Computer Network
A linked set of computer systems, which may be capable of sharing computer power and resources
Individual devices are called nodes
Can share files across a network
Users can work collaboratively
Share hardware resources such as printers
Can access files from any computer in the network
Communication is improved through messaging, Voip and email services
Software can be installed and updated centrally rather than having to do it on every device
Disadvantages
Can be expensive to set up
Expensive to maintain
If the server goes down
Queues to use resources as they are shared
Network speed can be slow as there are too many users/downloads
Internet speeds may vary, more users mean a slower internet speed
Viruses spread quickly and easily
Hackers can gain access to one computer and then the whole thing
Lan vs Wan
Lan- Cover a small geographical area usually in one building or site
Owned by the organisation that bought the hardware
Connected using dedicated cables or Wi-Fi
Examples include schools
Wan
Connected multiple Lans across alarge geographical area could be across countries or continents
Not owned by one organisation organisations hire the equipment to connect WAN
Connected using fibre optic cables telephone lines satellite links or radio links
Examples include the internet, mobile phone networks
Network topology is simply the shape or structure of the network
How the workstations servers and switches are connected together
Bus-
One main cable with terminators at each end
Data flows both ways both ways through the main cable
Advantages
Nodes connected off cable in series easy to extend
Cheap relatively
Disadvantages slows down with heavy traffic as it gets bigger
Collisions occur – large collision domain
If main cable fails all nodes fail
Poor security
STAR
One or more nodes could be a server
Central point is a hub or switch(Not a server) which directs traffic to the correct node
Advantages
If one cable fails the rest of the network is unaffected
Consistent performance even with heavy traffic
Higher transmission speeds
Very few to no data collisions
Greater security due to independent connections
Easy to add or remove nodes
Disadvantages
Costly due to independent collisions
If central switch fails the whole network fails
Extended Star
Connects several star networks together via a core switch
Segments the network reducing traffic
Scales well
Macmillan network model
Adv-
If one switch goes down only the connected computers go down
Partial MESH
Decentralised design
Each node connects to two nodes
No SPoF single point of failure
Nodes connect directly to other nodes or to other routers
Full mesh
All nodes connected to each other
With the introduction of WiFi full mesh is now very common
The internet uses a Mesh System as do your home networks
Mesh Topologies
Advantages –
Failure of single or even multiple connections do not affect the rest of the network
High security
Faster communication due to direct points of contact#
Little to no data collisions
If wireless-no cabling costs
Disadv-
Costy
Difficult to set up
Physical Vs Logical topology
Physical Topology
Reflects the physical layout of devices and cables taking into account the placement of nodes and
the distance between them
Depends on the ease of installation and setup of the network which in turn affects cost and
bandwidth capacity
Logical topology
Independent of physical topology the logical topology reflects the arrangement of devices and their
communication
It is the arrangement of transmission of data over physical topology
Reconfigured using routers and switches
Therefore, a physical star network can transmit data as a bus topology
Used to ensure maximum data flow across the physical network
Logical networks#
In order to control the flow of data a network must use protocols
Some physical topologies use certain protocols which have been designed to work with that
topology e.g. the Ethernet protocol was designed to work on a cabled Bus and now Star Network
was designed for wirelesss transmissions
These protocols can be applied onto a physical network to change the data flow around it, therefore
become logical protocols
The protocols have been “layered onto a topology
This means the control of data can be manipulated without affecting the physical topology and vice
versa
Modem
Nic
Mac address
Routers
Switches
wap
