DATA COMMUNICATIONS

NETWORK
• DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK – any group
of computers connected together
• NETWORKING – process of sharing resources
between computers over a data communications
network
• SNEAKER SET – the manual technique of moving
data on disks.
• Important considerations to take – performance,
transmission rate, reliability, and security.
 NETWORKING APPLICATIONS
Application Examples
Standard Office E-mail, file transfer and printing
Applications
High-end office Video imaging, computer aided drafting,
applications computer aided design, and software
development
Manufacturing Process and numerical count
automations
Mainframe Personal computers, workstations, and
connectivity terminal support
Multimedia Live interactive video
FACTORS INVOLVED IN DESIGNING A
COMPUTER NETWORK
• Network goals
• Network security
• Network uptime requirements
• Network response-time requirements
• Network and resource costs
NETWORK COMPONENTS, FUNCTIONS,
AND FEATURES
• SERVERS
• computers that hold shared files, programs, and the
networking operating system.
• Provide access to network resources to all the users
of the network.
• Examples: file serves, print servers, mail servers,
communication servers, database servers,
FILE SERVER
FILE SERVER CHARACTERISTICS
• Loaded with files, accounts, and a record of the access
rights of users or groups of users in the network.
• The server provides a shareable virtual disk to the users
• File mapping scheme are implemented to provide
virtualness of the files.
• Security systems are installed and configured.
• Redirector or shell software programs located on the
users’ computers transparently activate the client’s
software on the file server
NETWORK COMPONENTS, FUNCTIONS,
AND FEATURES
• CLIENTS – computers that access and use the
network and shared network resources.
• TRANSMISSION MEDIA – facilities used to
interconnect computers in a network
• SHARED DATA – data that file servers provide to
clients, (data files, printer access programs, email)
• SHARED PRINTERS AND OTHER PERIPHERALS –
hardware resources provided to the users of the
network. Ex : data files, printers, softwares
NETWORK COMPONENTS, FUNCTIONS,
AND FEATURES
NETWORK COMPONENTS, FUNCTIONS,
AND FEATURES
• NETWORK INTERFACE CARD – prepares (formats)
and sends and receives data, and controls data
flow between computer and the network.
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
CHARACTERISTICS
• The NIC constructs, transmits, receives, and process data
to and from a PC and the connected network
• Each device connected to a network must have an NIC
• NIC is generally termed as a daughterboard
• Each NIC has a unique MAC address, typically
permanently burned into the NIC when it is manufactured.
• NIC must be compatible with the network to operate
properly
• NICs manufactured by different vendors vary in speed,
complexity, manageability and cost.
• NIC requires drives to operate in the network
LOCAL OPERATING SYSTEM

• Allows personal computers, laptops, mobile

phones to access files, print to a local printer,
and have and use one or more disk and CD
DRIVES that are located on the computer.
• Examples: MSDOS. Windows, Mac OS
NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM

• runs on computers and servers that allows the

computers to communicate over the network.
• Features are log-in, password authentication, printer
access, network administrations, and data file sharing.
• Examples: IBM LAN Server, Microsoft Windows NT
Server
NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM
CHARACTERISTICS
• Allows users of a network to interface with the
network transparently
• Services offered: file service, print service, mail
service, communications services, database service,
and directory and security services.
• Determines whether data are intended for the user’s
computer or whether the data needs to be redirected
out onto the network
• Implements client software for the user, which allows
them to access servers on the network.