L

Let me tell
t you what
w
I heard
h
at a conference

O
Objectives
Describe the purpose
e and functio
on of the data
a link layer in
n preparing communicattion for trans
smission
on speciffic media.
In this
s activity, you will discuss how
h
communication within
n a single data
a-link layer do
omain can be
e
perforrmed immedia
ately by addre
essing the inttended node d
directly. You will also conssider the incre
easing
difficu
ulty of commu
unication if mu
ultiple nodes in
i a single do
omain need to
o communicatte.

B
Backgroun
nd/Scenario
o
You and
a your colle
eague are atte
ending a netw
working confe rence. There are many lecctures and
prese
entations held during this event, and bec
cause they ovverlap, each o
of you can atttend only a lim
mited set
of ses
ssions. Therefore, you dec
cide to split up
p, each of you
u attending a separate set of presentatio
ons, and
after the
t event end
ds, you share the slides an
nd the knowle dge each of yyou gained du
uring the even
nt.
Answ
wer the followin
ng questions::

How would
d you persona
ally organize a conference
e where multip
ple sessions a
are held at the same
time? Wou
uld you put alll of them into a single confference room, or would you use multiple
e rooms?
Explain yo
our answer.

Assume th
hat the conferrence room is properly fitte
ed with audiovvisual equipm
ment to displayy largesize video and amplify the
t speakers
s voice. If a pe
erson wanted to attend a sspecific sessio
on, does
it matter which
w
seat the person takes
s, or is it sufficcient for the p
person to sit a
anywhere as long as it
is in an appropriate con
nference room
m?

t potential consequence
c
nference room
m
What are the
s or benefits if the speech from one con
somehow leaked into another?

on, should an attendee sim

mply shout outt a
If questions or inquiries arise during a presentatio
o should therre be some process of asssuring that atttendees are g
given an oppo
ortunity to
question, or
ask questio
ons that everryone can hea
ar? What wou
uld happen wiithout this pro
ocess?

Can a sess
sion run out of
o time withou
ut going throu gh the entire intended con
ntent if an inte
eresting
topic elicits
s a larger disc
cussion where
e many atten dees have qu
uestions? If yo
ou did not wa
ant this to
happen, what
w
would be the best way
y to ensure th at it does nott occur?

Imagine th
hat the session is in a pane
el format, whicch allows more free discusssion of attendees with
the panelis
sts and among themselves
s. If a person wants to address another person within
n the
same room
m, can it be do
one directly? If so, how is tthis possible?
? How would a panelist invvite
another pe
erson to join who
w is not pre
esently in the room?

What bene
efit, if any, wa
as achieved by the isolation
n of multiple ssessions into separate con
nference
rooms if, after
a
the eventt, people could meet and sshare the info
ormation?

R
Required Resources
R
Recorrding capabilities (paper, ta
ablet, etc.) for reflective co
omments to be shared with
h the class.

2013 Cisco and

d/or its affiliates. All rights reserve
ed. This docume
ent is Cisco Publiic.

Page 1 of 3

Let me tell you what I heard at a conference

Reflection

1. How would you personally organize a conference where multiple sessions are held at the same time?
Would you put all of them into a single conference room, or would you use multiple rooms? What would
be the reason? Explain your answer.

2. Assume that the conference room is properly fitted with audiovisual equipment to display large-size video
and amplify the speakers voice. If a person wanted to attend a specific session, does it matter which seat
will the person takes, or is it sufficient for the person to sit anywhere as long as it is in appropriate
conference room?

3. What are the potential consequences or benefits if the speech from one conference room somehow
leaked into another?

4. If questions or inquiries arise during a presentation, should an attendee simply shout out his/her question,
or should there be some process of assuring that attendees are given an opportunity to ask questions
that everyone can hear? What would happen without this process?

2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public.

Page 2 of 3

Let me tell you what I heard at a conference

5. Can a session run out of time without going through the entire intended content if an interesting topic
elicits a larger discussion where many attendees have questions? If you did not want this to happen, what
would be the best way to ensure that it does not occur?

6. Imagine that the session is in a panel format, which allows more free discussion of attendees with the
panelists and among themselves. If a person wants to address another person within the same room, can
he/she do it directly? If so, how is this possible? How would a panelist invite another person to join who is
not presently in the room?

7. What benefit, if any, was achieved by the isolation of multiple sessions into separate conference rooms if,
after the event, people could meet and share the information?

2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public.

Page 3 of 3