Module 2: Information

Technology Infrastructure

Chapter 6:
Telecommunications, Internet
and Wireless Technology
 Learning Objectives

• Identify the telecommunication media and hardware

required for transmission
• Identify the network types and key networking
technologies (including protocols)
• Discuss the principle technologies and standards for
wireless networking
• Describe several telecommunication applications
that orgs benefit from today
• Discuss how Internet works and its support for
communications and e-business
 Intro to Telecommunications

• Telecommunication
– Electronic transmission of signals for communication
– The general model of telecommunication consists of
• The sending device
• The medium
• The communication device
• The receiving unit
 Intro to telecommunications

• Transmission medium
– Any material substance that carries an electronic signal to support
communications between sending and receiving devices
– Divided into one or more communication channels
– Classified as simplex, half duplex, full duplex
– Characteristics:
• Bandwidth: rate at which data is exchanged (bps)
• Higher bandwidth, more channel transmits
• Broadband
• Latency: time it takes a signal to travel from one location to another
• Best combo: high bandwidth, low latency
 Intro to telecommunications

• Physical transmission medium

Media Type Description Advantages Disadvantages
Twisted pair cable Twisted pair of Used for Transmission
copper wires, telephone speed and
insulated services, widely distance
available limitation
Coaxial Cable Inner conductor Cleaner and More expensive
wire surrounded faster data than twisted pair
by insulation transfer than
twisted pair
Fiber-Optic cable Extremely thin Less diameter, Expensive to
glass strands less distortion purchase and
bound together and high install
in a sheathing, transmission rate
uses light to
transmit
 Intro to telecommunications

• Wireless transmission medium

– Microwave
– Radio
– Infrared
 Intro to telecommunications

• Telecommunication Hardware
– Modem
• Special device that converts digital signals to analog signals (modulation)
and vice versa (demodulation)
• PC modem, cable modem, DSL modem
– Hub
• Device that connect network components, sending a packet of data to all
other connected devices
– Switch
• Smarter than hub, forward data to specific destination
– Network Interface Card
• Network interface device, connection medium for linking network
components
 Intro to telecommunications

• Telecommunication Hardware
– Router
– WAP
 Computer Network

• A network consists of two or more connected

computers
• A simple network contains:
– Client computer
– Dedicated server
– Network interfaces
– Connection medium
– Network operating system
– Hub/switch
Computer Network
Wired Network with Hub/Switch
Two router Network
Hybrid Network
 Computer Network

• Types of Networks
– Local Area Networks (LAN): connects computer systems and devices
within a small area, typically they are wired into office buildings
• Computers must be equipped with the correct interface
• Client/Server architecture: One computer is dedicated network file server,
providing access to resources
• Ethernet: LAN standard for physical medium (10 Mbps)
• Fast Ethernet (100Mps), Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps)
• Peer-to-peer architecture: used in very small networks, different computers
can exchange data by direct access and also peripheral devices. Useful for
small businesses
– Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN): connects computers systems
within a campus or a city
• Range of 30-90 miles
 Computer Network

• Types of Networks

– Wide Area Networks (WAN):International Networks: connects large

geographical regions
• Internet – world’s largest WAN

– Mesh Networking: way to route communications among network nodes

by allowing for continuous connections and reconfiguration around
blocked paths
• Robust, if one node fails, others can still communicate
• Can be used to provide Internet access, secure connections to corporate netowrks and
VoIP calls
 Key Digital Networking Technologies

• Client/Server computing
– Distributed computing model, some processing power on client
computers
– Linked to network to server computers, sets rules for communication,
provides every client with an address
• Packet Switching
– Slicing digital messages into packets, sending them over
communication paths, reassembling at destination
– Transmitted through routers
 Key Digital Networking Technologies

• TCP/IP Connectivity
– Protocol: set of rules and procedures concerning transmission of
information between 2 points in a network
– Now only worldwide standard Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP) is used with any kind of hardware for networking
– TCP: handles movement of data between computers, sequencing
packets and acknowledging sending
– IP: delivery of packets and reassembling during transmission
 Wireless Communication

• Advantages:
• Helps businesses stay in touch with customers, suppliers,
partners
• Provides flexible arrangements for organizing work
• Help create new products, services, sales channels
• Provide easier access to remote corporate areas
 Wireless Communication Standards

