Ch.01 (Intro to Data Communication)

What are the disadvantages of STAR TOPOLOGY?

(1) Dependency of the whole topology on one single point, the hub. If it goes down the whole system is dead

What are the disadvantages of MESH TOPOLOGY?

(1) Every device must be connected to every other device, installation and reconnection are difficult; (2) The sheer bulk of the wiring can be greater than the available space can accommodate; (3) The hardware required to connect each link can be prohibitively expensive

What are all of the BASIC TOPOLOGIES possible?

(1) Mesh; (2) Star; (3) Bus; (4) Ring

What are the advantages of STAR TOPOLOGY?

(1) Robustness. If one link fails, only that link is affected, all other links remain active; (2) Easy fault identification and fault isolation

What are the advantages of MESH TOPOLOGY?

(1) The use of dedicated links guarantees that each connection can carry its own data load, thus eliminating the traffic problems that can occur when links must be shared by multiple devices; (2) It's robust. If one link becomes unusable, it does not incapacitate the entire system; (3) Privacy and security. When every message travels along a dedicated line, only the intended recipient sees it.

Define MULTIPOINT CONNECTION

(aka. multidrop connection) A type of connection that is one in which more than two specific devices share a single link. The capacity of the channel is shared, either spatially or temporally

What are the advantages of BUS TOPOLOGY?

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Define FULL-DUPLEX MODE

A multidirectional communication, where both station can transmit and receive simultaneously. This mode shares the capacity of the channel with signals going in the other direction.

Define HALF-DUPLEX MODE

A multidirectional communication, where each station on a link can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time. This mode can use the entire capacity of the channel to send or receive data, but not simultaneously

Define BUS TOPOLOGY

A multipoint connection, where one long cable acts as a backbone to link all the devices in a network

Define POINT-TO-POINT CONNECTION

A type of connection that provides a dedicated link between two devices. The entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission between those two devices

Define SIMPLEX MODE

A unidirectional communication, where only one of two devices on a link can transmit; the other can only receive. This mode can use the entire capacity of the channel to send data in one direction

Define STAR TOPOLOGY

Where every device has a dedicated point-to-point link only to a central controller, usually called a hub; the devices are not directly linked to one another

Define MESH TOPOLOGY

Where every device has a dedicated point-to-point link to every other device.