CSC 335

Data Communications
and
Networking
Lecture 1: Introduction to
Communications

Dr. Cheer-Sun Yang

 Communications
• Data communication—examines how data,
in the form of energy, travel across some
medium from a source to a destination.
A Simplified Communications Model
 A Brief History about
Communications
• 1837- Samuel Morse invented the telegraph. Coding is
done with the Morse code
• 1876- Alex. Graham Bell invented the telephone. Voice
is converted into electrical energy and transmitted over
a wire.
• 1945- ENIAC was invented as the first electronic
computer
• 1980s-Personal Computers become a new way of
computing
• 1990s-came the emergence of the Internet and World
Wide Web applications
 What are transmitted via
Communication Media?
• Voice – encoded signals
• Video – encoded images
• Data – character streams
 Communication Applications
• Voice – telephone, FAX, Video
Conferencing, Cellular phones, etc.
• Video & Audio – television, VCR, DVD,
etc.
• Data – LAN, WAN, Internet, etc.
 Data Flow
• Data flow is the flow of data between two
points.
• The direction of the data flow can be described
as:
1.Simplex – data flows in only one direction on
the data communication line (medium).
2.Half Duplex – data flows in both directions but
only one direction at a time on the data
communication line.
3.Full Duplex – data flows in both directions
simultaneously.
 Modems
• A modem is a device that enables a
computer to transmit data over, for example
telephone or cable lines.
 Types of Modems
• External Modem
- sit next to the computer and connect to the
serial port using a straight-through serial
cable

• Internal Modem
- is a plug-in circuit board that sits inside
the computer. It incorporates the serial port
on-board.
 Networking
• Networking—computers communicate with
each other via networks.
• Computer network—a communication
system for connecting computers using a
single transmission technology.
A Simplified Network Model
 Network Topology
• Bus topology
• Star topology
• Ring topology
• Tree topology
THANK YOU! 
 What is Network Security?
• Network security is the protection
of the underlying networking
infrastructure from unauthorized
access, misuse, or theft. It involves
creating a secure infrastructure for
devices, applications, users, and
applications to work in a secure
manner.
 Types of Network Security
• Firewall
Firewalls are designed to prevent
unauthorized users from gaining access to
your network. They also provide basic
filtering for email servers and web servers.
 Types of Network Security
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
An Intrusion Detection service monitors traffic
entering and leaving your network and alerts you
to malicious activity. Some IDSs can even stop
intruders before they get inside your network.
 Types of Network Security
• Antivirus Software
Antivirus software protects your
computer from viruses, worms, Trojan
horses, spyware, adware, and other
types of malware. Most antivirus
programs include a firewall, but they
aren’t always necessary.
 Types of Network Security
• Security Policies
A security policy defines
acceptable usage practices for your
organization. It helps ensure that only
authorized users can access sensitive
areas of your network.
 Types of Network Security
• Encryption
Encrypting data ensures that no
one can read it without the correct
key. Data encryption makes sure
that your data is secure even if
someone gains access to your
network.
 Types of Network Security
• Data Loss Prevention
Data loss prevention technology
prevents sensitive documents, emails
and other items from falling into the
wrong hands.
 Types of Network Security
• Secure Communications
Secure communications
technologies encrypt messages so that
they cannot be intercepted during
transmission. These technologies make
sure that no one can listen in on
conversations or read the private
correspondence between people.
 Types of Network Security
• Virtual Private Network
Virtual private network encrypts the
connections between endpoints and
networks, usually over the Internet. A
Remote Access VPN typically authenticates
communications using either IPSec or SSL.
 Types of Network Security
• Network Segmentation
Segmenting networks by software
allows for better enforcement of
security policy. Endpoints should
be classified by their identities
rather than just their IP addresses.
 Types of Network Security
• Network Access Control
Network security requires that
both user accounts and device
authentication mechanisms be in good
shape so that malicious actors cannot
gain unauthorized access.
How does Network Security
Work?
 Examples of Network Security
Threats
• Malicious Software
Malicious software can damage or
destroy files, corrupt databases,
steal personal information such as
credit card numbers, and disrupt
operations. Even worse, once a
computer becomes infected, it can
spread the virus to other computers.
 Examples of Network Security
Threats
• Malicious Software
Malicious software includes viruses,
worms, trojans, spyware, adware,
and other forms of malware. Some
of these attacks take advantage of
flaws in computer programs or
systems. Others attack
vulnerabilities in human behavior.
 Network Open Systems
Interconnection
• OSI Model
The OSI Model (Open Systems
Interconnection Model) is a conceptual
framework used to describe the functions
of a networking system. The OSI model
characterizes computing functions into a
universal set of rules and requirements in
order to support interoperability between
different products and software.
The OSI 7 Layers
 Physical Layer
• Corresponds to basic hardware.
• Example: NIC, modem, cable
• Topics include transmission media, data
encoding, modulation/demodulation,
multiplexing, switching(layer 1)-- circuit
switching.
 Data Link Layer
• Specifies how to organize data into frames
and how to transmit frames over a network.
• Detail topics include the format of a data
frame, i.e., framing, error
detection/correction, frame level error
recovery.
 Network Layer
• Specifies how to assign addresses and how
to forward packets to its destination.
• Detail topics include fragmentation,
assembly, routing, flow control.
 Transport Layer
• The basic function of the transport layer is to
accept data from the session layer, split it up
into smaller units, if needed, pass them to the
network layer, and ensure that the pieces all
arrive correctly at the other end.
• The transport layer also determines the type of
services, connection-oriented or connectionless.
• Congestion control
 Session Layer
• Allows users on different machines to
establish sessions between them.
• Major functions include managing dialog.
• Session layer determines whether traffic
can only go in one direction or both
directions at the same time.
 Presentation Layer
• Controls the encoding and decoding of data,
data compression.
 Application Layer
• Controls the interface with users.
• Application, presentation, session layers are
usually implemented together instead of
using laying architecture.
 ONLINE ACTIVITY 1
• Answer the following:
1.How does networking affect our data
security and privacy?
2.Define network security in your own words.
 ONLINE ACTIVITY 2
• Answer the following
1.What is OSI Model?
2.What are the 7 Layers of OSI Model and
define each in your own words.
 ONLINE ACTIVITY 3
• Answer the following
1.How do organizations promote a culture of
safety awareness and compliance within
their network operations teams?
2.Provide examples of occupational health
and safety incidents in network
environments and discuss the lessons
learned and preventive measures adopted
to mitigate future risks.
THANK YOU! 