Data Communications

Data communications systems are becoming increasingly prevalent these days because of the rapidly changing way in which we do work, communicate or entertain ourselves. We use computers and mobile for most purposes these days, but are never satisfied with the available technology. One of the fastest changing fields we have today is communications, and most of the developments in information technology are therefore directly concerned with this field.

There are many ways in which data can be exchanged between two computers. The wide variety of transmission mediums available ensure that data can be exchanged with ever increasing ease. These mediums include satellites and microwaves in addition to the regular wire cable systems.

Every data communications system requires a few characteristics in order for it to be successful. The first of these characteristics is that the data should have a well-defined origin and destination so that it reaches the place it is intended for. Therefore, the transmission should only be from a source device to a destination device without any interference from any other devices.

The system will be successful only if the data is delivered in an accurate manner. In fact, this is of the utmost importance. The system will need to retransmit the data if any error occurs during the process of initial transmission. Needless to say, the best systems are those that have the least errors.

Data Communication deals with the five network components are:

• Message: The message is the data or informationto be communication or transmitted form source system to the destination system. This message can be text form, picture form, sound form or any combination of these forms.
• Sender: The sender is thesource system or device that sends the communication. It can be a computer or mobile, work location, telephone etc.
• Receiver: The receiver is the device or destination system that receives the message from source system or sender device. It can be a computer, workplace, telephone etc.
• Medium: A communication medium is the physical path by which a message travels from sender device to the receiver device or from source system to the endpoint system.
• Protocol: A protocol is set of procedures and regulations that govern the data communication. It symbolizes a connection establishment between the source systems and the destination system which will communicate. Without this protocol the connection may not be establish between the source system and destination system or between the sender devices to the receiver device.

In communication symbolize ting of data can be in text, images audio, pictures and video. The text is represented as bit patterns, a sequence of bits. Different sets of bits patterns have designed to signify by text symbols called as code.