UNIT-II

DATA LINK LAYER

Error Control Methods questions
1.What are the responsibilities of data link layer? Specific responsibilities of data
link layer include the following.
a) Framing
b) Physical addressing
c) Flow control
d) Error control
e) Access control
2. Mention the types of errors. There are 2 types of errors
a) Single-bit error.
b) Burst-bit error.
3. Define the following terms.
a) Single bit error: The term single bit error means that only one bit
of a given data unit (such as byte character/data unit or packet) is
changed from 1 to 0 or from 0 to 1.
b) Burst error: Means that 2 or more bits in the data unit have
changed from 1 to 0 from 0 to 1.
4. What is redundancy?
It is the error detecting mechanism, which means a shorter group of bits or extra
bits may be appended at the destination of each unit.
5. List out the available detection methods.
There are 4 types of redundancy checks are used in data communication.
a) Vertical redundancy checks (VRC).
b) Longitudinal redundancy checks (LRC).
c) Cyclic redundancy checks (CRC).
d) Checksum.
6. Write short notes on VRC.
The most common and least expensive mechanism for error detection is
the vertical redundancy check (VRC) often called a parity check. In this technique
a redundant bit called a parity bit, is appended to every data unit so, that the
total
number of 0s in the unit (including the parity bit) becomes even.
7. Write short notes on LRC.
In longitudinal redundancy check (LRC), a block of bits is divided into
rows and a redundant row of bits is added to the whole block.
8. Write short notes on CRC.
The third and most powerful of the redundancy checking techniques is the
cyclic redundancy checks (CRC) CRC is based on binary division. Here a

sequence of redundant bits, called the CRC remainder is appended to the end of
data unit.
9. Write short notes on CRC generator.
A CRC generator uses a modulo-2 division.
a) In the first step, the 4 bit divisor is subtracted from the first
4 bit of the dividend.
b) Each bit of the divisor is subtracted from the corresponding
bit of the dividend without disturbing the next higher bit.
10. Write short notes on CRC checker.
A CRC checker functions exactly like a generator. After receiving
the data appended with the CRC it does the same modulo-2 division. If the
remainder is all 0s the CRC is dropped and the data accepted. Otherwise, the
received stream of bits is discarded and the dates are resent.
11. Give the essential properties for polynomial.
A polynomial should be selected to have at least the following properties.
a) It should not be
b) It should be divisible by(x+1).
12. Define checksum.
The error detection method used by the higher layer protocol is called checksum.
Checksum is based on the concept of redundancy.
13. Mention the types of error correcting methods. There are 2 error-correcting
methods.
a) Single bit error correction
b) Burst error correction.
14. What is the purpose of hamming code?
A hamming code can be designed to correct burst errors of certain lengths.
So the simple strategy used by the hamming code to correct single bit errors
must
be redesigned to be applicable for multiple bit correction.
15.

1. What are the functions of LLC?

The IEEE project 802 model takes the structure of an HDLC frame and divides it
into 2 sets of functions. One set contains the end user portion of the HDLC frame
- the
logical address, control information, and data. These functions are handled by
the IEEE
802.

2. What are the functions of MAC?

MAC sub layer resolves the contention for the shared media. It contains
synchronization, flag, flow and error control specifications necessary to move
information from one place to another, as well as the physical address of the
next station
to receive and route a packet.
3.. Define flow control.
Flow control refers to a set of procedures used to restrict the amount of
data. The sender can send before waiting for acknowledgment.
4. What is a buffer?
Each receiving device has a block of memory called a buffer, reserved for
storing incoming data until they are processed.
5. Mention the categories of flow control.
There are 2 methods have been developed to control flow of data across
communication links.
a) Stop and wait- send one from at a time.
b) Sliding window- send several frames at a time.
6. What is the function of stop and wait flow control?
In this method, the sender sends one frame and waits for an acknowledgement
before sending.
7. Mention the advantage and disadvantage of stop and wait flow control.
Advantage: simplicity
Disadvantage: inefficiency.
8.. Define ARQ.
Error control in the data link layer is based on Automatic repeat request (ARQ),
which means retransmission of data in 3 cases.
a) Damaged frame
b) Lost frame
c) Lost acknowledgment.
9. Mention the function of go-back N-ARQ.
It is the popular mechanism for continuous transmission error control. In the
method, if our frame is lost or damaged, all frames sent since the last frame
acknowledged are retransmitted.
10. What is selective reject ARQ?
In selective reject ARQ only the specific damaged or lost frame is retransmitted.
If a frame is corrupted in transit, a NAK is returned and the frame is resent out of
sequence.
11.Mention key advantages and disadvantages of stop-and-wait ARQ
technique?

