transmit and
receive simultaneously. 10
NETWORK
A network is the interconnection of a set of devices capable of
communication. A device can be a host (or an end system as it is
sometimes called) such as a large computer, desktop, laptop,
workstation, cellular phone, or security system. A device in this
definition can also be a connecting device such as a router, which
connects the network to other networks, a switch, which connects
devices together, a modem (modulator-demodulator), which changes the
form of data, and so on. These devices in a network are connected using
wired or wireless transmission media such as cable or air. 11
NETWORK
Network Criteria
A network must be able to meet a certain number of criteria. The most important of
these are performance, reliability, and security.
Performance
Performance can be measured in many ways, including transit time and response
time.
Reliability
Reliability is measured by the frequency of failure, the time it takes a link to recover
from a failure, and the network’s robustness in a catastrophe. 12
NETWORK
Network Criteria
Reliability
In addition to accuracy of delivery, network reliability is measured by the frequency
of failure, the time it takes a link to recover from a failure, and the network’s
robustness in a catastrophe.
Security
Network security issues include protecting data from unauthorized access, protecting
data from damage and development, and implementing policies and procedures for
recovery from breaches and data losses. 13
PHYSICAL STRUCTURES
Type of Connection
A network is two or more devices connected through links. A link is a
communications pathway that transfers data from one device to another.
There are two possible types of connections: point-to-point and multipoint.

Point-to-Point
A point-to-point connection provides a dedicated link between two devices. The
entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission between those two devices.
Mostly use actual length of wire to connect two ends. Other point to point 14

connection uses microwave or satellite links.

PHYSICAL STRUCTURES
Type of Connection
Multipoint
A multipoint (also called multidrop) connection is one in which more than
two specific devices share a single link. In a multipoint environment, the capacity of
the channel is shared, either spatially or temporally. If several devices can use the
link simultaneously, it is a spatially shared connection. If users must take turns, it is a
timeshared connection.

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PHYSICAL STRUCTURES

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Physical Topology
The term physical topology refers to the way in which a network is laid out
physically. Two or more devices connect to a link; two or more links form a
topology. The topology of a network is the geometric representation of the
relationship of all the links and linking devices (usually called nodes) to one
another. There are four basic topologies possible: mesh, star, bus, and ring.

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Mesh Topology
In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point-to-point link to
every other device. The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic only
between the two devices it connects. In a mesh topology, we need n (n – 1) / 2
duplex-mode links.

A mesh offers several advantages over other network topologies. First, the
use of dedicated links guarantees that each connection can carry its own data load.
Second, a mesh topology is robust. Third, there is the advantage of privacy or
security. Finally, point-to-point links make fault identification and fault isolation
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easy.
 The main disadvantages of a mesh are related to the amount of cabling and
the number of I/O ports required. First, installation and reconnection are difficult.
Second, the sheer bulk of the wiring can be greater than the available space (in
walls, ceilings, or floors) can accommodate. Finally, the hardware required to
connect each link (I/O ports and cable) can be prohibitively expensive.

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Star Topology
In a star topology, each device has a dedicated point-to-point link only to a
central controller, usually called a hub. The devices are not directly linked to one
another. Unlike a mesh topology, a star topology does not allow direct traffic
between devices.

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 A star topology is less expensive than a mesh topology. Other advantages
include robustness. If one link fails, only that link is affected. All other links
remain active.

One big disadvantage of a star topology is the dependency of the whole

topology on one single point, the hub. If the hub goes down, the whole system is
dead.

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Bus Topology
Nodes are connected to the bus cable by drop lines and taps. A drop line is
a connection running between the device and the main cable. A tap is a connector.
Advantages of a bus topology include ease of installation. Disadvantages include
difficult reconnection and fault isolation.

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Ring Topology
In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated point-to-point connection
with only the two devices on either side of it. A signal is passed along the ring in
one direction, from device to device, until it reaches its destination. Each device in
the ring incorporates a repeater.

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 A ring is relatively easy to install and reconfigure. To add or delete a
device requires changing only two connections. The only constraints are media
and traffic consideration. Fault isolation is simplified. Unidirectional traffic can be
a disadvantage.

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NETWORK TYPES
Local Area Network
A local area network (LAN) is usually privately owned and connects
some hosts in a single office, building, or campus. . Each host in a LAN
has an identifier, an address, that uniquely defines the host in the LAN. A
packet sent by a host to another host carries both the source host’s and
the destination host’s addresses. Most LANs use a smart connecting
switch, which is able to recognize the destination address of the packet
and guide the packet to its destination without sending it to all other
hosts. 25
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NETWORK TYPES
Wide Area Network
A wide area network (WAN) is also an interconnection of devices
capable of communication. A WAN is normally created and run by
communication companies and leased by an organization that uses it.
Examples of WANs today: point-to-point WANs and switched WANs.

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Internetwork
Today, it is very rare to see a LAN or a WAN in isolation; they are
connected to one another. When two or more networks are connected, they make
an internetwork, or internet.

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Switching
An internet is a switched network in which a switch connects at least two
links together. A switch needs to forward data from a network to another network
when required. The two most common types of switched networks are circuit-
switched and packet-switched networks.

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Circuit-Switched Network
In a circuit-switched network, a dedicated connection, called a circuit, is
always available between the two end systems; the switch can only make it active
or inactive.

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Packet-Switched Network
In a computer network, the communication between the two ends is done
in blocks of data called packets. A router in a packet-switched network has a queue
that can store and forward the packet.

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INTERNET

An internet (note the lowercase i) is two or more networks that can

communicate with each other. The most notable internet is called the Internet
(uppercase I ), and is composed of thousands of interconnected networks.

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 Backbones and
provider networks are
also called Internet
Service Providers
(ISPs).
 The backbones are
often referred to as
international ISPs.
 The provider networks
are often referred to as
national or regional
ISPs. 35
End of chapter 1

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