Computer Networks and Security ___________1.

A computer network or data network

Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and
Elements of Data Communications
____________________________________________
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
- elucidate the evolution of computer networks, its
technical definition and purposes.
- identify the elements of communication and its
technical definition.
- explain the connection of communication to
computer networking
TOPIC OUTLINE:
is a telecommunications network that allows
computers to exchange data.
___________2. Networked computing devices pass
data to each other in the form of packets across
connections established using either cable or wireless
media.
___________3. Computer networking allows sharing
of resources anywhere you are via internet connection.
___________4. Data communication is also called as
data transmission.
___________5. Two computers connected together,
and share resources and files can be considered as
networked computers.
EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER
NETWORKS
The evolution of computer networks is elucidated in
the following infographics.

A. Evolution of Computer Networks You may zoom out the picture to see it clearly.
a. Definition of computer network
b. Purposes of a network
B. Explain the elements of Communication
a. Definition of data communication
b. Elements of communication

OVERVIEW

This module will tackle the evolution of the computer

networks with the aid of an infographic. From 1940 to
present, it will give you the brief history of computer
networking. It will also expound the definition of
computer network and its purposes.
The principles of data communication will also be
discussed to understand better the computer
networking. Its elements which include sender,
receiver and the medium used will be reviewed and
explained in detailed.

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Before you proceed to the learning module, kindly

answer the following questions to assess your
comprehension of the fundamental concepts of
computer networking.
True or False. Write True if the answer is True,
otherwise write False.

Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and Introduction to Data Communications

 rarely changed after initial assignment. Network
addresses serve for locating and identifying the nodes
by communication protocols such as the Internet
Protocol.

Computer networks may be classified by many criteria,

for example, the transmission medium used to carry
signals, bandwidth, communications protocols to
organize network traffic, the network size, the
topology, traffic control mechanism, and
organizational intent.

Computer networks support many applications and

services, such as access to the World Wide Web, digital
video, digital audio, shared use of application and
storage servers, printers, and fax machines, and use of
email and instant messaging applications.

Today, computer networks are the core of modern

communication. All modern aspects of the public
switch telephone network (PSTN) are computer
controlled, and telephony increasingly runs over the
Internet Protocol, although not necessarily the public
Internet. The scope of communication has increased
significantly in the past decade, and this boom in
communications would not have been possible without
the progressively advancing computer network.

Computer networks, and the technologies needed to

The image is taken from:
connect and communicate through and between them,
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/technology/
continue to drive computer hardware, software, and
brief-history-computer-network-technology
peripherals industries. The expansion is mirrored by
growth in the numbers and types of users of networks,
DEFINITION OF COMPUTER from the researcher to the home user.
NETWORK
PURPOSES OF NETWORK
A computer network is a group of computers that use
a set of common communication protocols over digital
interconnections for the purpose of sharing resources The following are some of the purposes of computer
located on or provided by the network nodes. The network. You may add more to this list.
interconnections between nodes are formed from a
broad spectrum of telecommunication network
File and Data Sharing
technologies, based on physically wired, optical, and
wireless radio-frequency methods that may be
At one time, file-sharing consisted mostly of saving
arranged in a variety of network topologies.
documents to floppy disks that could be physically
transferred to other computers by hand. With
The nodes of a computer network may be classified by
networking, however, files can be shared
many means as personal computers, servers,
instantaneously across the network, whether with one
networking hardware, or general purpose hosts. They
user or with hundreds. Employees across departments
are identified by hostnames and network addresses.
can collaborate on documents, exchange background
Hostnames serve as memorable labels for the nodes,
material, revise spreadsheets and make simultaneous

Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and Introduction to Data Communications

