Data Communication Network Chapter One

1. How can data communications networks affect businesses?

ANSWER
▪ By being the foundations for distributed systems by which information system
applications get divided among an array of computers that share resources;

▪ By facilitating supplementary efficient use of computers and improve the day-

to-day control of a business by providing faster information flow, in order to
aid strategic competitive advantage;

▪ By providing message transfer services in order to allow computer users

communicate via email.
2. Discuss three important applications of data communications networks in business and
personal use.
ANSWER
The three important applications of data communication networks in business include:
▪ Videoconferencing: This involves the use of virtual technology in order to
enable a live, visual connection between two or more persons residing in
different locations for the purpose of communication and meeting.
▪ The Internet: The internet has a lot of importance to help business grow. These
importance include:
o Access to Information
o Internal Communication
o Marketing and Audience Effects
o Benefits of Social Media
o Business Automation
▪ Email: Email which stands for electronic mail is a widely used online
communication system for businesses and can be used to promote products in
forms of email advert.
3. How do LANs differ from WANs and BNs?
ANSWER
▪ Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of microcomputers or terminals located
in the same general area within a building.
▪ Backbone Network (BN) is a large central network computer that connects
everything on a particular company site.
▪ Wide Area Network (WAN) spans cities or national boundaries.
4. What is a circuit?
ANSWER
A circuit is the pathway through which messages travel. It can be made up of a copper
wire, although fiber optic cable and wireless transmission are becoming more common.
A circuit may pass through varieties of physical facilities like copper wire or fiber optic
cable. There are several devices on the circuit's path that perform some special
functions. These devices include switches, hubs, routers, and gateways.

5. What is a client?
ANSWER
A client is a hardware of software device which makes use of services made available
by the server. It enables a remote user to access the network and get hold of resources
on the server.

6. What is a server?
ANSWER
A server a hardware that stores data, resources or software that can be accessed by the
clients. It serves as the central system and backbone of the information required to
ensure workflow in an organization.

7. Why are network layers important?

ANSWER
 Communication networks are typically broken into a series of layers, each of which
might be outlined one by one, to allow vendors develop software and hardware that
may work along within the overall network.

Network layers enable ease in development and also in the comprehension of complex
networks because of the series of broken-down communication layers. They also
enable different networks to be connected.

8. Describe the seven layers in the OSI network model and what they do.
ANSWER
▪ The application layer: This is the application software used by network users.

▪ The presentation layer: This structures data for presentation to users by

accepting different interfaces on different terminals or computing hardware so
that the application program will not have to worry about them.

▪ The session layer: This is responsible for starting, managing, and terminating
each logical session between end-users.

▪ The transport layer: This deals with end-to-end problems, like procedures for
coming into and departing from a network, by establishing, maintaining, and
terminating logical connections for information transfer between the sender and
the final destination of the message.

▪ The network layer: This takes the generated message by the application layer
and breaks it into several smaller messages whenever it is required. It then
addresses the message and determines their route through the network, and
records message accounting information before passing it to the data link layer.
 ▪ The data link layer: This structure the required message to indicate where it
starts and ends, it also decides when transmission over the physical media
should be done, then detects and corrects any errors that occur in transmission.

▪ The physical layer: This is the physical connection between the sender and the
receiver with the inclusion of the hardware devices such as computers,
terminals, and modems, and physical media.

9. Describe the five layers in the Internet network model and what they do.
ANSWER
▪ The application layer: This is the application software used by network users.

▪ The transport layer: This deals with end-to-end problems, like procedures for
coming into and departing from a network, by establishing, maintaining, and
terminating logical connections for information transfer between the sender and
the final destination of the message.

▪ The network layer: This takes the generated message by the application layer
and breaks it into several smaller messages whenever it is required. It then
addresses the message and determines their route through the network, and
records message accounting information before passing it to the data link layer.

▪ The data link layer: This structure the required message to indicate where it
starts and ends, it also decides when transmission over the physical media
should be done, then finally detects errors that occur in transmission and
corrects.
 ▪ The physical layer: This is the physical connection between the sender and the
receiver with the inclusion of the hardware devices such as computers,
terminals, and modems, and physical media.

