Data Communication & Its Components

Data communication refers to the Electronic transmission of information between two devices by using a communication channel such as a wire pair cable or fiber optics. Delivery, accuracy, timeliness, and jitter are four important characteristics of a good data communication system.

What is Data communication in computer?
Data communication in computer

 What Is Data Communication In Computer?

Data communication refers to the process of transmitting data and information electronically from one place to another by using some transmission medium. Data communications only happen when communicating devices are part of a communication system based on hardware and software.

Data communication enables the movement of electronic or digital data between two or more devices independent of their current geographical position, transmission medium, or data contents. The important Elements of Data Communication are message, sender, receiver, transmission medium, and protocol.

Local data communication occurs in the same geographical area.

Characteristics of Data Communication

Data communication refers to the process of transmitting data and information electronically from one place to another by using some transmission medium. Delivery, accuracy, timeliness, and jitter are four important characteristics of data communication

characteristics of data communication
Characteristics of Data Communication

1. Delivery: The data must be delivered from the source device to the correct destination in the right order.
2. Accuracy: The data must be delivered error-free. If there exists any inaccuracy during transmission, the data should be retransmitted.
3. Timeliness: The data must be delivered during the specified time period. The late delivered data become useless.
4. Jitter: It is the uneven or unexpected delay in the packet arrival time that causes uneven quality.

What are the Types of Data Communication?

The well-known types of data transmission are as follows:

  • Personal Computer to Personal Computer
  • Personal Computer to Host Computer
  • Processor to Processor

Personal Computer to Personal Computer

In general,  personal computers can also interact and communicate with each other on a one-to-one basis. There is no restriction on the exchange of information with one another. This communication can also be further divided into more two types. They are

  • Online Communication
  • Offline Communication

Online Communication

In this communication,  devices are connected directly to interchange information. a direct connection is made between the devices interchanging information, and the transfer happens immediately. The actual data transfer time lies in the capacity of the line and the amount of data to be transmitted

Offline Communication

In this communication, information is not transmitted immediately. The data is prepared for subsequent transmission. This is a type of batch process communication because the data is firstly processed in batches and is then communicated at the already-scheduled time.

Personal Computer to Host Computer

A  personal computer in a network depends on a large computer known as the host computer for the purpose to send, receive, and store information.  It can be a mid-range server or supercomputer. The host computer provides the processing facility as well as data to the personal computer.