Chapter 1 – Introduction to Data Communications
Th is is th e b egin n in g of a cu m u la tive ca s e s tu d y a b ou t a fictit iou s fir m we ca ll Next-Da y Air S er vice (NDAS ). Th e ca s e s t u d y b egin s h er e in Ch a p ter 1 a n d con tin u es th r ou gh ou t th e r es t of th e b ook . It r equ ir es you to com p lete ta s k s th a t a r e r ela ted to top ics cover ed in ea ch cor r es p on d in g ch a p ter of th e text. Th e en d of ea ch ch a p ter con ta in s th e ca s e n a r r a tive, r ela ted figu r es , a n d a s et of qu es tion s a n d p r ob lem s . Th es e d o n ot h a ve on e u n iqu e s olu t ion . Th er e a r e too m a n y a lter n a tives wh en d ea lin g with LANs , WANs , MANs , BNs , a n d th e In ter n et, s o a r ea lis t ic n etwor k d es ign a n d d evelop m en t p rob lem ca n h a ve s evera l wor k a b le a n s wer s . As with a n y r ea l-life p r ob lem with a m b igu ities or u n r es olved con s id er a tion s , you m u s t m a k e you r own a s s u m p tion s . Feel fr ee to r ea d a h ea d or u s e th e in d ex to fin d r ela ted s u b jects th a t s u p p or t you r r ecom m en d a tion s . You r in s tr u ctor m a y p r ovid e a d d ition a l gu id elin es r ega r d in g r ep or t for m a ts , Web a n d lib r a ry r es ou r ces , k ey a s s u m p tion s , a n d th e lik e for th e va r iou s qu es tion s a n d p r ob lem s p r es en ted in th is ca s e s tu d y. Be s u r e to p r ovid e a d equ a te ju s tifica t ion for a n y r ecom m en d a tion s you m a k e. (NDAS ) wa s fou n d ed in 1 9 8 5 to com p ete in th e exp a n d in g m a r k et for over n igh t p a ck a ge d eliver ies . NDAS p r ovid es loca l p ick u p a n d d eliver y of th es e p a r cels a n d oth er s m a ll fr eigh t item s . Th e fou n d er s in itia lly r es tr icted th eir effor ts to th e r a p id ly gr owin g cen tr a l Flor id a r egion .