The Data Communications

Industry

Chapter 1

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Approach to Data Communications
 You will never know all there is to
know about data communications.

 Be honest with yourself concerning

what you don’t know
What is Data Communications
 “The encoded transmission of data via
electrical, optical, or wireless means
between computers or network
processors.”
The Data Communications
Industry

The Data Communications industry has many stakeholders with complex relationships
The Regulatory Process
 Two tightly dependent components in a
constant and ongoing state of change are the
regulatory and carrier components.
 The regulatory component represents local,
state, and federal agencies charged with
regulating telecommunications,
 The carrier component represents companies
such as telephone and cable TV companies
that sell transmission services.
The Regulatory Process
 This interaction is a rather formal
process of a series of proposals, also
known as tariffs.
 Tariffs are submitted to state and
federal regulatory agencies by carriers,
and rulings and approvals are issued in
return
The Regulatory Process

 Carriers and agencies interact in the

formation of tariffs.
LATA’s and Basic infrstructure

 Local access transport areas (LATA) were

established as a result of the breakup of
AT&T to segment long-distance traffic
LATA v. Area Codes

 LATA’s do not correspond to area

codes
RBOC’s at the time of the
AT&T breakup (pre-1996)

 How does this differ from the ownership and

control structure that exists today?
Technology and Standards Development

 The development of a standard generally lags

the development of the technology.
Telecommunications Act of 1996
 sought to encourage competition in all
aspects and markets of telecommunications
services including switched and dedicated
local and inter-LATA traffic, cable TV, and
wireless services such as paging, cellular,
and satellite services.
 The legislation directs the FCC to produce the
rules that will allow LECs and IXCs to
compete in each other’s markets
The Importance of Standards
 Without standards, data communications
would be nearly impossible
 Standards allow multiple vendors to
manufacture competing products that work
together effectively.
 End-users can be confident that devices will
operate as specified and will interoperate
successfully.
 Standards can have a tremendous potential
economic impact on vendors
The Standards Process
1. Recognition of the need for a standard
2. Formation of some type of committee or task
force
3. Information/recommendation gathering phase
4. Tentative/alternative standards issued
5. Feedback on tentative/alternative standards
6. Final standards issued
7. Compliance with final standards
Driving Forces in the
Datacomm Industry
The Top-Down Approach

 Business needs drive solutions.

The OSI Model
 The ISO has developed a framework for
organizing networking technology and
protocol solutions known as the open
systems interconnection (OSI) network
reference model.
 The OSI Model consists of a hierarchy of 7
layers that loosely group the functional
requirements for communication between two
computing devices.
The OSI Model
 The power of the OSI Model, officially known
as ISO Standard 7489, lies in its openness
and flexibility.
 It can be used to organize and define
protocols involved in communicating between
two computing devices located in the same
room as effectively as two devices located on
opposite sides of the world.
 It is THE reference mode in the world of
telcommunications
Protocols
 A protocol is a set of rules that govern
communication between hardware
and/or software components.
 There are many well known as well as a
few obscure protocols used in
telecommunications.
OSI Model Overview
Mapping the OSI model

 The OSI model maps to the Internet model and

corresponding protocols.
The OSI model
 Network analysts literally talk in terms of the OSI
model.
 When troubleshooting network problems, the network
analyst starts with the physical layer and ensures that
protocols and interfaces are operational at each
layer.
 Another benefit of the OSI model is that it allows
discussion about the interconnection of two networks
or computers in common terms without dealing in
proprietary vendor jargon
Physical Layer
 responsible for the establishment,
maintenance and termination of
physical connections between
communicating devices.
 transmits and receives a stream of bits.
 no data recognition at the physical
layer.
Data Link Layer
 responsible for providing protocols that deliver
reliable point-to-point connections
 organizing the bit stream into structured frames
which add addressing and error checking
information.
 Additional information added to the front of data is
called a header,
 information added to the back of data is called a
trailer.
 Data link layer protocols provide error detection,
notification, and recovery
Data Link Layer (NIC’s)
 Data-link layer frames are built within the
network interface card installed in a computer
according to the pre-determined frame layout
particular to the network architecture of the
installed network interface card.
 Network interface cards are given a unique
address in a format determined by their
network architecture.
 These addresses are usually assigned and
pre-programmed by the NIC manufacturer.
Data Link Layer – Sub Layers
 The IEEE 802 committee split the data-link
layer into two sub-layers :
 media access control or MAC sub-layer
interfaces with the physical layer and is
represented by protocols which define how
the shared local area network media is to be
accessed by the many connected computers
 logical link control or LLC sub-layer and is
rep­resented by a single IEEE 802 protocol
(IEEE 802.2).
LLC Sub-Layer
 Splitting the data-link layer into two sub-
layers offers transparency to the upper layers
(network and above) while allowing the MAC
sub-layer protocol to vary independently.
 This allows a given network operating system
to run equally well over a variety of different
network architectures as embodied in network
interface cards
Network Layer
 network layer protocols are responsible for
the establishment, maintenance, and
termination of end-to-end network links.
 Network layer protocols are required when
computers that are not physically connected to
the same LAN must communicate.
 Network layer protocols are responsible for
providing network layer (end-to-end)
addressing schemes and for enabling inter-
network routing of network layer data packets.
Network Layer (Packets v. Frames)
 The term packets is usually associated
with network layer protocols while the
term frames is usually associated with
data link layer protocols.
Transport Layer
 transport layer protocols are responsible for
providing reliability for the end-to-end network
layer connections.
 Transport layer protocols provide end-to-end
error recovery and flow control.
 Transport layer protocols also provide
mechanisms for sequentially organizing
multiple network layer packets into a coherent
message.
Session Layer
 Session layer protocols are responsible for
establishing, maintaining, and terminating
sessions between user application programs.
 Sessions are interactive dialogues between
networked computers and are of particular
importance to distributed computing
applications in a client/server environment
Presentation Layer
 Presentation layer protocols provide an
interface between user applications and
various presentation-related services required
by those applications.
 For example, data encryption/decryption
protocols are considered presentation layer
protocols as are protocols that translate
between encoding schemes such as ASCII to
EBCDIC
Application Layer
 include utilities and network based services
that support end-user application programs.
 the best examples of application layer
protocols are the OSI protocols X.400 and
X.500.
 DNS, Domain Name Service, which is an
Internet protocol that resolves a computer's
common or domain name to a specific IP
address, is also considered an application
layer protocol
The Top-Down Approach to
Information Systems Development


Networking and Telecomm in the ISD context .
Certification
 Certification as an indication of mastery
of a particular technology may be
important in some employment
situations.
 There are a number of well known
certifications.
Certification Concerns
 The amount of practical, hands-on
experience required to earn a given
certification.
 The amount of continuing education and
experience required to retain a certification.
 Vendor-specific certifications do not provide
the broad background required for today’s
multivendor internetworks.
Critical Skills for Data
Communications Professionals
Critical Skills for Data
Communications Professionals
 Understand and can speak “business.”
 Demonstrate an ability to own and solve
business problems in a partnership
rather than consultative role.
 Demonstrate an ability to look outside
their own expertise for solutions.
 Exhibit an understanding of the need for
lifelong learning. 
Critical Skills for Data
Communications Professionals
 Demonstrate an ability to evaluate technology with
a critical eye as to cost/benefit and potential for
significant business impact.
 Understand comparative value and proper
application of available network services
 Can work effectively with carriers to see that
implementations are completed properly and cost
effectively.
 Communicate effectively, verbally and orally, with
both technically oriented and management
personnel.
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