Chapter 6

Telecommunications and Networks

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Communications
Communications The message (data and information) is
communicated via the signal The transmission medium carries the signal
Transmission medium Sender Signal Receiver

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Communications Discussion
The transmission of data from one computer to another, or from one device to another. A communications device, therefore, is any machine that assists data transmission. For example, modems, cables, and ports are all communications devices. Communications software refers to programs that make it possible to transmit data.

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Telecommunications
Telecommunications The electronic transmission of signals for
communications, including such means as: Telephone Radio Television

Telecommunication medium
Anything that carries an electronic signal and interfaces
between a sending device and a receiving device

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Communications and Telecommunications

In human speech, the sender transmits a signal through

the transmission medium of the air In telecommunications, the sender transmits a signal through the transmission medium of a cable

Schematic
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Data Communications
Data communications A specialized subset of telecommunications
that refers to the electronic collection, processing, and distribution of data -- typically between computer system hardware devices

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Elements of a Telecommunications System

Telecommunication devices Relay signals between computer systems and
transmission media

Schematic
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Computer Network
Computer network The communications media, devices, and
software needed to connect two or more computer systems and/or devices Used to share hardware, programs, and databases across the organization Fosters teamwork, innovative ideas, and new business strategies
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Types of Telecommunications Media (1)

Twisted pair wire cable
Insulated pairs of wires historically used in
telephone service and to connect computer devices

Coaxial cable
Consists of an inner conductor wire
surrounded by insulation, called the dielectric The dielectric is surrounded by a conductive shield, which is surrounded by a nonconductive jacket. Coaxial cable has better data transmission rate than twisted pair
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Twisted-pair Discussion
A type of cable that consists of two independently insulated wires twisted around one another. One wire carries the signal while the other wire is grounded and absorbs signal interference. Twisted-pair cable is used by older telephone networks and is the least expensive type of local-area network (LAN) cable. Other types of cables used for LANs include coaxial cables and fiber optic cables.

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Coaxial Cable Discussion

A type of wire that consists of a centre wire surrounded by insulation and then a grounded shield of braided wire. The shield minimizes electrical and radio frequency interference.
Coaxial cabling is the primary type of cabling used by the cable television industry and is also widely used for computer networks. Although more expensive than standard telephone wire, it is much less susceptible to interference and can carry much more data. Because the cable television industry has already connected millions of homes with coaxial cable, many analysts believe that they are the best positioned to capitalize on the much-heralded information highway.
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Types of Telecommunications Media (2)

Fiber-optic Cable
Many extremely thin
strands of glass or plastic bound together in a sheathing which transmits signals with light beams Can be used for voice, data, and video

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Fiber Optic Discussion (1)

A technology that uses glass (or plastic) threads (fibers) to transmit data. A fiber optic cable consists of a bundle of glass threads, each of which is capable of transmitting messages modulated onto light waves.
Fiber optics has several advantages over traditional metal communications lines: Fiber optic cables have a much greater bandwidth than metal cables. This

means that they can carry more data Fiber optic cables are less susceptible than metal cables to interference Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires Data can be transmitted digitally (the natural form for computer data) rather than analogically.
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Fiber Optic Discussion (2)

The main disadvantage of fiber optics is that the cables are expensive to install. In addition, they are more fragile than wire and are difficult to split.
Fiber optics is a particularly popular technology for local-area networks. In addition, telephone companies are steadily replacing traditional telephone lines with fiber optic cables. In the future, almost all communications will employ fiber optics.

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Types of Telecommunications Media (3)

Microwave Communications
Line-of-sight devices which must be placed in
relatively high locations Microwave usage
Information is converted to a microwave signal, sent through the air to a receiver, and recovered

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Types of Telecommunications Media (4)

Satellite transmission
Communications satellites are relay stations that
receive signals from one earth station and rebroadcast them to another They use microwave signals

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Types of Telecommunications Media (5)

Cellular transmission
Signals from cells are transmitted to a receiver and
integrated into the regular network

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Cellular Discussion
Refers to communications systems, especially the Advance Mobile Phone Service (AMPS), that divide a geographic region into sections, called cells. The purpose of this division is to make the most use out of a limited number of transmission frequencies. Each connection, or conversation, requires its own dedicated frequency, and the total number of available frequencies is about 1,000. To support more than 1,000 simultaneous conversations, cellular systems allocate a set number of frequencies for each cell. Two cells can use the same frequency for different conversations so long as the cells are not adjacent to each other.
For digital communications, several competing cellular systems exist, including GSM and CDMA.
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Types of Telecommunications Media (6)

Infrared transmission
Involves sending signals through the air via light
waves Requires line-of-sight and short distances (a few hundred yards) Used to connect various computing devices such as handheld computers
Sorry, no pretty picture!
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Terminology
Analog Signal A continuous, curving signal Digital Signal A signal represented by bits Modems Devices that translate data from digital to
analog and analog to digital
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Analog Discussion (1)

Almost everything in the world can be described or represented in one of two forms: analog or digital. The principal feature of analog representations is that they are continuous. In contrast, digital representations consist of values measured at discrete intervals.
Digital watches are called digital because they go from one value to the next without displaying all intermediate values. Consequently, they can display only a finite number of times of the day. In contrast, watches with hands are analog, because the hands move continuously around the clock face. As the minute hand goes
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Analog Discussion (1)

around, it not only touches the numbers 1 through 12, but also the infinite number of points in between.
Early attempts at building computers used analog techniques, but accuracy and reliability were not good enough. Today, almost all computers are digital.

