Fill in the blank: __ is a set of rules that needs to be followed by the communicating parties in order to hav

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Q. Fill in the blank: ____ is a set of rules that needs to be followed by the communicating parties in order to have a successful and reliable data communication over a network.

Tripura TbseCBSE Class XII Board 2024Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★

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Concept understanding — Computer Network Basics

Data Communication Basics

Think about what happens when you send a WhatsApp message to a friend. You type something, tap send, and within seconds it appears on their phone. That journey — from your device to theirs — is data communication. It is the transfer of information from one place to another using some medium, like wires, radio waves, or fibre-optic cables.

The NCERT textbook defines data communication as the exchange of data between two devices via some form of transmission medium. The key word is exchange — it is not one-way broadcasting; it is a deliberate transfer between a sender and a receiver.

The Four Pillars of Data Communication

For any data communication to work, four things must be in place:

Sender — the device that originates the message (your phone, laptop, or server).
Receiver — the device that gets the message (your friend's phone).
Medium — the physical path over which the message travels (copper wire, optical fibre, air for Wi-Fi).
Protocol — the set of rules that both sender and receiver agree to follow. Without a common protocol, the devices cannot understand each other — like two people speaking different languages.

Important

A protocol is not optional. It is the grammar of communication. HTTP, TCP/IP, and Bluetooth are all protocols. They define how data is formatted, how fast it can be sent, what to do if something goes wrong, and how to signal the end of a message.

Modes of Communication — How the Data Flows

The NCERT classifies data flow into three modes:

Simplex — data flows in only one direction. A television broadcast is simplex: the station sends, you receive. You cannot send anything back through the same channel.

Half-duplex — data flows in both directions, but only one direction at a time. A walkie-talkie works this way: you press to talk, release to listen. Both sides cannot speak simultaneously.

Full-duplex — data flows in both directions at the same time. A telephone call is full-duplex: you can speak and hear simultaneously. Most internet communication is also full-duplex.

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A protocol is the set of rules that communicating parties must follow for successful and reliable data communication over a network.

In the world of computer networks, communication is not as simple as two devices just sending signals to each other. Imagine two people trying to have a conversation — one speaks only Hindi, the other only Japanese, and they both talk at the same time. Nothing meaningful would get across. For data to travel from one computer to another and be understood correctly, both sides must agree on a common language and a set of procedures. This is where the concept of a protocol comes in.

A protocol is essentially a predefined set of rules and conventions that governs how data is exchanged between devices. It covers everything from how the data is formatted, how errors are detected and corrected, how the speed of transmission is managed, and how the communication starts and ends. Without protocols, even the most powerful computers would be unable to share information reliably.

Note

Think of a protocol like the rules of a game — say, cricket. Both teams must follow the same rules about bowling, batting, and scoring, or the game breaks down. Similarly, in networking, both the sender and receiver must follow the same protocol for the data exchange to succeed.

The NCERT textbook for Class 12 Computer Science (Chapter: Computer Networks) defines a protocol clearly. It states that a protocol is a set of rules that governs the communication between computers on a network. These rules ensure that data is sent, received, and interpreted correctly, regardless of the hardware or software differences between the devices.

Key aspects that a protocol typically handles include:

Syntax: The format or structure of the data — how bits and bytes are arranged.
Semantics: The meaning of each section of bits — what a particular pattern signifies (e.g., is it an address, a command, or actual data?). …

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Q.Fill in the blank: ____ is a set of rules that needs to be followed by the communicating parties in order to have a successful and reliable data communication over a network.

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