Unit 10 Data Communications

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 890.

administrative manager: So you think we should change the system?

communications engineer: Yes, I do. We're having a lot of problems with the existing configuration.

administrative manager: So, what do you suggest?

communications engineer: Well, at the moment, we're using a modem linked up direct to our microcomputer and the telephone line. Very simple, in theory we send files from our computer direct to our clients' computers using a software package called 'Communicate'.

administrative manager: OK. Well, sounds fine. What's the problem?

communications engineer: Well, the weak link is the line. As you know, a lot of our clients are overseas and we're having problems with the lines. The files are being transmitted, but they're not arriving in the same form. The, data is being corrupted.

administrative manager: What does that mean?

communications engineer: Well, say we send a 10 page contract to a client in France. We make the connection, start transmitting and then there's a fault on the line and they receive the contract with some parts missing, or parts they can't understand.

administrative manager: That sounds bad.

communications engineer: Yes, it is. Even more serious is that it's costing us a lot of money in call charges. Call charges on international lines are high and each time we send a report or contract — let's say 10 pages long — it takes up to 5 minutes to transmit — longer if we have problems with the line.

administrative manager. Yes, that is serious. So what do you suggest?

communications engineer: Well, I think we should use an electronic mailbox.

administrative manager: How does that work?

communications engineer: Very simply really. We subscribe to a service called DIALCOM.

We send our files to a central computer. The files are stored there and our clients can get the file out when they want. We use our existing equipment and so we only have to pay for the subscription and the call charges.

administrative manager: How expensive is it?

communications engineer It's cheaper, but more important — the system — DIALCOM - uses a data network not the normal telephone lines; so transmission is faster and more reliable — there's less chance of the data being corrupted.

administrative manager: Right, I think we should go ahead.