HCSCI237 - Data Communications and Computer

Networks
Introduction

When we communicate, we are sharing information.

This sharing can be local or remote. Between
individuals, local communication usually occurs face
to face, while remote communication takes place over
distance.Data Communication is a process of
exchanging data or information. In case of computer
networks this exchange is done between two devices
over a transmission medium.
For data communications to occur, the
communicating devices must be part of a
communication system made up of a
combination of hardware (physical
equipment) and software (programs). The
hardware part involves the sender and
receiver devices and the intermediate
devices through which the data passes.
The software part involves certain rules
which specify what is to be communicated,
how and when it is to be communicated.
Components of a Data communication system
A data communications system has five components.
1. Message:
The message is the 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, etc.
3. Receiver:
The receiver is the device that receives the message. It
can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset,
television, and so on.
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.
An effective Data Communication system

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
must not be altered during transmission.
3. Timeliness:
The system must deliver data in a timely manner.
Data delivered late may become useless. In the case
of video and audio, timely delivery means delivering
data in the same order that its was produced, and
without significant delay. This kind of delivery is
called real-time transmission.
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 3 ms. If some of the
packets arrive with 3 ms delay and others with 4 ms
delay, an uneven quality in the video is the result.
Data Communications Line Configuration

Line configuration refers to the way two or

more communication devices attach to a
link. A link is a communications pathway
that transfers data from one device to
another. For communication to occur, two
devices must be connected in some way to
the same link at the same time. 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. When you change television channels by
infrared remote control, you are establishing a point-
to-point connection between the remote control and
the television's control system.
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. If several
devices can use the link simultaneously, it is a
spatially shared connection. If users must take
turns, it is a timeshared connection.
Data Flow

Communication between two devices can be simplex, half-

duplex, or full-duplex.

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. The
keyboard can only introduce input; the monitor can only
accept output. The simplex mode can use the entire
capacity of the channel to send data in one direction.
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 .The half-duplex mode is like a one-lane
road with traffic allowed in both directions. When cars
are traveling in one direction, cars going the other way
must wait. In a half-duplex transmission, the entire
capacity of a channel is taken over by whichever of the
two devices is transmitting at the time. Walkie-talkies
are half-duplex systems.
The half-duplex mode is used in cases where
there is need for communication in both
directions but not at the same time.The entire
capacity of the channel can be utilized for each
direction.
Full-Duplex
In full-duplex mode, both stations can transmit and
receive simultaneously The full-duplex mode is like a
two-way street with traffic flowing in both directions at
the same time. In full-duplex mode, signals going in one
direction share the capacity of the link with signals
going in the other direction. This sharing can occur in
two ways: Either the link must contain two physically
separate transmission paths, one for sending and the
other for receiving; or the capacity of the channel is
divided between signals traveling in both directions.
One common example of full-duplex
communication is the telephone network. When
two people are communicating by a telephone
line, both can talk and listen at the same
time.The full-duplex mode is used when
communication in both directions is required all
the time. The capacity of the channel, however,
must be divided between the two directions.
Computer Networks

A computer network can be defined as a collection of

nodes. A node can be any device capable of
transmitting or receiving data. The communicating
nodes have to be connected by communication links.

Network Criteria
A network must be able to meet a certain number of
principles. The most important of these are
performance, reliability, and security.
 Performance
Performance can be measured in many ways, including
transit time and response time.Transit time is the amount of
time required for a message to travel from one device to
another. Response time is the elapsed time between an
inquiry and a response. The performance of a network
depends on factors such as the number of users, the type of
transmission medium, the capabilities of the connected
hardware, and the efficiency of the software.Performance is
often evaluated by two networking metrics: throughput and
delay.We often need more throughput and less delay.
However, these two criteria are often contradictory. If we
try to send more data to the network, we may increase
throughput but we increase the delay because of traffic
congestion in the network
 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
 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.
Categories of Networks

Generally, networks are distinguished based on

their geographical span, ownership, the distance
it covers, and its physical architecture. A
network can be as small as distance between
your mobile phone and its Bluetooth headphone
and as large as the internet itself, covering the
whole geographical world.
Personal Area Network (PAN)

A Personal Area Network (PAN) is smallest

network which is very personal to a user. This
may include Bluetooth enabled devices or infra-
red enabled devices. PAN has connectivity range
up to 10 meters. PAN may include wireless
computer keyboard and mouse, Bluetooth
enabled headphones, wireless printers and TV
remotes.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A computer network spanned inside a building and
operated under single administrative system is generally
termed as Local Area Network (LAN). Usually,LAN covers
an organization’ offices, schools, colleges or universities.
Number of systems connected in LAN may vary from as
least as two to as much as 16 million.
LAN provides a useful way of sharing the resources
between end users.The resources such as printers, file
servers, scanners, and internet are easily sharable
among computers.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
The Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
generally expands throughout a city such as
cable TV network Backbone of MAN is high-
capacity and high-speed fiber optics. MAN works
in between Local Area Network and Wide Area
Network. MAN provides uplink for LANs to
WANs or internet.
Wide Area Network
As the name suggests, the Wide Area Network
(WAN) covers a wide area which may span
across provinces and even a whole country.
Generally, telecommunication networks are
Wide Area Network. These networks provide
connectivity to MANs and LANs
Network Topologies

The term topology refers to the physical or

logical layout of a network. Two or more devices
connect to a link and two or more links form a
topology. There are five basic topologies
possible: star, ring, bus, mesh and tree.
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.The controller acts as an
exchange: If one device wants to send data to
another, it sends the data to the controller,
which then relays the data to the other
connected device
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. When a device receives a
signal intended for another device, its repeater
regenerates the bits and passes them along.
Bus topology

A bus topology, on the other hand, is

multipoint. One long cable acts as a backbone to
link all the devices in a network. 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 that either joints into the main
cable or punctures the sheathing of a cable to
create a contact with the metallic core.
As a signal travels along the backbone,
some of its energy is transformed into
heat. Therefore, it becomes weaker and
weaker as it travels further and further. For
this reason there is a limit on the number
of taps a bus can support and on the
distance between those taps.
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. A
fully connected mesh network therefore has
n(n-1)/2 physical channels to link n devices.
Every node on the network must have n-1 I/O
ports.
Tree Topology
A tree topology is a variation of a star. As in a
star, nodes in a tree are linked to a central hub
that controls the traffic to the network.
However, not all devices plugs directly into the
central hub. The majority of devices connect to
the secondary hub that in turn is connected to
the central hub.
Hybrid Topology

A hybrid network combines several topologies.