Data Communications

What is data communications?

Introduction
• Communication is the process of sharing information either locally or
remotely.

• Data is the information presented in an agreed upon form.

Data Communication
• Data communication is the exchange of data between two devices via
a transmission medium.

• Communicating devices are a combination of both hardware and

software.
Effectiveness
• An effective data communication system depends on four
fundamental characteristics:
 System Components
• Twisted-pair cable.
• Coaxial cable.
• Fiber-optic cable.
• Radio waves.

Transmission Medium

Sender Receiver
Protocol Message Protocol
• Text.
Set of rules that govern • Numbers.
data communication • Pictures.
• Videos.
• Audios.
Data Flow
• Communication between two devices can be:
• Unidirectional Transmission.
• Uses the entire channel capacity.
Simplex
• Bidirectional Transmission.
• Once at a time.
• Uses the entire channel capacity
Half Duplex
• Bidirectional Transmission.
• At the same time.
Full Duplex • Shares channel capacity:
• Having two separate paths.
• Dividing the capacity of the
channel.
Networks
Host
(End System)
A network Host Host
(End System) (End System)

Connecting
Host
Device
(End System)

Wired Link

Connecting
Connecting Device
Device
Host
(End System) Host
Host (End System)
(End System)
Networks Switch
Host Connects devices together
(End System)
Host Host
(End System) (End System)
Router
Connects the network to
other networks Connecting
Host
Device
(End System)

Wired Link

Connecting
Connecting Device
Device
Host
(End System) Host
Host (End System)
(End System)

A network is the interconnection of a set of devices capable of communication.

Networks Criteria
Performance Reliability Security
Measured by: Measured by: • Protecting from:
• Transmit time. • Accuracy of delivery. • Unauthorized access.
• Response time. • Failure frequency. • Data damage.
effected by: • Failure recovery time. • Provides policies for:
• Number of users. • Robustness. • Data loss.
• Type of transmission medium. • Breaches.
• Hardware capability.
• Software efficiency.
Evaluated by:
• Throughput.
• Delay.
 Types of Connections
• There are two types of connections:
link
link

Point-to-Point
• Dedicated link between two devices.
• The entire capacity of the link is
reserved for the two devices.
Multipoint
• Also called Multidrop.
• More than two devices share the same
link by:
• Spatially: simultaneous share.
• Temporally: timeshare.
Physical topology
• The way in which network is laid out physically.
• 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.
Topologies

Mesh Star Bus Ring

 Mesh Topology n=5

• Dedicated point-to-point links among nodes

• Each node connects to n-1 nodes
• n(n-1) half duplex links are needed
• n(n-1)/2 duplex links are needed

• Eliminates traffic problem.

• Robust.
• Privacy and security.
• Fault detection and isolation are easy.

• Difficult installation and reconnection.

• sheer bulk of wiring.
• Expensive hardware required.
 Star Topology
• Dedicated point-to-point links with a central controller (hub)
• No direct link (traffic) between nodes. Hub
• Hub is the exchanger of traffic.
• Used in LAN.

• Cheaper than mesh.

• Easy to install and configure.
• Less cables.
• Easy moving and deletion of a node.
• Robustness.
• Easy fault detection and isolation

• Depends on one single hub.

• More cabling in compared to bus and ring
topologies.
 Bus Topology
• A long cable acts as backbone to link all nodes.
• A multipoint network.
• Was used for LAN.

• Ease of installation.
• Less cabling than mesh and star.

Drop line

Drop line

Drop line
Tap
Cable end
Tap Tap Tap
Cable end

Drop line
• Difficult reconnection and fault identification.
• Degradation in signal quality due to reflection at the taps.
• Dependency on the backbone.
 Ring Topology
• A dedicated point-to-point connection with two devices on either side of it.
• A signal passes along the ring in one direction until the destination.
• Each device in a ring incorporate a repeater to regenerate signals.

• Unidirectional traffic.
• Ease of installation and configuration. • A break in the ring disables the entire network.
• Fault isolation is simplified.

Repeater Repeater

Repeater Repeater

Repeater Repeater