1. Chapter 1: Introduction
Business Data Communications, 4e

2. Information & Communication
Networking is critical to the new corporate structures emerging in today’s businesses
Benefits of good networks
make geographically dispersed companies more manageable
help top-heavy companies trim down middle management
help companies break down barriers between divisions.

3. Trends Driving Data Communication
Traffic growth
Voice & data; local and long distance
Development of new services
In turn drives increased traffic
Advances in technology
Encourage and support increased growth and development

4. Key Technology Trends Faster and cheaper computing and communications
Increasingly “intelligent” networks
Growing importance of Internet, intranet and extranet applications
Increasing use of and dependence on mobile technology

5. Business Drivers

6. Convergence Applications Services Management Infrastructure
See figure 1.3 in book for relationship among layers.

7. Business Information Requirements
Voice communications
Data communications
Image communications
Video communications

8. The Internet & Distributed Applications
Key infrastructure for supporting distributed applications
Internet, including intranets and extranets
TCP/IP protocol suite
Distributed applications
Client-Server Architectures and Intranets

9. Network Types Wide Area Networks Local Area Networks (LANs)
Circuit Switched
Packet Switched
Frame Relay
ATM
Local Area Networks (LANs)
Wireless Networks
Metropolitan Area Networks

10. Transmission of Information
Transmission and transmission media
e.g. twisted pair, fiber, wireless, coax
Communication Techniques
encoding, interface, protocols
Transmission efficiency
multiplexing, compression

11. Management Issues
Network Security
Network Management

12. Communications Standards
Importance
Process
Organizations

13. Resources Web Sites Usenet Newsgroups Journals Business-oriented
Technical

14. Telecommunication Uses electricity to transmit messages
Speed of electricity dramatically extends reach
Sound waves: ~670 mph
Electricity: ~186,000 (speed of light)
Bandwidth= information-carrying capacity of a channel