Networking

Computer Network

 

n      Interconnection of two or more computers and peripherals

n      Allows user to share and transfer information

 

 

Types of Computer Networks

 

n      Networks are classified depending on the geographical area covered by the network

 

 Local Area Network (LAN) – I

 

n      Covers a small area

n      Connects computers and workstations covering a local area like, office or home



                 

  Local Area Network (LAN) - II

 

n      Advantages of LAN:

q     Improves productivity due to faster work

q     Provides easy maintenance

q     New systems can be installed and configured easily

n      Disadvantages of LAN:

q     Limited number of systems can only be connected

q     Cannot cover large area

q     Network performance degrades as number of users exceeds

 

 Types of LAN

 

LANs are classified depending on the techniques used for data sharing

 

LAN Types

Ethernet

Token Ring

Token Bus

FDDI

Campus Area Network (CAN)

 

n      Made up of multiple LANs within limited area

n      Connects different LANs in a campus

 

Metropolitan Area Network

 

n      Interconnects networks within a city

n       Supports data and voice transmission

  

 

Wide Area Network

 

n      Covers a wide geographical area which includes multiple computers or LANs e.g. Internet

 

 

Client/Server Configuration

 

n      Consists of two elements, Client and Server

n      Server:

q     A centralized element which provides resources to client

q     Manages data, printers or network traffic

n      Client:

q     Manages local resources used by users such as monitor, keyboard, CPU and peripherals

 

 

Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model - I

 

n      Also known as ISO-OSI Reference Model

n      Developed by International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

n      Describes flow of information from one computer to another

n       Consists of seven layers

 

Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model - II

 

Network Selection Criteria

 

n      Helps to improve network functionality

 

 





Shashi Ray

Next Recommended Reading Network Layer of OSI Model