The best thing about computer fundamentals is that you get the opportunity to learn some different and interesting concepts!
One of the most crucial concepts of computer networking is multiple access protocols.
Multiple access protocols are touted as the set of protocols which operate in the sublayers of the medium access control. This forms a vital part of the data link layer.
There are channelization protocol whose primary aim is to grant access or permission to send one node at a given point of time. This is mainly done to avoid any kind of collision.
Though, there is much more to the concept of multiple access protocol.
If you want to know all the minute details about it, then stick to this blog post till the end.
Let’s get started!
Data link control
The data link control is basically responsible for the reliable or adequate transmission of messages from all kinds of transmission channels. This can be done with the help of several techniques like error control, flow control and framing.
As the data link layer is touted to transmit data with nodes. This can be basically done with the data link control and the multiple access control.
What is multiple access protocol?
When the sender or the receiver have the dedicated link for the transmission of various data packets, data link control would be enough to handle the whole channel.
Suppose your data don’t have a particular dedicated path in order to communicate between two given devices. In this case, multiple stations may have the access to the data and will simultaneously transmit the data from one channel to the other.
It can also create a collision or a kind of cross talk. Hence, the multiple access protocol in such a case would be required to reduce the collision or to avoid the crosstalk between certain channels.
For example; in a classroom there are lots of students. When the teacher ask any question, the students [ called small channels] may start answering questions at the very same time [ means the transfer of data will occur simultaneously]
All the students may respond at the same time because of which the data may overlap or it may get lost. Therefore, it will be the responsibility of your teacher [ or the multiple access protocol] so as to manage the students and make them give one answer.
Types of multiple access protocol
When you talk about channelization protocol, it is based on transmitting data. Though, the multiple access protocol is of different categories which includes:
Random access protocol
In this type of protocol, all the stations will be given equal priority to send certain types of data. In the random access protocol, there will be one or more stations who are not dependent on each other.
Depending on the state of that channel, each station can transmit the data in a frame. It may be either idle or busy. However, if one or more stations send data through a channel , there may be a collision or conflict. Because of this collision, the given data frame pockets may not receive from the receiver end.
There will be different type of random access protocol which includes:
- Aloha: This is designed for a wireless LAN. Though, it can also get shared with a medium and any station would be able to transmit the data across the networks simultaneously
- Pure Aloha: Whenever, there will be data for sending on different channels, we will use pure aloha where each of the station will transmit data to the other channel without checking of the business of that channel
- Slotted Aloha: The shared channels in this case are divided into the fixed time slots. If any station wants to send the data, the frame will only be sent at the beginning of that slot
Controlled Access Protocols
This is the method to reduce the data frame collision on any shared channel. In this method, each station will interact and decide where to send the data frame from a particular station to get it approved by all the stations. It means that any single station may not send the data frames unless all the stations approve of that data.
Channelization protocols
The channelization protocol allows you to share the total bandwidth in the shared channel that needs to be shared across the multiple stations on the basis of their time, distance or codes.
There are various methods used in case of this protocol. They are:
- FDMA: This is a frequency division multiple access method which is helpful to divide available bandwidth into the equal sized bandwidth so that the users will be able to send data with the help of different types of frequencies
- TDMA: It is also a channelization protocol method that allows the same frequency of a given bandwidth to share it across the different types of channels. It will divide certain channels in the form of different frequencies to allocate stations for the transmission of your data sources. It will be having same bandwidth frequency like that of other channels
- CDMA: It is a code division multiple access method in which all the stations will be having the capability to send data across the various channels. This allows each of the stations to ultimately store full frequency of the data with the help of shared channels. Each of your stations will have its own unique code that may help you to transmit the required data over the shared channels.
Books on system design
The software arena is quite big. To get inside it, you can learn the technicalities of system design with the help of books on system design. Here, you will encounter various modules or components to design your system and to know in depth about the computer fundamentals.
Wrapping up
We hope that this guide has served its purpose in equipping you with the knowledge regarding the multiple access protocols. Learn about the knits and grits of channelization protocols and find ways to better implement them.
