Network Technology
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- Category: Network Technology
- Published on Friday, 26 September 2008 13:14
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A computer network is a group of interconnected computers. Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics. This article provides a general overview of some types and categories and presents the basic components of a network.
*A network is a set of communication devices connected by media links.
* In a point-to-point connection, two and only two devices are connected by a dedicated link. In a multipoint connection, three or more devices share a link.
* Topology refers to the physical or logical arrangement of a network. Devices may be arranged in a mesh, star, bus, or ring topology.
* A network can be categorized as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan-area network (MAN), or a wide area network (WAN).
* A LAN is a data communication system within a building, plant, or campus, or between nearby buildings.
* A MAN is a data communication system covering an area the size of a town or city.
* A WAN is a data communication system spanning states, countries, or the whole world.
* An internet is a network of networks.
* The Internet is a collection of many separate networks.
* TCP/IP is the protocol suite for the Internet.
* There are local, regional, national, and international Internet service providers (ISPs).
* A protocol is a set of rules that governs data communication; the key elements of a protocol are syntax, semantics, and timing.
* Standards are necessary to ensure that products from different manufacturers can work together as expected.
* The ISO, ITU-T, ANSI, IEEE, and EIA are some of the organizations involved in standards creation.
* Forums are special-interest groups that quickly evaluate and standardize new technologies.
* A Request for Comment (RFC) is an idea or concept that is a precursor to an Internet standard.
Network Classification.
The following list presents major categories used for classifying networks.
Scale
Based on the scale networks can be classified as Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) , Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) etc.,
Connection method
Computer networks can also be classified according to the hardware technology that is used to connect the individual devices in the network such as Optical fiber, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, HomePNA, or Power line communication.
Ethernet uses physical wiring to connect devices. Often deployed devices are hubs, switches, bridges, and/or routers.
Wireless LAN technology is designed to connect devices without wiring. These devices use radio waves as transmission medium.
Functional relationship (Network Architectures)
Computer networks may be classified according to the functional relationships which exist among the elements of the network, e.g., Active Networking, Client-server and Peer-to-peer (workgroup) architecture.
Network Topology
Computer networks may be classified according to the network topology upon which the network is based, such as Bus network, Star network, Ring network, Mesh network, Star-bus network, Tree or Hierarchical topology network, etc.
Network Topology signifies the way in which devices in the network see their logical relations to one another. The use of the term "logical" here is significant. That is, network topology is independent of the "physical" layout of the network. Even if networked computers are physically placed in a linear arrangement, if they are connected via a hub, the network has a Star topology, rather than a Bus Topology. In this regard the visual and operational characteristics of a network are distinct; the logical network topology is not necessarily the same as the physical layout.