Data Communication and Networks

Data communication is also known as data transmission, it is the transfer of any kind of information from one space to another. In a simple language, data communication is the transmission of data from one computer to another, or from one device to another. It means sending a stream of bits or bytes from one location to another using any number of technologies, such as copper wire, optical fiber, laser, radio, or infra-red light. Practical examples include moving data from one data storage device to another such as accessing a website, which involves data transfer from web servers to a user's browser. A communications device is any machine that assists data transmission. Communications software refers to programs that make it possible to transmit data. A simple scenario would be two personal computers in the same building, but 50 feet away from each other. By hooking up a cable between the two personal computers, we now have Data Communications. The extent of data communication builds from this point on, since there are many factors such as distance, topology, protocol, signaling, security, etc. that determine how data communication will take place.