Binary Synchronous Communications (BSC)

What is Binary Synchronous Communications (BSC)?

Binary synchronous communications (BSC) is a communication protocol used to transmit data between computers and other electronic devices. It is a type of synchronous communication, which means that the sender and receiver are synchronized, or in sync, with each other during the transmission of data.

BSC uses a system of binary code, or a series of ones and zeros, to represent and transmit data. It is a reliable and efficient method of communication, as the sender and receiver can detect errors in the transmission of data and request a retransmission if necessary.

BSC was commonly used in the 1970s and 1980s to transmit data between computers and other electronic devices, such as printers and terminals. It has since been replaced by more advanced communication protocols, such as TCP/IP and Ethernet. However, it is still used in some legacy systems and is an important part of the history of computer networking.

See Also

1. Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC): SDLC is another synchronous communication protocol developed by IBM. It was developed after BSC and can be seen as an evolution or successor to BSC. Understanding SDLC can provide insights into IBM's progression of synchronous communication protocols.
2. IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA): SNA is an IBM architecture for network computing. BSC and SDLC were often used as data link protocols within SNA networks.
3. Asynchronous Transmission: Asynchronous transmission is the opposite of synchronous communication. By understanding asynchronous transmission, one can better appreciate the distinction and specific use-cases of BSC.
4. EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code): EBCDIC is a character encoding used by IBM mainframes. When dealing with IBM communication protocols like BSC, it's not uncommon to encounter EBCDIC-encoded data.
5. Frame Relay: Like BSC, frame relay is a data link layer protocol. It provides insight into other methods of establishing and maintaining data links in networking environments.
6. X.25 Protocol: X.25 is another data link layer protocol which, like BSC, was prominent in earlier networking. It represents another facet of early networking technology.
7. Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP): PPP is a data link protocol commonly used for establishing a direct connection between two nodes. It showcases another approach to data link layer communication.
8. Mainframe Computers: BSC was often associated with mainframe communications, especially in IBM environments. Understanding mainframes provides context for where and why BSC was used.