BASICS OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

BCA 267

1
 References
Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Computer
Network, Prentice-Hall.

Forouzen, "Data Communication and

Networking", TMH.

W. Stallings, Data and Computer

Communication, Macmillan Press.

2
What is Computer Network?
 Computer network
connects two or more
autonomous computers.

 Itis a collection of
computers and devices that
facilitates communications
among users and allows
users to share resources
with other users.

 The computers can be

geographically located
anywhere.

3
 History
The Advanced Research Projects Agency
(ARPA) founded the design of the Advanced
Research Projects Agency Network for the
Department of Defense ,United States. It
was the first operational computer network
in the world. Development of the network
began in 1969, based on designs developed
during the 1960s.

4
 Advantages
Facilitating communications:- Using a
network, people can communicate efficiently
and easily via e-mail, instant messaging, chat
rooms, telephone, video telephone calls, and
video conferencing.
Sharing hardware:- In a networked
environment, each computer on a network
can access and use hardware on the network.

5
 Advantages (Cont..)
 Sharing files, data, and information:- In a network
environment, any authorized user can access data
and information stored on other computers on the
network.
 Sharing software:- Users connected to a network can
access application programs running on the other
system of the network(local/remote). In software
sharing, on one machine, the server program of the
application runs and on other machines, the client
program of the application runs. The user accesses
the server part using the client program.

6
Effectiveness of a Data Communication

 The effectiveness of a data communication

system depends on four fundamentals
characteristics:
 Delivery:- The system must deliver data to the correct
destination.
 Accuracy:- The system must deliver the data
accurately.
 Timeliness:- The system must deliver data in a timely
manner. Data delivered late is useless.
 Jitter:- Jitter refers to the variation in the packet arrival
time.

7
Data Communication System Components

Message, Sender, Receiver, Transmission Medium, Protocol

8
9
 NETWORK CRITERIA’S

1.Performance : It can be measured in

many ways including :-
◦ Transit time : It is the amount of time required for a
message to travel from one device to another.
◦ Response Time:-It is the time between an
inquiry and a response.

10
NETWORK CRITERIA’S
(Cont..)
Performance of a network depends upon
many factors.
◦ Number of users
◦ Type of transmission medium
◦ Capabilities of connected hardware
◦ Efficiency of the s/w.

11
NETWORK CRITERIA’S (Cont..)
2 Reliability:
 Accuracy of delivery.
 Frequency of failure.
 The time it takes a link to recover from
failure.

3 Security
 Protecting data from unauthorized access

12