Advantages of stop-and-wait ARQ are: a. Simple to implement b. Frame numbering is modulo-2, i.e.
only 1 bit is required.
The main disadvantage of stop-and-wait ARQ is that when the propagation delay is long, it is
extremely inefficient.
12. What is piggy backing?
Piggy backing means combining data to sent and acknowledgement of the
frame received in one single frame.
Piggy backing can save bandwidth because the overhead from a data
frame and an ACK frame can be combined into just one frame

13. Consider the use of 10 K-bit size frames on a 10 Mbps satellite channel with
270 ms delay. What is the link utilization for stop-and-wait ARQ technique
assuming P = 10-3?
Ans: Link utilization = (1-P) / (1+2a) Where a = (Propagation Time) /
(Transmission Time) Propagation time = 270 msec Transmission time = (frame
length) / (data rate) = (10 K-bit) / (10 Mbps) = 1 msec Hence, a = 270/1 = 270
Link utilization = 0.999/(1+2*270) 0.0018 =0.18%
14. What is the channel utilization for the go-back-N protocol with window size
of 7 for the problem 3?
Ans: Channel utilization for go-back-N = N(1 P) / (1 + 2a)(1-P+NP) P =
probability of single frame error 10-3 Channel utilization 0.01285 = 1.285%
14. List the types of stations is HDLC. HDLC differentiates between 3 types of
stations.
a) Primary
b) Secondary
5) Combined
16. What is meant by bit stuffing?
Bit stuffing is the process of adding one extra 0 whenever there are 5
consecutive in the data so that the receiver doesnt mistake the data for a flag.
17. Define LAN.
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a data communication system that allows a
number of independent devices to communicate directly with each other in a
limited geographic area.
18. Assume 6 devices are arranged in a mesh topology. How many cables are needed? How many
ports are needed for each device?
Number of cables=n (n-1)/2=6(6-1)/2=15
Number of ports per device=n-1=6-1=5

19. What is the difference between a passive and an active hub?

An active hub contains a repeater that regenerates the received bit patterns before
sending them out. A passive hub provides a simple physical connection between the
attached devices.
20. Mention the various architecture in a LAN.
LAN is dominated by 4 architectures.
a) Ethernet
b) Token bus
c) Token ring
d) Fiber distributed data interface (FDDI)
21. Define a standard 802.3
IEEE 802.3 supports a LAN standard originally developed by Xerox and later
extended by a joint venture between digital equipment corporations. Intel
Corporation
and Xerox. This was called Ethernet.
22. List the most command kinds of Base band 802.3 LAN.
a) 10 Base 5
b) 10 Base 2
c) 10 Base T
d) 1 Base 5
e) 100 Base T
23. Mention the different kinds of Ethernet networks.
a) Switched Ethernet
b) Fast Ethernet
c) Gigabit Ethernet

23. Write short notes on FDDI.

Fiber distributed data interface is a local areas. Network protocol standardized by
ANSI and ITU-7. It supports data rates of 100 Mbps and provides a high-speed
alternative to Ethernet and token ring access method used here is token passing.
24.Give the relationship between propagation speed and propagation time?
Propagation time = distance / propagation speed
The time required for a signal or a bit to travel from one point to another is called Propagation time.
Propagation speed is the distance, a signal or a bit travel through a medium in one second.

Example 1
1. In following figure frames are generated at node A and sent to node C through
node
B. Determine the minimum transmission rate required between nodes B and C so

that the buffers at node B are not flooded, based on the following

The data rate between A and B is 100 kbps.

The propagation delay is 5 sec/km for both lines .There are fullduplex, errorfree lines
between the nodes. All data frames are 1000 bits long; ACK frames are separate frames of
negligible length. Between A and B, a slidingwindow protocol is used, with a window size of
3 (three).
Between B and C, stop and wait is used.
4000 km 1000 km .In order not to flood the buffers of B, the average number of frames
entering and leaving B must be the same over a
long interval.
A > B: Propagation time = 4000* 5 sec = 20 msec
Transmission time per frame = 1000/(100*103) = 10 msec.
B > C: Propagation time = 1000* 5 sec = 5 msec
Transmission time per frame = x = 1000/R
R = data rate between B and C (unknown)
Example1- Solution
A can transmit three frames to B and then must wait for the acknowledgement of he first
frame before transmitting additional frames. The first frame takes 10 msec to transmit;
the last bit of the first frame arrives at B 20 msec after it was transmitted and therefore 30
msec after the frame transmission began. It will take an additional 20 msec for Bs
ack to return to A. Thus A can transmit three frames in 50 msec. B can transmit one frame to
C at a time. It takes 5 + x msec for the frame to be received at C and an additional 5 msec for
Cs acknowledgement to return to A. Thus, B an transmit one frame every 10 + x msec, or
three frames every 30 + 3x msec. Thus:
30+3x=50 x= 6.66 msec and R = 1000/x = 150 kbps.

Example 2
A 4Mbps token ring has a token holding time value of 10msec. What is the longest
frame that can be sent on this ring?
Solution
Data rate = 4-Mbps
Token holding time = 10msec
Frame length = 4*106*10*10-3= 40000 bits
The longest frame that can be send on this ring is 40000 bits or 5000 bytes
Example3
Assume CSMA/CD protocol. Find the minimum frame length for a 1Mbps bit rate and
maximum network span of 10 kilometers with no repeaters. Assume a medium propagation
delay of 4.5 nanoseconds per meter. Is CSMA/CD a reasonable protocol for a network of this
span and bitrate .

Solution
Minimum frame size for CSMA/CD is 2 * Tpr.
Propogation Delay :
Tpr = (4.5 * 10-9)*(10 * 103) = 4.5 * 10-5 sec.
Thus, (1.0 * 106) * (9.0 * 10-5) = 11.25 bytes.
CSMA/CD would be a very reasonable protocol for a network of this span and speed since
the minimum frame size is not " excessive" (e.g., larger than 64 bytes)