Objective 1.6 Differentiate between common network topologies. Flashcards
Topology
The layout of computers in a computer network
Physical - Physically how computers connect to eachother. Do they connect to a central switch for just one sub net? Perhaps with a router for multiple sub-nets?
Logical - How computers appear to be connected to the user
Bus Topology
All of the computers are connected in a straight line.
Terminators must be used to physically terminate each end of the bus. To prevent the signals from dropping off the end of the cable.
A single break in the cable takes down the entire network.
Star Topology
All of the computers are connected through a central connection point. A switch could be how they are connected. A break in a cable will only affect one computer. If a switch fails, it will affect all the computers attached to that switch
Ring Topology
Ring is used nowdays in WAN. Like MPLS. Computers are connected in a circular fashion. Only one computer at a time has possession of the token, which is an electrical construct to help prevent the collision domain problem. A break in the cable would take down the entire network.
You have to have a dedicated token ring card and a central connectivity device MSAU Multi station access unit.
It’s a logical ring, because the token passes to the next computer and the next in a daisy chain. It’s a physical star because of the way the hardware is actually connected.
Token Ring
IEEE standard 802.5
15mbps
Mesh Topology
All computers connected to all other computers. There are redundant connections. Your service provider cloud is a good example of a mesh.
Provides fault tolerance in case of failure.
Used widely in WAN.
We own our LAN we lease or WAN.
Hybrid Topology
Hybrid topologies are a mixture of multiple topologies. It is very common. The defacto setup.
Ex. 3 floors, each floor has it’s own star topology, using a switch and multiple computers. The switches however, are a bus topology. Simply connecting one to the next.
Point to Point architecture
One node transmits data, the other receives it. Star, mesh, and logical ring are all point-to-point.
Basically, one device directly communicating with another.
Point to Multi Point
Multiple communication paths from a single location to multiple locations.
The thinnet bus is a point-to-multipoint. Each computer on the bus when it transmits, all the devices are going to receive that data whether or not it is addressed to them.
A wi-fi hotspot is another example.
Client-Server
Each hosts acts specifically as a server(resource provider) or a client(resource receiver)
Server
If a node(host) is providing resources to another or multiple nodes it is a server.
Servers are usually thought of as a computer, a physical or virtual computer, running windows server or linux server. Provides file, printing, email, encryption services, etc.
Client
If a node(host) is receiving resources it is a client.
D.O.R.A
DHCP’s way of giving a client a new IP. Discover, offer, request, ACK
Peer to Peer
Every host acts as both a server and a client
ex. Bitorrent
