Network Fundamentals

Question 1

What network model offers centralized management for user access, file storage, and network security?

Answer 1

Client-server—offers centralized management, making it easier to control access and enforce security policies.

Question 2

What type of network allows devices to share files directly without a central server?

Answer 2

Peer-to-peer—while simple and cost-effective, it lacks scalability and centralized control, making management and security more difficult.

Question 3

In a peer-to-peer network, what factor most affects performance and reliability?

Answer 3

Each peer’s individual resources and uptime—since there’s no central server, performance depends on the availability and capability of each device.

Question 4

What type of network connects personal devices like smartphones and headsets within a few meters?

Answer 4

PAN (Personal Area Network)—designed for short-range communication between personal devices.

Question 5

Which type of network is typically used within a single building or small area?

Answer 5

LAN (Local Area Network)—commonly used in homes or offices to connect devices and centralize resources.

Question 6

What type of network spans multiple buildings in close proximity?

Answer 6

CAN (Campus Area Network)—connects buildings within a limited geographic area using technologies like fiber or Ethernet.

Question 7

Which network type covers a city or metropolitan area?

Answer 7

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)—used for city-wide connectivity, often with Metro Ethernet or fiber.

Question 8

What type of network spans states, countries, or globally?

Answer 8

WAN (Wide Area Network)—relies on technologies like MPLS, leased lines, VPNs, or satellite for long-distance communication.

Question 9

Which topology type shows the logical connections and communication paths between devices?

Answer 9

Logical topology—shows the logical connections and communication paths between devices.

Question 10

Which topology type represents the real-world layout of devices and cabling?

Answer 10

Physical topology—represents the real-world layout of devices and cabling.

Question 11

What is a key advantage of a point-to-point topology?

Answer 11

It provides a simple and reliable connection with minimal interference, as only two devices are involved.

Question 12

What is a major drawback of a point-to-point topology?

Answer 12

It is not scalable—adding more devices requires additional direct connections, which can become impractical in larger networks.

Question 13

What is a key advantage of a ring topology?

Answer 13

It provides efficient data transmission with predictable paths, as data travels in one direction around the ring.

Question 14

What is a major drawback of a ring topology?

Answer 14

A single point of failure can disrupt the entire network, as each device depends on its neighbors for connectivity.

Question 15

Which technology commonly uses ring topology for long-distance fiber optic networks?

Answer 15

FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface)—utilizes ring topology for reliable, high-speed communication over long distances.

Question 16

What are the advantages of bus topology?

Answer 16

It’s simple to set up, cost-effective for small networks, and requires less cabling than other topologies.

Question 17

What are the disadvantages of bus topology?

Answer 17

Limited scalability, difficult troubleshooting, and high risk of total failure if the bus cable is damaged.

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of bus topology?

Answer 18

Limited scalability, difficult troubleshooting, and high risk of total failure if the bus cable is damaged.

Question 19

What is the central point’s role in a star topology?

Answer 19

It manages all communication between nodes, acting as the hub for data transmission.

Question 20

What are the advantages of star topology?

Answer 20

It’s robust, easy to troubleshoot, and allows for individual node failures without affecting the rest of the network.

Question 21

What are the disadvantages of star topology?

Answer 21

It relies heavily on the central point, and setup costs can be higher due to the need for more cabling and hardware.

Question 22

What are the advantages of hub-and-spoke topology?

Answer 22

It simplifies network management, reduces cabling costs compared to full mesh, and is scalable for adding new spokes.

Question 23

Where is hub-and-spoke topology commonly used?

Answer 23

It is often used in airline route networks, logistics systems, and WAN (Wide Area Network) configurations.

Question 24

What are the disadvantages of hub-and-spoke topology?

Answer 24

The network depends heavily on the central hub, and a hub failure can disrupt communication with all spokes.

Question 25

What is a partial mesh topology?

Answer 25

A setup where some nodes are fully interconnected, while others are connected to only one or two devices.

Question 26

What is a full mesh topology?

Answer 26

A setup where every node is directly connected to every other node, providing maximum redundancy and reliability.

Question 27

What is North-South Traffic in networking?

Answer 27

Traffic that enters (Southbound) or leaves (Northbound) a datacenter from systems outside the datacenter.

Question 28

What is East-West Traffic in networking?

Answer 28

Traffic that flows within a datacenter, commonly seen in SDN, virtualization, and converged networks.

Question 29

What is unicast communication?

Answer 29

Data sent from a single source to a single destination—supports direct two-way communication.

Question 30

What’s the key difference between multicast and broadcast?

Answer 30

Broadcast: All devices receive the message. Multicast: Only opted-in devices in the group receive it.

Question 31

What is Dual Stack networking?

Answer 31

It allows devices to run IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time, so both protocols work together on the same network.

Question 32

What does flow analysis of network flow data help identify?

Answer 32

Trends, patterns, and anomalies in traffic—without inspecting content, saving storage space.

Question 33

What is Operational Technology (OT)?

Answer 33

Technology that controls physical machinery and processes in the real world.

Question 34

What is an Industrial Control System (ICS)?

Answer 34

A type of OT that automates workflows using embedded devices; prioritizes availability and integrity over confidentiality.

Question 35

What does GDPR stand for, and what is its primary focus?

Answer 35

General Data Protection Regulation – an EU law focused on data protection and privacy.

Question 36

Which protocol tags VLAN traffic across trunk ports, allowing multiple VLANs to pass between switches?

Answer 36

802.1Q → VLAN trunking protocol.

Question 37

What type of interference occurs when Ethernet cables pick up noise from nearby external sources like electrical power lines?

Answer 37

Alien Crosstalk

Question 38

In a hierarchical star network, what term describes the high-speed links that aggregate and distribute traffic from multiple network areas?

Answer 38

Backbone — the central pathway that connects different segments and carries aggregated traffic efficiently.

Question 39

What is attenuation in networking?

Answer 39

Attenuation is the gradual loss of signal strength as it travels through a transmission medium (like copper or fiber). It can cause data errors or weak connections over long distances.

Question 40

Which network device can be configured as transparent, allowing traffic to pass without modifying IP addresses?

Answer 40

Proxy server — when set to transparent mode, it intercepts traffic without requiring client configuration, providing caching or filtering while remaining invisible to users.

Question 41

What happens if both sides of a link aggregation are set to passive mode?

Answer 41

No bonded channel is created.

Question 42

Which switch configuration allows ports to face the front of the rack for easier cable management?

Answer 42

Port-side intake — the switch pulls air in through the port side, allowing the ports to face forward while maintaining proper airflow through the device.

Question 43

Which network topology allows only one node to be active on a copper broadband connection at a time?

Answer 43

Bus topology — all devices share a single communication medium, so only one device can transmit at a time to avoid collisions.