Department of Collegiate Education

GOVERNMENT FIRST GRADE COLLEGE

Athani-591304
Department of Computer Science

Question bank
SUBJECT : DATA COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER
NETWORKS
SUBJECT CODE : 17BScCST61
CLASS : BSC VI Sem Paper-1

Subject In charge
Smt Bhagirathi Halalli
Assistant Professor
2019-20
 Data Communication and computer network question bank 2 Marks

2 Marks Question and Answers

1. What is mean by data communication?

Data communication is the exchange of data (in the form of 1s and 0s) between two devices via some
form of transmission medium (such as a wire cable).

2. What are the three criteria necessary for an effective and efficient network?

The most important criteria are performance, reliability and security. Performance of the network
depends on number of users, type of transmission medium, the capabilities of the connected h/w and
the efficiency of the s/w.

Reliability is measured by frequency of failure, the time it takes a link to recover from the failure and the
network’s robustness in a catastrophe. Security issues include protecting data from unauthorized access
and viruses.

3. What are the three fundamental characteristics determine the effectiveness of the data
communication system?

The effectiveness of the data communication system depends on 3 fundamental characters:

Delivery: The system must deliver data to the correct destination.

Accuracy: The system must deliver data accurately.

Timeliness: The system must deliver data in a timely manner.

4. What are the advantages of distributed processing?

Advantages of distributed processing include security/encapsulation, distributed databases, faster

problem solving, security through redundancy and collaborative processing.

5. Why are protocols needed?

In networks, communication occurs between the entities in different systems. Two entities cannot just
send bit streams to each other and expect to be understood. For communication, the entities must
agree on a protocol. A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communication.

6. Why are standards needed?

Co-ordination across the nodes of a network is necessary for an efficient communication. If there are no
standards, difficulties arise. A standard provides a model or basis for development to which everyone
has agreed.

7. For n devices in a network, what is the number of cable links required for a mesh and ring
topology?
 Data Communication and computer network question bank 2 Marks

Mesh topology – n (n-1)/2

Ring topology – n

8. What is the difference between a passive and an active hub?

An active hub contains a repeater that regenerates the received bit patterns before sending them out. A
passive hub provides a simple physical connection between the attached devices.

9. Distinguish between peer-to-peer relationship and a primary-secondary relationship.

Peer-to-peer relationship: All the devices share the link equally.

Primary-secondary relationship: One device controls traffic and the others must transmit through it.

10. Assume 6 devices are arranged in a mesh topology. How many cables are needed? How many
ports are needed for each device?

Number of cables=n (n-1)/2=6(6-1)/2=15

Number of ports per device=n-1=6-1=5

11. Group the OSI layers by function.

The seven layers of the OSI model belonging to three subgroups. Physical, datalink and network layers
are the network support layers; they deal with the physical aspects of moving data from one device to
another. Session, presentation and application layers are the user support layers; they allow
interoperability among unrelated software systems. The transport layer ensures end-to-end reliable
data transmission.

12. What are header and trailers and how do they get added and removed?

Each layer in the sending machine adds its own information to the message it receives from the layer
just above it and passes the whole package to the layer just below it. This information is added in the
form of headers or trailers. Headers are added to the message at the layers 6,5,4,3, and 2. A trailer is
added at layer2. At the receiving machine, the headers or trailers attached to the data unit at the
corresponding sending layers are removed, and actions appropriate to that layer retaken.

13. The transport layer creates a communication between the source and destination. What are the
three events involved in a connection?

Creating a connection involves three steps: connection establishment,datatransfer and connection

release.

14. What is the DC component?

 Data Communication and computer network question bank 2 Marks

Direct current is a zero-frequency signal with constant amplitude.

15. How does NRZ-L differ from NRZ-I?

In the NRZ-L sequence, positive and negative voltages have specific meanings: positive for 0 and
negative for 1. in the NRZ-I sequence, the voltages are meaningless. Instead, the receiver looks for
changes from one level to another as its basis for recognition of 1s.

19. Discuss the mode for propagating light along optical channels.

There are two modes for propagating light along optical channels,

Multimode: Multiple beams from a light source move through the core in different paths. Single mode:
Fiber with extremely small diameter that limits beams to a few angles ,resulting in an almost horizontal
beam.

20. What is refraction?

The phenomenon related to the bending of light when it passes from one medium to another.

.22. What are the disadvantages of optical fiber as a transmission medium?

The disadvantages of optical fiber are

Very expensive.

Installation and maintenance is difficult.

Fragility.