10. Explain how a message is transmitted from one computer to another using layers.
ANSWER
The application layer serves as the application software used for this purpose. The
transport layer obtains the address of the end user whenever required, dividing a large
data transmission into smaller packets, hence, ensuring that all pieces of packets have
been received, eliminating duplicates, and performing flow control in order to ensure
that no computer is over-worked with the number of messages it receives.

The network layer then takes the generated message by and if needed, breaks it into
several smaller messages. It then addresses the message and determines the route
through the network, and finally records message accounting information before
passing it to the data link layer.

The data link layer structures the message to indicate where it starts and ends. It decides
when to transmit it over a physical media, and detects any errors that occur in
transmission and corrects them.

The physical layer is the physical connection between the sender and the receiver with
the inclusion of the hardware devices such as computers, terminals, and modems, and
physical media.

11. Describe the three stages of standardization.

ANSWER
▪ specification: This consists of developing a nomenclature and identifying the
problems that need to be addressed.
 ▪ Identification of choices: Here, those working on the standard identify the
various solutions and choose the optimum solution from among the
alternatives.
▪ Acceptance: This is the most difficult stage. It consists of defining the solution
and getting recognized industry leaders to agree on a single, unique solution.

12. How are Internet standards developed?

13. Describe two important data communications standards-making bodies. How do they
differ?

14. What is the purpose of a data communications standard?

ANSWER
The use of standards makes it a lot easier to develop software and hardware that link
completely different networks because software and hardware are often developed one
layer at a time. The software or hardware outlined by the standard at one network layer
are often simply updated, as long as the interface between that layer and also the ones
around it remains unchanged.

15. Discuss three trends in communications and networking.

ANSWER
▪ Pervasive networking can change how we work and where we have our business
operations and with whom we have business transaction. Pervasive networking
means that we will have high speed communications networks everywhere, and
that virtually any device will be able to communicate with any other device in
the world. Prices for these networks will drop and the globalization of world
economies will continue to accelerate.
 ▪ Integration of voice, video, and data onto the same networks will make it easy
to access the network and enable anyone to access any media at any point in
time.

▪ The rise in these pervasive, integrated networks will mean a significant increase
the availability of information and new information services. It is likely that
application service providers will evolve that act as information utilities.

16. Why has the Internet model replaced the OSI model?
ANSWER
This is because the Internet model uses fewer layer which would take a smaller amount
of time for the data to pass through. This makes the Internet model simpler and easier
to remember and comprehend.

17. In the 1980s, when we wrote the first edition of this book, there were many, many
more protocols in common use at the data link, network, and transport layers than
there are today. Why do you think the number of commonly used protocols at these
layers has declined? Do you think this trend will continue? What Minicases 21 are the
implications for those who design and operate networks?
ANSWER
Today, all manufacturers are developing their products to use TCP/IP as their protocol
of choice. In the past, network equipment had retained proprietary protocols that did
not interface with as much comfort as today’s more compatible and TCP/IP based
products. The reduction of the number of competing protocols is related to the
emergence of TCP/IP as the universal connector, along with the rise in competition
and subsequently better price made available by those vendors who directly or
indirectly market to this protocol.
18. The number of standardized protocols in use at the application layer has significantly
increased since the 1980s. Why? Do you think this trend will continue? What are the
implications for those who design and operate networks?

19. How many bits (not bytes) are there in a 10-page text document? Hint: There are
approximately 350 words on a double-spaced page.
ANSWER
1 byte = 8 bits.
8 bytes x 8 = 64 bits
350 words x 64 = 22,400
22,400 x 10 pages = 224,000 bits

20. What are three cyber security issues?

ANSWER
▪ Unprecedented Attacks
▪ Cyber Espionage
▪ Data Theft

21. What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? What are the benefits and risks?
ANSWER
This is a proposed development of internet in which everyday objects have network
connectivity enabling sending and receiving of data. The Internet of Things is actually
a pretty simple concept, it means taking all the things in the world and connecting them
to the internet.

Benefits of IoT
▪ Efficient resource utilization
▪ Minimize human effort
▪ Save time
▪ Enhance Data Collection:
▪ Improve security

Risks of IoT
▪ Security: As the IoT systems are interconnected and communicate over networks.
The system offers little control despite any security measures, and it can be led the
various kinds of network attacks.
▪ Privacy: Even without the active participation on the user, the IoT system provides
substantial personal data in maximum detail.
▪ Complexity: The designing, developing, and maintaining and enabling the large
technology to IoT system is quite complicated.