Data communication principles

This online course explains the fundamental principles of data communications and describes the role of the basic functional components of data links and the protocols that define their operation.

This course is designed for those who require an introduction to the fundamental technical concepts that underpin modern data communications systems. This course is a valuable starting point for those studying topics such as local area networks, the Internet and telecommunications systems.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• describe the role and operation of the various components of a digital link.
• describe the role of an interface between communications sub-systems in terms of the transfer of control signals and data.
• describe and compare the characteristics of serial and parallel interfaces.
• compare the operation of synchronous and asynchronous links.
• compare the basic properties of simplex, duplex and half duplex communication links.
• describe the principles and advantages of packet switching with particular reference to the connectionless operation of the Internet.
• describe the concepts and causes of congestion and congestion collapse and methods of avoiding congestion.
• describe the role and facilities of data protocols and their categorisation with reference to the OSI reference model and to the Internet suite of protocols.
• describe the role and basic structure of local and wide area networks, and the role of the functional components of these networks.

This online course includes assessments, the results of which are summarised in a certificate published at course completion.