23. What are the criteria used to evaluate transmission medium?

The criteria used to evaluate transmission medium are

Throughput

Propagation speed

Propagation time

Wavelength

24. Give the relationship between propagation speed and propagation time?

Propagation time = distance / propagation speed

The time required for a signal or a bit to travel from one point to another is called

Propagation time.
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Propagation speed is the distance, a signal or a bit travel through a medium in one second.

25.Explain cross talk and what is needed to reduce it?

Effect of one wire on another is called as cross talk. One wire will be the sending antenna and the other
wire will be the receiving antenna. We can use the shielded twisted pair cable or coaxial cable for
transmission, which contains metal foil to reduce cross talk.

1. What are the network support layers and the user support layers? Network support layers:

The network support layers are Physical layer, Data link layer and Network layer.

These deals with electrical specifications, physical connection, transport timing and reliability.

User support layers:

The user support layers are: Session layer, Presentation layer, Application layer.

These allow interoperability among unrelated software system.

11. What is meant by switched virtual circuit?

Switched virtual circuit format is comparable conceptually to dial-up line in circuit switching. In this
method, a virtual circuit is created whenever it is needed and exits only for the duration of specific
exchange.

12. What is meant by Permanent virtual circuit?

Permanent virtual circuits are comparable to leased lines in circuit switching. In this method, the same
virtual circuit is provided between two uses on a continuous basis. The circuit is dedicated to the specific
uses.

13. Define Routers.

Routers relay packets among multiple interconnected networks. They Route packets from one network
to any of a number of potential destination networks on internet routers operate in the physical, data
link and network layer of OSI model.

14. What is meant by hop count?

The pathway requiring the smallest number of relays, it is called hop-count routing, in which every link is
considered to be of equal length and given the value one.

15. How can the routing be classified?

The routing can be classified as,

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Adaptive routing

Non-adaptive routing.

1.What are the responsibilities of data link layer?

Specific responsibilities of data link layer include the following.

a) Framing b) Physical addressing c) Flow control d) Error control e) Access control

2. Mention the types of errors.

There are 2 types of errors

a) Single-bit error. b) Burst-bit error.

3. Define the following terms.

a) Single bit error: The term single bit error means that only one bit of a given data unit (such as byte
character/data unit or packet) is changed from 1 to 0 or from 0 to 1. b) Burst error: Means that 2 or
more bits in the data unit have changed from 1 to 0 from 0 to 1.

4. What is redundancy?

It is the error detecting mechanism, which means a shorter group of bits or extra bits may be appended
at the destination of each unit.

5. List out the available detection methods.

There are 4 types of redundancy checks are used in data communication. a) Vertical redundancy checks
(VRC). b) Longitudinal redundancy checks (LRC). c) Cyclic redundancy checks (CRC). d) Checksum.

6. Write short notes on VRC.

The most common and least expensive mechanism for error detection is the vertical redundancy check
(VRC) often called a parity check. In this technique redundant bit called a parity bit, is appended to every
data unit so, that the total number of 0’s in the unit (including the parity bit) becomes even.

7. Write short notes on LRC.

In longitudinal redundancy check (LRC), a block of bits is divided into rows and a redundant row of bits is
added to the whole block.

8. Write short notes on CRC.

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The third and most powerful of the redundancy checking techniques is the cyclic redundancy checks
(CRC) CRC is based on binary division. Here sequence of redundant bits, called the CRC remainder is
appended to the end of data unit.

9. Write short notes on CRC generator.

A CRC generator uses a modulo-2 division.

a) In the first step, the 4 bit divisor is subtracted from the first 4 bit of the dividend.

b) Each bit of the divisor is subtracted from the corresponding bit of the dividend without

disturbing the next higher bit.

10. Write short notes on CRC checker.

A CRC checker functions exactly like a generator. After receiving the data appended with the CRC it does
the same modulo-2 division. If the remainder is all 0’s the CRC is dropped and the data accepted.
Otherwise, the received stream of bits is discarded and the dates are resent.

11. Give the essential properties for polynomial.

A polynomial should be selected to have at least the following properties.

a) It should not be

b) It should be divisible by(x+1).

12. Define checksum.

The error detection method used by the higher layer protocol is called checksum.

Checksum is based on the concept of redundancy.

13. What are the steps followed in checksum generator?

The sender follows these steps

a) The units are divided into k sections each of n bits.

b) All sections are added together using 2’s complement to get the sum.

c) The sum is complemented and become the checksum. d) The checksum is sent with the data.

14. List out the steps followed is checksum checker side.

The receiver must follow these steps

a) The unit is divided into k section each of n bits.

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b) All sections are added together using 1’s complement to get the sum.

c) The sum is complemented. d) If the result is zero.

15. Write short notes on error correction.

It is the mechanism to correct the errors and it can be handled in 2 ways.

a) When an error is discovered, the receiver can have the sender retransmit the entire data unit.

b) A receiver can use an error correcting coder, which automatically corrects certain errors.

