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

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 –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