Module:1

INTRODUCTION
Data Communication
 Overview
• Data
• Data Communication
• Components
• Data Representation
• Data Flow
 Data Communication
• Data refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating and using
the data.
• Data Communication is the exchange of data
between two devices via a transmission medium.
• Communication system is a combination of
hardware and software.
 Data Communication cont..
• Effectiveness of data communication system is depends on
four fundamental characteristics:

1. Delivery
2. Accuracy
3. Timeliness
4. Jitter
 Data Communication cont..

1. Delivery
– System must deliver data to the correct destination.
– Data must be received only by the intended device or user.
2. Accuracy
– System must deliver the data accurately.
– Data that have been altered in transmission and left
uncorrected are unusable.
 Data Communication cont..
3. Timeliness
– System must deliver data in a timely manner.
– Data delivered late are useless.
– Ex: Real-time transmission
• Video and audio – Deliver it in the same order that they
are produced, and without significant delay.
 Data Communication cont..
4. Jitter
– It refers to the variation in the packet arrival time.
– It is the uneven delay in the delivery of audio or video
packets.
– Caused by network congestion and packet loss.
Components of Data
Communication
 Components of Data Communication
• A data communication system is made up of five components.
1. Message
2. Sender
3. Receiver
4. Transmission medium
5. Protocol
 Components of Data Communication
1. Message
– Information (data) to be communicated.
– Ex: text, numbers, pictures, audio and video.
2. Sender
– Device that sends the data message.
– Ex: computer, workstation, telephone handset, video
• camera and so on.
3. Receiver
– Device that receives the message.
– Ex: computer, workstation, telephone handset, television
and so on.
 Components of Data Communication
4. Transmission medium
– Physical path by which a message travels from sender to
receiver.
– Ex: twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable and
radio waves.
5. Protocol
– It is a set of rules that govern data communications.
– It represents an agreement between the communicating
devices.
– Ex: A person speaking French cannot be understood by a
person who speaks only Japanese.
Data Representation
 Data Representation
• Information comes in different forms such as text, numbers,
images, audio and video.

Text

Numbers

Images

Audio

Video
 Data Representation cont..
1. Text
– Represented as a bit pattern, a sequence of bits (0s or 1s).
– Different sets of bit patterns have been designed to represent text
symbols.
– Each set is called a code.
– Process of representing symbols is called coding.
– Unicode
• Common coding system.
• It uses 32 bits to represent a symbol or character in any
language.
– American Standard Code for Information Interchange
(ASCII)
• Developed some decades ago in the United States.
• Constitutes the first 127 characters in Unicode.Also
called as Basic Latin.
 Data Representation cont..
2. Numbers
– Represented by bit patterns.
– It is directly converted to a binary number.
– Numbers can be directly converted into
binary number to simplify mathematical
operations.
 Data Representation cont..
3. Images
– Represented by bit patterns.
– Composed of a matrix of pixels.
– Each pixel is a small dot.
– Size of the pixel is depend on
resolution.
– Better representation (resolution):
more memory is needed.
– Ex: Image can be divided into
1000
pixels or 10,000 pixels.
– Each pixel is assigned a bit
pattern.
 Data Representation cont..
3. Images
– Size and value of the pattern depend on the image.
– 1-bit pattern for image made of only black and white dots.
• Ex: Chessboard
– 2-bit pattern for image is not made of pure white and pure
black pixels.
• Ex: 4 levels of gray scale
– A black pixel can be represented by 00
– A dark gray pixel by 01
– A light gray pixel by 10
– A white pixel by 11.
 Data Representation cont..
3. Images
– Several methods to represent color images.
• RGB method
– Each color is made of a combination of three
primary colors: red, green, and blue.
• YCM method
– Each color is made of a combination of three other
primary colors: yellow, cyan, and magenta.
 Data Representation cont..
4. Audio
– Refers to recording or broadcasting of sound or music.
– It is continuous, not discrete.
5. Video
– Refers to recording or broadcasting of a picture or movie.
– It can either be
• Produced as a continuous entity (e.g., by a TV camera),
– or it can be a
• Combination of images, each a discrete entity, arranged
to convey the idea of motion.
Data Flow or Transmission Mode
 Data Flow or Transmission Mode