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Digital Discussion (1)

Describes any system based on discontinuous data or events. Computers are digital machines because at their most basic level they can distinguish between just two values, 0 and 1, or off and on. There is no simple way to represent all the values in between, such as 0.25. All data that a computer processes must be encoded digitally, as a series of zeroes and ones. The opposite of digital is analog. A typical analog device is a clock in which the hands move continuously around the face. Such a clock is capable of indicating every possible time of day. In contrast, a
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Digital Discussion (2)

digital clock is capable of representing only a finite number of times (every tenth of a second, for example).
In general, humans experience the world analogically. Vision, for example, is an analog experience because we perceive infinitely smooth gradations of shapes and colors. Most analog events, however, can be simulated digitally. Photographs in newspapers, for instance, consist of an array of dots that are either black or white. From afar, the viewer does not see the dots (the digital form), but only lines and shading, which appear to be continuous. Although
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Digital Discussion (3)

digital representations are approximations of analog events, they are useful because they are relatively easy to store and manipulate electronically. The trick is in converting from analog to digital, and back again.
This is the principle behind compact discs (CDs). The music itself exists in an analog form, as waves in the air, but these sounds are then translated into a digital form that is encoded onto the disk. When you play a compact disc, the CD player reads the digital data, translates it back into its original analog form, and sends it to the
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Digital Discussion (4)

amplifier and eventually the speakers.
Internally, computers are digital because they consist of discrete units called bits that are either on or off. But by combining many bits in complex ways, computers simulate analog events. In one sense, this is what computer science is all about.

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How a Modem Works

Modem Modulates a digital signal into an analog signal
for transmission via analog medium, then demodulates the signal into digital for receiving

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Modem Discussion (1)

Acronym for modulator-demodulator. A modem is a device or program that enables a computer to transmit data over telephone lines. Computer information is stored digitally, whereas information transmitted over telephone lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves. A modem converts between these two forms.
Fortunately, there is one standard interface for connecting external modems to computers called RS-232. Consequently, any external modem can be attached to any computer that has an RS-232 port, which almost all personal computers have. There are also modems
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Modem Discussion (2)

that come as an expansion board that you can insert into a vacant expansion slot. These are sometimes called onboard or internal modems.

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Multiplexer
Multiplexer Allows several telecommunications signals to
be transmitted over a single communications medium at the same time

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Communications link

Multiplexor

Front-end processor

Host computer

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Multiplexor Discussion
A communications device that multiplexes (combines) several signals for transmission over a single medium. A demultiplexor completes the process by separating multiplexed signals from a transmission line. Frequently a multiplexor and demultiplexor are combined into a single device capable of processing both outgoing and incoming signals. A multiplexor is sometimes called a mux.

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Front-End Processor
Front-end processor Special purpose computers that manage
communication to and from a computer system

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Incoming and outgoing jobs

Job 1

Job 2

Job 3 Main system Front-end processor

Job 4

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Carriers and Services (1)

Carriers Organizations that take the responsibility of ensuring telecommunications can
effectively take place between enterprises

Common carriers Long-distance telephone companies Value-added carriers Companies that have developed private telecommunications systems and
offer their services for a fee

Switched lines Lines that use switching equipment to allow one transmission device to be
connected to other transmission devices (e.g., standard telephone line)

Dedicated line A line that provides constant connection between two points. No switching or
dialing is needed

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Carriers and Services (2)

Private branch exchange (PBX)

Communication system that can manage both voice and data transfer
within a location (e.g. a building) and to outside lines

Wide area telecommunication service (WATS)

Billing method for heavy users of voice services

Phone and dialing services

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Includes automatic number identification (a.k.a. caller ID) Integration of telephones and personal computers Access code screening Call priorities One number portability (use anywhere) Intelligent dialing (auto re-dial for a busy number)

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Carriers and Services (3)

ISDN
ISDN = Integrated Services Digital Network Technology that uses existing common-carrier lines
to simultaneously transmit voice, video, and image data in digital form

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Carriers and Services (4)

T1 carriers
An expensive service developed by AT&T to
increase the number of voice calls that could be handled through existing cables

Digital subscriber lines (DSL)