additions and updates to a single central customer
database without generating conflicting versions.
Resource Sharing
Computer networking also allows the sharing of
network resources, such as printers, dedicated servers,
backup systems, input devices and Internet
connections. By sharing resources, unique equipment
like scanners, color printers or high-speed copiers can
be made available to all network users simultaneously
without being relocated, eliminating the need for
expensive redundancies. What's more, specific shared
resources can be targeted to deliver documents or
results directly to the office or department that needs
them.
Data Protection and Redundancy
Preventing critical data loss saves businesses
worldwide countless millions of dollars every year.
Networking computers together allows users to
distribute copies of important information across
multiple locations, ensuring essential information isn't
lost with the failure of any one computer in the
network. By utilizing central backup systems both on-
and off-site, unique documents and data can be
gathered automatically from every computer in the
network and securely backed up in case of physical
computer damage or accidental deletion.
Ease of Administration
Information technology (IT) officers and computer
network administrators love network systems because
they allow the IT professional to maintain uniform
versions of software, protocols and security measures
across hundreds or thousands of individual computers
from one IT management station. Instead of
individually upgrading each computer in a company
one at a time, a network administrator can initiate an
upgrade from a server and automatically duplicate the
upgrade throughout the network simultaneously,
allowing everyone in the company to maintain uniform
software, resources and procedures.
Internal Communications
Computer networking also allows organizations to
maintain complex internal communications systems.
Network email can be instantaneously delivered to all
users, voice mail systems can be hosted via network
Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and Introduction to Data Communications
and made available systemwide and collaborative
scheduling software and program management tools
allow employees to coordinate meetings and work
activities that maximize effectiveness, while also
notifying managers and co-workers of plans and
progress.
Distributing Computing Power
Organizations that demand extraordinary computing
power benefit from computer networking by
distributing computational tasks across multiple
computers throughout the network, breaking complex
problems into hundreds or thousands of smaller
operations, which are then parceled out to individual
computers. Each computer in the network performs its
operations on its own portion of the larger problem
and returns its results to the controller, which gathers
the results and makes conclusions no computer could
accomplish on its own.
DATA COMMUNICATION/TRANSMISSION
Data transmission (also data communication or digital
communications) is the transfer of data (a digital
bitstream or a digitized analog signal) over a point-to-
point or point-to-multipoint communication channel.
Examples of such channels are copper wires, optical
fibers, wireless communication channels, storage
media and computer buses. The data are represented
as an electromagnetic signal, such as an electrical
voltage, radiowave, microwave, or infrared signal.
Analog or analogue transmission is a transmission
method of conveying voice, data, image, signal or video
information using a continuous signal which varies in
amplitude, phase, or some other property in
proportion to that of a variable. The messages are
either represented by a sequence of pulses by means
of a line code (baseband transmission), or by a limited
set of continuously varying waveforms (passband
transmission), using a digital modulation method. The
passband modulation and corresponding
demodulation (also known as detection) is carried out
by modem equipment. According to the most common
definition of digital signal, both baseband and
passband signals representing bit-streams are
considered as digital transmission, while an alternative
definition only considers the baseband signal as digital,
and passband transmission of digital data as a form of
digital-to-analog conversion.
Data transmitted may be digital messages originating
from a data source, for example a computer or a
keyboard. It may also be an analog signal such as a
phone call or a video signal, digitized into a bit-stream,
for example, using pulse-code modulation (PCM) or
more advanced source coding (analog-to-digital
conversion and data compression) schemes. This
source coding and decoding is carried out by codec
equipment.
ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
Message
The message is the information (data) to be
communicated. Popular forms of information include
text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video.
Sender
The sender is the device that sends the data message.
It can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset,
video camera, and so on.
Receiver
The receiver is the device that receives the message. It
can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset,
television, and so on.
Transmission Medium
The transmission medium is the physical path by which
a message travels from sender to receiver. Some
examples of transmission media include twisted-pair
wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, and radio waves.
Protocol
A protocol is a set of rules that govern data
communications. It represents an agreement between
the communicating devices. Without a protocol, two
devices may be connected but not communicating, just
as a person speaking French cannot be understood by
a person who speaks only Japanese.
(Please Zoom out the picture to view it better.)
Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and Introduction to Data Communications
ACTIVITIES
1. List the the elements of communication and its
technical definition.
2. Cite examples where computer networking are
applied
3. Watch videos about Computer Networks
Purpose of Network
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkQ-nhStBYE
Data Communication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YChWNAm
0LQ
ASSESSMENT
1. You will be given scenario-based questions on the
topics which will be graded and recorded as part
of your class standing.
SUMMARY
Early networks started from 1940s and continue to
evolve and developed with new technologies. The
development of networking continues to propagate
through time with even more sophisticated tools that
helps us in the way we live and work.
A computer network is a group of computers that use
a set of common communication protocols over digital
interconnections for the purpose of sharing resources
located on or provided by the network nodes.
The purposes of computer network include but not
limited to:
 File and Data Sharing
 Resource Sharing
 Data Protection and Redundancy
 Ease of Administration
 Internal Communications
 Distributing Computer Power
Data transmission (also data communication or digital
communications) is the transfer of data (a digital
bitstream or a digitized analog signal) over a point-to-
point or point-to-multipoint communication channel.

Data transmission is through analog or digital signals.

The elements of data communication are:

 Message
 Sender
 Receiver
 Transmission Medium
 Protocol

REFERENCES

A Brief History of Computer Network Technology.

(n.d.). Retrieved September 09, 2020, from
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/techn
ology/brief-history-computer-network-
technology

The Purpose of Computer Networking. (n.d.).

Retrieved September 09, 2020, from
https://www.techwalla.com/articles/the-
purpose-of-computer-networking

Thiru. (n.d.). Thiru. Retrieved September 09, 2020,

from http://www.myreadingroom.co.in/notes-
and-studymaterial/68-dcn/675-components-of-
data-communication.html

Data transmission. (2020, August 27). Retrieved

September 09, 2020, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_transmissio
n

IT Fundamentals/Introduction. (n.d.). Retrieved

September 05, 2020, from
https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/IT_Fundamental
s/Introduction

Prepared by:

MARILOU B. PADERES, CpE

Faculty, College of Engineering and Architecture

Module 2 – Evolution of Computer Networks and Introduction to Data Communications