Network Plus Chapter 1

What are the physical network topologies?

- Bus Topology - Star Topology - Ring Topology - Mesh Topology - Hybrid Topology - Point-to-Point Topology - Point to Multipoint Topology

What factors do you need to take into consideration when choosing the right topology?

- Cost - Ease of Installation - Ease of Maintenance - Fault-tolerance Requirement - Security Requirement

What advantages does MPLS have over WAN?

- Physical layout flexibility - Prioritizing of data - Redundancy in case of link failure - One-to-many connection

How are WANs different from LANs?

- WANs usually need a router port or ports - WANs span larger geographic areas and/or can link disparate locations - WANs are usually slower - We can chose when and how long we connect to a WAN. A LAN is all or nothing -our workstation is either connected permanently to it or not at all - WANs can utilize either public or private data transport media such as phone lines

What are the two problems with having separate LANs?

1. You must be physically connected to a workgroup's LAN to get resources from it. 2. You can't get from one LAN to the other LAN and use its server data and printing sources remotely

Hybrid Topology

A combination of two or more types of physical or logical network topologies working together within the same network

Drawbacks of a Mesh Topology

A lot of overhead Very pricey Hard to implement

Benefits of a Mesh Topology

A nice level of fault tolerance Least likely to have a collision

Workgroups

A set of devices with no security association with one another. Simply they are physically in the same network segment

Client Server Networks

A single server uses a network operating system for managing the whole network. A client's machine's request for a resource goes to the main server, which responds by handling security and directing the client to the resource

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)

A switching mechanism that imposes labels (numbers) to data and then uses those labels to forward data when it arrives at the MPLS network

Star Topology

All computers are connected to a central point with their own individual cables or wireless connections. Often used with hubs, switches, and access points

Distributed WAN

An internetwork that's made up of a lot of interconnected computers located in a lot of different places

Client Machine

Any device on the network that can ask for access to resources like a printer or other hosts from a server or powerful workstation

How is the problem with having separate LANs solved?

By using a router

Centralized WAN

Composed of a main, centrally located computer or location that remote computers and devices can connect to

Point-To-Multipoint

Consists of a succession of connections between an interface on one router and multiple destination routers

Bus Topology

Consists of two distinct terminated ends, with each of its computers connecting to one unbroken cable running its entire length

Peer-to-Peer

Do not have any central, or special authority they are all peers. The authority lies with the computer that has the desired resource being requested.

Ring Topology

Each computer is directly connected to other computers within the same network.

Benefits of a Ring Topology

Easy to install

Benefits of a Bus Topology

Easy to install, Not very expensive

Proxy Server

Handles tasks in place of other machines on the network, particularly internet connections

Telephony Server

Handles the call center and call routing that can be thought of as a sophisticated network answering machine

Drawbacks of a Bus Topology

Hard to troubleshoot, change, and move Doesn't really offer much in the way of fault tolerance because everything runs off a single cable Any fault would bring whole system down

Drawbacks of a Ring Topology

If you want to add to the network you need to break the ring bringing down the network. Pricey because you need a lot more cables hard to reconfigure Not fault-tolerant

Application Server

Manages network applications

Print Server

Manages printers on the network

Web Server

Manages web-based activities by running Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for storing web content and accessing pages

Benefits of a star topology

New stations can be added easily and quickly A single cable failure won't bring down the entire network Relatively easy to troubleshoot

Workstations

Often seriously powerful computers that run more than one central processing unit (CPU) and whose resources are available to other users on the network to access when needed

Servers

Powerful computers. They are at the service of the network and run specialized software known as the network operating system to maintain and control the network.

Host

Pretty much anything that takes an IP address

Local Area Network (LAN)

Restricted to spanning a particular geographic location such as an office building, a single department withing a corporate office, or even a home office

File Server

Stores and dispenses files

Fax Server

The "memo maker" that sends and receives paperless faxes over the network

Fault Tolerance

The capability of a computer or network system to respond to a condition automatically, often resolving it, which reduces impact on the system

Mail Server

The networks post office; handles email functions

Mesh topology

There is a path from every machine to every other one in the network

Drawbacks of a Star Topology

Total installation cost can be higher because of larger number of cables Has a single point of failure -the central device

Network

Two or more connected computers that can share resources such as data and applications, office machines, an Internet connection, or some combination of these.

Wide Area Networks (WAN)

What we use to span large geographic areas and truly go the distance. Like the Internet, WANs usually employ both routers and public links.

Point-to-Point Topology

Where you have a direct connection between two routers or switches, giving you one communication path. This is not very scalable

Hybrid/Partial Mesh

Where you mix Mesh Topology with one of the others to create a lower overhead and easier to implement solution

Does data sent on a Bus topology get checked by all devices on the network regardless of if they are the intended recipient?

Yes