• Bluetooth
– Wireless N/W standard, creates PAN
– Range: 10m, 722Kbps (2.4Ghz)
– Useful for battery powered devices (printers, Keyboard)
– FedEx: signals transmitted from handheld devices through bluetooth
• Wi-Fi (802.11)
– Standard for wireless LAN and wireless Internet access
– Range: 30-5-m, 11Mbps-54Mbps (2.4Ghz)
– Use: creating ‘hotspots’
– 802.11 n is the fastest ( 100Mbps) based on the MIMO( multiple
input/multiple output)
 Wireless Communication Standards

• WiMAX
– Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)
– Range: 31 miles, 75Mbps
– Use: areas where difficult to install broadband or Wi-Fi
– Connectivity provided by WiMAX towers
 Wireless Communication Standards

• RFID
– Standard for radio signals to communicate with a tag
– Use: tracking movement of goods through supply chain
– RFID Tag
• embedded microchip and antenna
• Active: battery powered, send data automatically, expensive
• Passive: powered by the signals from reader, lighter, less expensive
– RFID Reader
• Reads tag, capturing the data, decodes it and send it over the network to the computer
• Reads data in its range
– Businesses need to update H/W and S/W to accommodate large data
from RFID
– SAP, Oracle offer RFID-ready versions for SCM applications
 Cellular Network

• ITU developed standard for cellular networks

– To standardize and allow global roaming
• Mobile Communication standard
– Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and CDMA
– GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE, EVDO (Evolution Data
Optimized)
– Earlier for voice and small data
– 3G 144 Kbps to 2.4 Mbps
• Video, VoIP, graphics, rich media
– Next: 4G 100Mbps
Telecommunication and Network Applications

• Important Business applications include:

• Linking Pcs to Mainframes/Servers
• Voice Mail
– Send/receive store verbal messages
• Small Business Networks
– Create small networks with few devices easily
– Either WAP with modem or a combo device (router, firewall, hub)
• Filtering and encryption

• Electronic Document Distribution

– Send/receive digital documents
• Saves paper, access faster
 Telecommunication and Network Applications

• Call Centres
• Telecommuting/Virtual Networks
• Videoconferencing
• Electronic Data Exchange
• Electronic Funds Transfer
• Distance Learning
• Team Collaboration
Case Study: Delivering People More Efficiently Through
Telecommunications

• Crew Transportation Industry

– Shuttling crew members to train locations where they are needed
• Problem:
– Slow to adopt telecomm technologies
– Van drivers could not communicate with dispatcher while in route
– Railway company not happy
• RailCrewXpress
– Serving railways through technology platform
– Wireless telecommunication system that connects drivers with
dispatchers and company IS
– Tracks drivers, dynamic routing change, maintains history of routes and
driver times
– Data is analysed to optimize the efficiency of dispatches & routing
Case Study: Delivering People More Efficiently Through
Telecommunications

• Challenges
– Economical networking technologies
– Automatically switch between satellite and GPRS data transmission
– Intelligently decide how much info to send and when
• Next milestone
– RFID scanners to be installed in vans for tracking location
Case Study: Delivering People More Efficiently Through
Telecommunications

• Advantages
– Faster and efficient communication between drivers and dispatchers
– Happier railway companies, because they get accurate ETAs
– Flexibility to accept new trip orders and reroute quickly
• Real Time Monitoring
– Providing time-relevant info for quick decision-making
– View minute by minute info
– Respond quickly to changing conditions
– Analyse data for operational efficiency
 The Internet

• Extensive, public communication system

• worldwide collection of networks that links billions of
diverse users
• World’s largest implementation of Client/Server
computing
• Started as ARPANET, project of DoD, U.S in 1970s
– Initial Goal: Allow scientists at different physical locations to share
information and work together on military and scientific projects
– Originally 4 main computers (host)
– Now: Grown into a public , cooperative, independent network, more
than 1 billion host nodes
– W3C researches and sets standards and guidelines
 How the Internet Works

• Based on the TCP/IP networking protocol

• Every computer has an Internet Address
– 32 bit number representing by four strings of numbers
– E.g. 207.46.250.119
– Domain Name: English name that corresponds to the 32.bit number
– DNS server holds the list of IP addresses mapped to their domain
names
– International web sites outside USA, use a two letter country code, like
‘pk’ for Pakistan.
How the Internet Works
 ISPs and Internet Architecture

