1. The means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving data. [JP 1-02]
2. An assembly, consisting of parts of two data terminal equipments (DTEs) and the interconnecting data circuit, that is controlled by a link protocol enabling data to be transferred from a data source to a data sink.

In frame-relay transmission systems, 13-bit field that defines the destination address of a packet. The address is local on a link-by-link basis. [After T1.312-1991]

A transmission control character that changes the meaning of a limited number of contiguously following characters or coded representations.

See Open Systems Interconnection--Reference Model.

The dating, time-labeling, and recording of data.

The control of data handling operations--such as acquisition, analysis, translation, coding, storage, retrieval, and distribution of data--but not necessarily the generation and use of data. [From Weik '89]

See database management system.

The material in or on which one or more characteristics of the material may be used to represent information statically or dynamically.
Note: Examples of data media are films, compact optical disks, cards, magnetic disks, magnetic drums, and paper.

The process of analyzing data to determine data relationships undiscovered by previous analyses.

In a communications network, the state of data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) when connected to a communications channel and ready to transmit data, usually digital data.
Note: When in the data mode, the DCE is not in a talk or dial mode.