• Defines thedirection of signal flow

between two connected
• devices.
• There are three modes of transmission, namely:
1. Simplex
2. Half-duplex
3. Full-duplex
 Simplex Mode
• Communication is unidirectional.
– Communication between sender and receiver occurs in only
one direction.
• Only sender can send the data and receiver can receive the
data.
• Receiver cannot reply to the sender.
• Use the entire capacity of the channel to send data.
 Simplex Mode cont..
• Ex: One-lane road
• Ex: Keyboards and Monitors
– Only Keyboard can send input to monitor
– Monitor can only receive the input and display it on the
screen.
– Monitor cannot reply to the keyboard.
 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.
• Entire capacity of a channel is taken over by
the transmitting device.
 Half-Duplex Mode cont..
• Ex: Walkie-talkies
– Speakers at both ends can speak, but they have to speak
one by one.
– They cannot speak simultaneously.
 Full-Duplex Mode
• Also called duplex.
• Both stations can transmit and receive at same time.
• Signals going in either direction sharing the capacity of the
link.
• Sharing can occur in two ways:
– Link has two physically separate transmission paths

• One for sending and other for receiving.

– Capacity of the channel is divided between signals

travelling in both directions.

 Full-Duplex Mode cont..
• Ex: Two-way road
– Traffic flowing in both directions at the same time.
• Ex: Telephone network
– Two people communicate
– Both are free to speak and listen at the same time.
 Comparison Chart
Basis for
Simplex Half Duplex Full Duplex
Comparison
Direction of Two-directional, Two-directional,
Unidirectional
Communication one at a time simultaneously
Sender can send Sender can send
Sender can only
Send / Receive and receive data, and receive
send data
but one at a data
time simultaneously
Worst
Best performing
performing Better than
Performance mode of
mode of Simplex
transmission
transmission
Keyboard and
Example Walkie-talkie Telephone
monitor
 Uses of Computer Networks

• Here are some common application of computer

networks
• Helps you to share resource such as printers
• Allows you to share expensive software’s and
database among network participants
• Provides fast and effective communication from
one computer to another computer
• Helps you to exchange data and information
among users via a network.
Advantages of Computer Networking
• The fundamental benefits/pros of using Computer
Networking:
• Helps you to connect with multiple computers
together to send and receive information when
accessing the network.
• Helps you to share printers, scanners, and email.
• Helps you to share information at very fast speed
• Electronic communication is more efficient and
less expensive than without the network.
 Disadvantages of Computer Networking

• Drawbacks/ cons of using computer networks:

• Investment for hardware and software can be costly for
initial set-up
• If you don’t take proper security precautions like file
encryption, firewalls then your data will be at risk.
• Some components of the network design may not last
for many years, and it will become useless or
malfunction and need to be replaced.
• Requires time for constant administration
• Frequent server failure and issues of regular cable faults
 Computer Network Components
Computer networks components comprise both physical parts as well as the software
required for installing computer networks, both at organizations and at home.
The hardware components are the server, client, peer, transmission medium, and
connecting devices.
The software components are operating system and protocols.
The following figure shows a network along with its components −
 Hardware Components
• Servers −Servers are high-configuration computers that manage the resources of the network. The
network operating system is typically installed in the server and so they give user accesses to the
network resources. Servers can be of various kinds: file servers, database servers, print servers etc.
• Clients − Clients are computers that request and receive service from the servers to access and use
the network resources.
• Peers − Peers are computers that provide as well as receive services from other peers in a
workgroup network.
• Transmission Media − Transmission media are the channels through which data is transferred
from one device to another in a network. Transmission media may be guided media like coaxial
cable, fibre optic cables etc; or maybe unguided media like microwaves, infra-red waves etc.
• Connecting Devices − Connecting devices act as middleware between networks or computers, by
binding the network media together. Some of the common connecting devices are:
a. Routers
b. Bridges
c. Hubs
d. Repeaters
e. Gateways
f. Switches
 Software Components

• Networking Operating System − Network Operating

Systems is typically installed in the server and facilitate
workstations in a network to share files, database,
applications, printers etc.
• Protocol Suite − A protocol is a rule or guideline
followed by each computer for data communication.
Protocol suite is a set of related protocols that are laid
down for computer networks. The two popular protocol
suites are −
a. OSI Model ( Open System Interconnections)
b. TCP / IP Model