• Internet Service Provider (ISP) is any company that

provides people and organizations access to the
Internet
– Mostly provide services over broadband internet access through DSLs,
cable or satellite transmission
– Some universities and businesses use the very fast T1 and T3 lines to
connect to Internet
• Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP)
– Wireless Internet Service provider (WISP) is a company that provides
wireless Internet access to computers and mobile devices
 ISPs and Internet Architecture

• On the internet, your computer is the client that can

access data, information and services from a variety of
servers
• Internet data traffic is carried over transcontinental high-
speed Internet backbone (45Mbps to 2.5 Gbps)
– Usually made of Fiber optics
• In addition to backbone, the internet encompasses an
intricate collection of regional and local communication
links (telephone lines, cable television lines etc)
– These lease access to ISPs and companies
 The World Wide Web

• Developed at CERN
• Most popular Internet Service
• Consists of a worldwide collection of electronic documents,
each document called a Web page
• Collection of web pages and items associated with it
constitute Web site
• Web server is a computer that delivers requested Web
pages to your computer
• Hypertext Transfer Language (HTML): language for
formatting documents and web pages and incorporating
dynamic link to other documents and pictures stored on
same or remote computer
 The World Wide Web

• Web Address
– a unique address of the Web page, also called a URL (Uniform
Resource Locator)
• a Web browser retrieves a web page using its Web address
• Many addresses begin with HTTP – Hypertext Transfer
Protocol
• HTTP is a set of rules that defines how pages transfer over
the internet
• http://www.us-parks.com/grand_canyon/scenic_vistas.html

protocol Domain path Web page

name name
 The World Wide Web

• Search Engine
– It is a program that finds Web sites, Web pages, images, videos, news
and other information
– The word or phrase entered for defining your search is called a Search
text or Keyword
– The results of the search are known as hits.
– bring HTML files, Microsoft Office files, PDF files, videos, images
• Search Engine Marketing
– Sponsored links for which advertisers have paid to be listed
– Fastest growing Internet advertising
– Companies optimize their sites for search engine recognition
– Search Engine Optimization (SEO): process of improving the quality &
volume of web traffic to a website
 Web 2.0

• Enables people to collaborate, share information, and

create new services and content online
• Four features: interactivity, real-time user control, social
participation and user generated content
• Mashups and Widgets
– Software services that enable users and system developers to mix and
match content or software components to create something new
• Blogs
– Weblog is a personal Website that contains a series of chronological
entries by the author
– Popular publishing tools, also have business uses
 Web 2.0

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

– Syndicates web site content so that it can be used in another setting
– Pulls specific content from Web sites and feeds it to user’s computer for
later viewing
– News feeds, event listing, new stories, headlines, project updates,
distributing corporate information etc.
• Wiki
– Collaborative Web sites where visitors can add, delete or modify the
site, including previous author’s work
• Motorola sales reps using Wiki for sharing sales info

• Social Networking
– Build communities of friends and professional colleagues
 Internet and Web Applications

• Internet Services
– E-mail: Electronic mail is service that allows transfer of messages and
files via a computer network
– Chat
– Instant Messaging
• VoIP
– Voice transmission over the Internet, instead of telephone network
– Voice travels in digital form using packet switching
– Lower long distance call costs
• Newsgroups
– worldwide discussion groups posted on Internet electronic bulletin
boards on which people share views on a certain topic. Groups are
either moderated or unmoderated, discussion through e-mail
 Internet and Web Applications

• Telnet and FTP

– Protocol that enables you to log on to other computers
– Accessing public files
– File Transfer Protocol, transferring files between host and remote
computer
– Also uploading, downloading content to/from a web site
• Content Streaming
– Multimedia, radio broadcasts
– Watching streamed videos
• Web shopping
• Web Auctions
– Matching buyers and sellers, e.g. eBay
 Summary

• Telecommunication technology lets more people send

and receive all forms of data over greater distances
• EDD, EDI and EFT are useful telecomm applications that
have changed the way orgs do businesses
• The internet provides a wide range of services, some
practical for business use today
• However, management issues, speed and service affect
all networks