Data Communication

Data Communication refers to the sharing or transfer of collection of facts, figures, etc. between devices capable of such exchanges using some of the other communication mediums. Whenever we communicate we share facts, ideas, etc. in mutually agreed-upon language and speed with the maximum accuracy possible. The same is the case in data communication, here the effectiveness of Data Communication is determined by correctness in delivery, the accuracy of transfer, timeliness, and lesser variation in packet arrival times. 

Basic Components of Data Communication

Data Communication has five basic components that are as follows: 

• Message: It is the data or the information that is to be exchanged between two points. Often in the real world, we share messages in the form of texts, numbers, pictures, audio, and videos.

• Sender: It is the node (device) that is intended to send the information being transferred or communicated. It has mechanisms of its own that make information encoded in a format that is feasible and secure to transfer on the transmission medium accurately and timely. 

• Receiver: The device that holds the responsibility of receiving the encoded information and decoding it into a certain format accurately and sending the feedback is the receiver.

• Transmission Medium: It is a path such as a cable that serves as traveling media on which the message is transferred from the sender to the receiver end.  

• Protocol: The protocol is the rules that are agreed upon between sender and receiver which govern the entire exchange process. These protocols make communication possible between two devices without them may be connected but won’t be communicating.

The terms Data Communication and Digital Communication share a common word, i.e. Communication between them. Communication that natively means to share something; makes these terms look similar, but they are quite different from each other. While one term relates more to what is being communicated other is closer to what is the type and process of sharing involved during communication. Let us explore more into it now.

Data communication is a broader term that encompasses the transfer of any type of data between two points, while digital communication specifically refers to the transfer of digital signals over a communication channel. While the two terms are related, it is important to distinguish between them based on the specific context in which they are used.