Uses existing phone wires going into todays homes
and businesses to provide transmission speeds exceeding 500 Kbps at a cost of $100 - $300 per month
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Networks and Distributed Processing

Centralized processing Data processing that occurs in a single location or
facility

Decentralized processing Data processing that occurs when devices are placed at
various remote locations

Distributed processing Data processing that occurs when computers are

placed at remote locations but are connected to each other via telecommunications devices
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Network Concepts and Considerations

Network Topology A logical model that describes how networks
are structured or configured Topologies Ring (see chapter 1) Bus (see chapter 1) Star (see chapter 1) Hierarchical Hybrid
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Hierarchical Uses treelike structures with messages passed along the branches of the hierarchy

Hybrid Network made up of various types of topologies

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Network Types
Local area network (LAN) Connects computer systems and devices in the same
geographic area (can be Ring, Bus, Hierarchical, Star, Hybrid)

Wide area network (WAN) Ties together large geographic regions using
microwave and satellite transmission or telephone lines

International network Links systems between countries

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Terminal-to-Host Connection
Applications and databases reside on the same
host computer User interacts with the application using a dumb terminal
Target PC dumb terminal

Host computer

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File Server Connection

Applications and databases reside on the same
host computer File server transfers data and programs to PCs on the network, where these target PCs perform most of the processing
Target PC File downloaded to user File server

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Client/Server Connection
Applications and databases reside on
specialized host computers Servers do most or all of the processing and transmit the results to the client
Client Server

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Client

Server

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Client/Server

Advantages
Reduced cost potential Improved Performance Increased Security

Disadvantages
Increased cost potential Loss of control Complex multi-vendor environment

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Communications Software and Protocols (1)

Communications software
Provides error checking, message formatting, communications
logs, data security and privacy, and translation capabilities for networks

Network operating system (NOS)

Systems software that controls the computer systems and
devices on a network and allows them to communicate with each other

Network management software

Enables a manager on a networked desktop to monitor the use
of individual computers and shared hardware, scan for viruses, and ensure compliance with software licenses
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Communications Software and Protocols (2)

Protocol
Rules that ensure communications among
computers of different types and from different manufacturers.

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Communications Software and Protocols (3)

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model Serves as a standard model for network architectures
and is endorsed by the International Standards Committee Communication functions are represented in seven layers to promote the development of modular networks. Designed to permit communication among different computers from different operating systems Seven layers (see figure 6.20)
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Communications Software and Protocols (4)

TCP/IP
TCP/IP = Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
Standard originally developed by the U.S. government to link defense research agencies; it is the primary communication protocol of the Internet

Systems Network Architecture (SNA)

IBM communication protocol

Ethernet
Protocol standard developed forLANs using a bus topology

X.400 and X.500

An international standard for message handling and network
directories
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Bridges, Routers, Gateways and Switches

Bridge
Connects two or more networks, with the same protocol, at the
media control portions of the data link layer

Router
Operates at the network level of the OSI model and features
more sophisticated addressing software than bridges. Can determine preferred paths

Gateway
Operates at or above the OSI transport layer and links LANs
or networks that employ different architectures and use dissimilar protocols

Switch
Routes or switches data to its destination
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Machine #1 Application 7 Presentation 6 Session 5 Transport 4 Network 3 Data link 2

2

Machine #2
7 6 5 4

Machine #3
7 6 5

Gateway box
7 6 5 4 3 2 7 6 5 4 3 2

Machine #4
7 6 5 4 3 2

Router box
3 2 3 2

4 3 2

Bridge box
2

3 2

Physical 1

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Telecommunications Applications (1)

Linking personal computers to mainframe computers Download and upload information Voice mail Enables users to leave, receive, and store verbal
messages for and from other users

Electronic mail (e-mail) Enables a sender to connect a computer to a network,

type messages, and send it to another person on the network
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Telecommunications Applications (2)

Electronic software distribution
Involves installing software on a file server for users to share
by signing onto the network and requesting that the software be downloaded onto their computers over a network

Electronic document distribution

Transporting documents -- such as sales reports, policy
manuals, and advertising brochures -- over communications lines and networks

Telecommuting
Enables employees to work away from the office using
personal computers and networks to communicate via electronic mail with other workers and to pick up and deliver results
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Telecommunications Applications (3)

Videoconferencing Allows participants to conduct long-distance
meetings face to face while eliminating

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Telecommunications Applications (4)

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Uses network systems and follows standards and
procedures that allow output from one system to be processed directly as input to other systems, without human intervention

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EDI link

Vendor (a)

Customer

EDI link

EDI link

Third-party clearing house

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Telecommunications Applications (5)

Public network services Services that give personal computer users access to
vast databases and other services, usually for an initial fee plus usage fees

Specialized and regional information services Specialized electronic bulletin boards and e-mail
services targeting particular interests.

Distance learning Use of telecommunications to extend the classroom

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End of Chapter 6
Chapter 7
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