16. Mention the types of error correcting methods.

There are 2 error-correcting methods. a) Single bit error correction

b) Burst error correction.

17. What is the purpose of hamming code?

A hamming code can be designed to correct burst errors of certain lengths. So the simple strategy used
by the hamming code to correct single bit errors must be redesigned to be applicable for multiple bit
correction.

18. Define flow control.

Flow control refers to a set of procedures used to restrict the amount of data. The sender can send
before waiting for acknowledgment.

19. What is a buffer?

Each receiving device has a block of memory called a buffer, reserved for storing incoming data until
they are processed.

20. Mention the categories of flow control.

There are 2 methods have been developed to control flow of data across communication links.

a) Stop and wait- send one from at a time.

b) Sliding window- send several frames at a time.

21. What is the function of stop and wait flow control?

In this method, the sender sends one frame and waits for an acknowledgement before

Sending.

22. Mention the advantage and disadvantage of stop and wait flow control.
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Advantage: simplicity

Disadvantage: inefficiency.

23. Define ARQ.

Error control in the data link layer is based on Automatic repeat request (ARQ), which means
retransmission of data in 3 cases. a) Damaged frame b) Lost frame c) Lost acknowledgment.

24. Mention the function of go-back N-ARQ.

It is the popular mechanism for continuous transmission error control. In the method, if our frame is lost
or damaged, all frames sent since the last frame acknowledged are retransmitted.

25. What is selective reject ARQ?

In selective reject ARQ only the specific damaged or lost frame is retransmitted. If a frame is corrupted
in transit, a NAK is returned and the frame is resent out of sequence.

26. Define HDLC.

It is a bit-oriented data link protocol designed to support both half-duplex and full duplex
communication over point to point and midpoint links.

27. List the types of stations is HDLC.

HDLC differentiates between 3 types of stations.

a) Primary b) Secondary c) Combined

30. What are the different communication modes in HDLC?

HDLC supports 3 modes of communication between stations.

a) Normal response mode (NRM)

b) Asynchronous response mode (ARM)

c) Asynchronous balanced mode (ABM)

31. Mention the types of frames in HDLC.

There are 3 types of HDLC frames.

a) Information frames (I-frames) b) Supervisory frames (S-frames) c) Unnumbered frames (U-frames)

33. Write the types of frame fields contained in HDLC.

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Each frame in HDLC may contain up to 6 fields.

a) Beginning flag field b) An address field c) A control field d) An information field

e) A frame check sequence (FCS) field f) An ending flag field.

34. What is meant by bit stuffing?

Bit stuffing is the process of adding one extra 0 whenever there are 5 consecutive in the data so that the
receiver doesn’t mistake the data for a flag.

35. Define LAN.

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a data communication system that allows number of independent devices
to communicate directly with each other in a limited geographic area.

36. Mention the various architecture in a LAN.

LAN is dominated by 4 architectures.

a) Ethernet b) Token bus c) Token ring d) Fiber distributed data interface (FDDI)

37. Define a standard 802.3

IEEE 802.3 supports a LAN standard originally developed by Xerox and later extended by a joint venture
between digital equipment corporations. Intel Corporation and Xerox. This was called ‘Ethernet’.

38. List the most command kinds of Base band 802.3 LAN.

a) 10 Base 5 b) 10 Base 2 c) 10 Base T d) 1 Base 5 e) 100 Base T

39. Mention the different kinds of Ethernet networks.

a) Switched Ethernet b) Fast Ethernet c) Gigabit Ethernet

40. Write short notes on FDDI.

Fiber distributed data interface is a local areas. Network protocol standardized by ANSI and ITU-7. It
supports data rates of 100 Mbps and provides a high-speed alternative to Ethernet and token ring
access method used here is token passing.

41. Describe the three HDLC station types?

The three HDLC station types are:

Primary station: The primary station has the complete control of the link. The Primary station sends
commands to the secondary station.

Secondary station: The secondary station sends responses.

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Combined station: The combined station is one which acts either as a primary or a Secondary,
depending upon the nature and direction of the transmission. Combined station sends both commands
and responses.

42. What is piggy backing?

Piggy backing means combining data to sent and acknowledgement of the frame received in one single
frame. Piggy backing can save bandwidth because the overhead from a data frame and an ACK frame
can be combined into just one frame

43. Name the four types of S-frames?

The four types of S-frames are

Receive ready(RR).The value of the code sub field is 00

Receive not ready(RNR). The value of the code sub field is 10

Reject(REJ). The value of the code sub field is 01

Selective reject(SREJ). The value of the code sub field is 11