Communication setup terminology — what is the process of jointly establishing communication called? In digital interfaces, identify the term used for the coordinated exchange of control signals to begin data transfer.

Introduction / Context:
Before data can be exchanged reliably between two digital devices, both sides must agree on readiness and timing. The mechanism by which devices coordinate this readiness is a foundational concept in interface design and bus protocols.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We consider generic digital links such as CPU to peripheral, or peripheral to peripheral.
• Control lines like READY, ACK, VALID, or REQUEST are used to coordinate transfer.
• The question asks for the name of this coordinated process.

Concept / Approach:

Handshaking is the mutual signaling by which sender and receiver agree when to start, continue, or end a transfer. It can be synchronous (tied to a clock) or asynchronous (event-driven), and may be two-wire (request/acknowledge) or protocol-embedded (for example, in UART start/stop bits).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Bus specifications (for example, Centronics, IEEE-488, certain memory bus ready signals) explicitly define handshake sequences to ensure reliable transfer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

DMA is a transfer method; multiplexing shares a medium among signals; bidirectional addressing is not a standard term for link setup.

Common Pitfalls:

Assuming handshaking requires a separate clock; even asynchronous links use handshake signals to ensure data validity windows.

Final Answer:

handshaking