A computer

network or data

network is

a telecommunications

network that

allows computers to exchange data. In computer networks, networked computing devices pass data to each other along data connections. The connections (network links) between nodes are established using either cable media or wireless media. The best-known computer network is the Internet. Computer networks support applications such as access to the World Wide Web, shared use of application and storage servers, printers, and fax machines, and use of email and instant messaging applications. Computer networks differ in the physical media used to transmit their signals, the communications protocols to organize network traffic, the network's size, topology and organizational intent. NETWORK GOALS:

The main goal of networking is "Resource sharing", and it is to make all programs, data and equipment available to anyone on the network with out the regard to the physical location of the resource and the user. A second goal is to provide high reliability by having alternative sources of supply. For example, all files could be replicated on two or three machines, so if one of them is unavailable, the other copies could be available. Another closely related goal is to increase the systems performance as the work load increases by just adding more processors. With central mainframes, when the system is full, it must be replaced by a larger one, usually at great expense and with even greater disruption to the users.

Network Topology refers to layout of a network and how differentnodes in a network are connected to each other and how they communicate.

1. Mesh Topology

Mesh Topology: In a mesh network, devices are connected with many redundant interconnections between network nodes. In a true mesh topology every node has a connection to every other node in the network 2. Star Topology

Star Topology: In a star network devices are connected to a central computer, called a hub. Nodes communicate across the network by passing data through the hub. 3. Bus Topology

Bus Topology: In networking a bus is the central cable -- the main wire -- that connects all devices on a local-area network (LAN). It is also called the backbone. This is often used to describe the main network connections composing the Internet. Bus networks are relatively inexpensive and easy to install for small networks. Ethernet systems use a bus topology. 4. Ring Topology

Ring Topology: A local-area network (LAN) whose topology is a ring. That is, all of the nodes are connected in a closed loop. Messages travel around the ring, with each node reading those messages addressed to it. One main advantage to a ring network is that it can span larger distances than other types of networks, such as bus networks, because each node regenerates messages as they pass through it. 5. Tree Topology

Tree Topology: This is a "hybrid" topology that combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. In a tree network, groups of star-configured networks are connected to a linear bus backbone cable. Guided Transmission Media Twisted Pair

Pair of twisted conductors

Commonly used for communications within buildings and in telephone networks Produced in unshielded (UTP) and shielded (STP) forms, and in different performance categories.

Coaxial Cable Pair of conductors separated by insulation

Offers longer distances and better speeds than twisted pair, due to better shielding. Used for cable TV and local-area networks. Had been widely used in telephone systems, but optical fibre is now assuming this task.

Optical Fibre

Three components: light source, transmission system, and a detector

The detector generates an electric pulse when hit by light optical rays travel in glass or plastic core

Comparison Point-to-point transmission data rate bandwidth repeater distance Twisted pair 4 Mbps 3 MHz 2-10 km 1-10 km 10-100 km

Coaxial cable 500 Mbps 350 MHz optical fibre 2 Gbps 2 GHz

The clientserver model of computing is a distributed application structure that partitions tasks or workloads between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients.[1] Often clients and servers communicate over a computer network on separate hardware, but both client and server may reside in the same system.

The TCP/IP model TCP/IP is based on a four-layer reference model. All protocols that belong to the TCP/IP protocol suite are located in the top three layers of this model. Layer Description Protocols

Application

Defines TCP/IP application protocols and how host programs interface with transport layer services to use the network.

HTTP, Telnet, FTP, TFTP, SNMP, DNS, SMTP, X Windows, other application protocols

Transport

Provides communication session management between host computers. Defines the level of service and status of the connection used when transporting data.

TCP, UDP, RTP

Internet

Packages data into IP datagrams, which contain source and destination address information that is used to forward the datagrams between hosts and across networks. Performs routing of IP datagrams.

IP, ICMP, ARP, RARP

Network interface

Specifies details of how data is physically sent through the network, including how bits are electrically signaled by hardware devices that interface directly with a network medium, such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, or twisted-pair copper wire.

Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, X.25, Frame Relay, RS-232, v.35

Fiber optics are simply strands of flexible glass as thin as human hair that are used for telecommunications. These strands carry digital signals with light.Even though these cables are made of glass, they are not stiff and fragile. They can bend kind of like wires and are very strong. When hundreds or even thousands of these strands are arranged in bundles, it is called an optical cable. satellite communication, in telecommunications, the use of artificial satellites to provide communication links between various points on Earth. Satellite communications play a vital role in the global telecommunications system. Satellite communication has two main components: the ground segment, which consists of fixed or mobile transmission, reception, and ancillary equipment, and the space segment, which primarily is the satellite itself.

A bus network is a network topology in which nodes are connected in a daisy chain by a linear sequence of buses.

The bus is the data link in a bus network. The bus can only transmit data in one direction, and if any network segment is severed, all network transmission ceases. Star networks are one of the most common computer network topologies. In its simplest form, a star network consists of one central switch, hub or computer, which act as a conduit to transmit messages. This consists of a central node, to which all other nodes are connected; this central node provides a common connection point for all nodes through a hub. In star topology, every node (computer workstation or any other peripheral) is connected to a central node called a hub or switch. The switch is the server and the peripherals are the clients.[1]