The word data refers to any information which is presented in a form that is agreed and accepted upon by is creators
and users.
DATA COMMUNICATION :
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. This process involves a communication system which is
made up of hardware and software. 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 it is to be communicated and when. It is also called as a Protocol.
The following sections describes the fundamental characteristics that are important for the effective working of data
communication process and is followed by the components that make up a data communications system.
Characteristics of Data Communication The effectiveness of any data communications system depends upon the
following four fundamental characteristics:
1. Delivery: The data should be delivered to the correct destination and correct user.
2. Accuracy: The communication system should deliver the data accurately, without introducing any errors.
The data may get corrupted during transmission affecting the accuracy of the delivered data.
3. Timeliness: Audio and Video data has to be delivered in a timely manner without any delay; such a data
delivery is called real time transmission of data.
Components of Data Communication A Data Communication system has five components as shown in the
diagram below:
1. Message : Message is the information to be communicated by the sender to the receiver.
2. Sender: The sender is any device that is capable of sending the data (message).
3. Receiver: The receiver is a device that the sender wants to communicate the data (message).
4. Transmission Medium :It is the path by which the message travels from sender to receiver. It can be wired
or wireless and many subtypes in both.
5. Protocol: It is an agreed upon set or rules used by the sender and receiver to communicate data. A protocol
is a set of rules that governs data communication. A Protocol is a necessity in data communications without
which the communicating entities are like two persons trying to talk to each other in a different language
without know the other language.
Reference Models in Computer Network:
In computer networks, reference models give a conceptual framework that standardizes communication between
heterogeneous networks.
The two popular reference models are −
OSI Model
TCP/IP Protocol Suite
OSI Model
OSI or Open System Interconnection model was developed by International Standards Organization (ISO). It gives a
layered networking framework that conceptualizes how communication should be done between heterogeneous
systems. It has seven interconnected layers.
The seven layers of the OSI Model are a physical layer, data link layer, network layer, transport layer, session layer,
presentation layer, and application layer. The hierarchy is depicted in the following figure −
TCP / IP PROTOCOL SUITE
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol, while IP stands for Internet Protocol. It is a suite of protocols for
communication structured in four layers. It can be used for communication over the internet as well as for private
networks.
The four layers are application layer, transport layer, internet layer and network access layer, as depicted in the
following diagram −