Topic Notes: Building a Simple Network

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Topic Notes: Computer Network Basics

Exploring the Functions of Networking

A network is a connected collection of devices and end systems, such as computers and servers, which can communicate with each other. Networks carry data in many types of environments, including homes, small businesses, and large enterprises. Large enterprise networks may have a number of locations that need to communicate with each other. Based on where workers are situated, these locations are as follows: Main office : A main office is a site where everyone is connected via a network and where most corporate information is located. A main office can have hundreds or even thousands of people who depend on network access to do their jobs. A main office may use several connected networks, which can span many floors in an office building or cover a campus that contains several buildings. Remote locations : A variety of remote access locations use networks to connect to the main office or to each other. Branch offices: In branch offices, smaller groups of people work and communicate with each other via a network. Although some corporate information may be stored at a branch office, it is more likely that branch offices have local network resources, such as printers, but must access information directly from the main office. Home offices: When individuals work from home, the location is called a home office. Home-office workers often require on-demand connections to the main office or branch offices to access information or to use network resources such as file servers. Mobile users: Mobile users connect to the main office network while at the main office, at the branch office, or traveling. The location of the mobile users determines their network access requirements. You may use a network in your home office to communicate via the Internet in order to locate information, place orders for merchandise, and send messages to friends. You may also have a small office that is set up with a network that connects other computers and printers in the office. Similarly, you may work in a large enterprise with many computers, printers, storage devices, and servers that are used to communicate and store information from many departments over large geographic areas.

Common Physical Components of a Network

Five major categories of physical components in a computer network are as follows: PCs : The computers serve as endpoints in the network. They send and receive data. Interconnections : The interconnections consist of components that provide a means for data to travel from one point to another point in the network. This category includes components such as the following: Network interface cards (NICs) that translate computer data into a format that can transmit over the local network. Network media such as cables or wireless media that provide the means by which the signals are transmitted from one networked device to another. Connectors that provide the connection points for the media. Switches : Switches are devices that provide network attachment to the end systems and intelligent switching of the data within the local network. Routers : Routers interconnect networks and choose the best paths between networks.

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Topic Notes: Building a Simple Network

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Wireless LAN (WLAN) devices : WLAN devices connect network devices, computers, and other endpoints to the network without cables. The minimum requirement for wireless access to the network is an endpoint with WLAN NIC and an access point that is connected to the wired network.

Interpreting a Network Diagram

The network diagram captures network-related information. The amount of information and the detail differs from organization to organization. A series of lines and icons commonly represent the network topology. Other information may be included in the network diagram as space allows. For example, it is common to identify the interface on a device in the format s0/0/0 for a serial interface, or fa0/0 for a Fast Ethernet interface. It is also common to include the network address of the segment in the format such as 192.168.1.0/24. In this example, 192.168.1.0 indicates the network address, and /24 indicates the subnet mask.

Resource-Sharing Functions and Benefits

Networks allow end users to share information and hardware resources. The major resources that are shared in a computer network include the following: Data and applications : When users are connected through a network, they can share files and software application programs. Information becomes more easily available, which promotes more-efficient collaboration on work projects. Resources : Input devices such as cameras and output devices such as printers are among the resources that can be shared. Network storage : The network makes storage available to users in several ways. Direct- attached storage (DAS) connects physical storage to a PC or to a shared server. Network- attached storage (NAS) makes storage available through a special network appliance. Finally, storage area networks provide a network of storage devices. Backup devices : A network can also include backup devices, such as tape drives, that provide a central means to save files from multiple computers. Network storage also provides archive capability, business continuance, and disaster recovery. Users who are connected by a network can benefit from efficiency of operation through commonly available components that are used in everyday tasks. These tools include sharing files, printing, and storing data. The results are reduced expenditures and increased productivity. In recent years, the openness that was once pervasive in networking has been replaced with a need for caution. There have been many well-advertised acts of "cybervandalism," in which end systems and network devices have been broken into. Security became an important concern. Balance is required between the need for network security and the need for connectivity.

Network User Applications

There are many applications that are available for users in a network environment. Some of these applications are common to nearly all users. The most common network user applications include the following: Email: Email is a very valuable application for most network users. Users can communicate information, such as messages and files, electronically in a timely manner. Email users are not communicating only to other users on the same network but also to other users outside the network, such as suppliers, information resources, and customers. Examples of email programs include Microsoft Outlook and Eudora by Qualcomm. Web browser: A web browser allows access to the Internet through a common interface. The Internet provides a wealth of information and is vital to the productivity of home and business users. A web browser provides a common interface for communicating with suppliers and customers.

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Processing orders and fulfillment, as well as locating information, are now routinely performed electronically over the Internet, which saves time and increases overall productivity. Popular web applications today include online shopping, electronic banking, social networks, podcasting, wikis, blogs, and so on. The most commonly used browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Google Chrome. Instant messaging: Instant messaging began in the personal user-to-user space and now provides considerable benefit in the corporate world. There are many instant messaging applications, such as those provided by AOL, Yahoo, and WebEx, that provide data encryption and loggingfeatures essential for corporate use. Collaboration: Working together as individuals or groups is facilitated when the collaborators are in a network. An example of collaboration is when many users work on the same documents. Individuals who create separate parts of the same document, such as an annual report or a business plan, can either transmit their data files to a central resource for compilation, or use a workgroup software application to create and modify the entire document. An exchange of paper is not required. Examples of collaboration software programs include Cisco WebEx, Whiteboard and Lotus Notes. Database: This type of application allows users in a network to store information in central locations, such as file servers. All users in the network can easily retrieve selected information in the formats that are most useful to them. Mobile phone data applications: These applications allow mobile users to access Internet resources. Available applications include email clients, web browsers, instant messaging collaboration, and so on. Peer-to-peer: Peer-to-peer applications provide distributed network architecture where participants offer their resources, such as processing power and disk storage, directly to others in the network. There must be central coordination through servers or hosts, like traditional client-server situations. Popular applications include file-sharing systems such as Skype, BitTorrent, and Joost. Online gaming: Games as applications use computer networks to connect players together. In the past, online gaming was related to small local networks and later evolved to the Internet. Online games can be text-based games, or more complex with graphics and many players involved.

Impact of User Applications on the Network

Applications can affect network performance and, conversely, network performance can affect applications. Historically, when considering the interaction between the network and applications that ran on the network, bandwidth was the main concern. Batch applications such as FTP, TFTP, and inventory updates are initiated by a user, then run to completion by the software with no further direct human interaction. Because of this type of operation, bandwidth was important but not critical, as long as the time it took the application to complete was not excessive. Interactive applications such as inventory inquiries and database updates that required more human interaction. The user would request some type of information from the server and then wait for a reply. Bandwidth became more important because users became impatient with slow responses. However, because response time was more dependent on the server than on the network, bandwidth was still not critical. In most cases, quality of service (QoS) features could overcome bandwidth limitations by giving interactive applications preference over batch applications. Like interactive applications, real-time applications such as VoIP and video applications involve human interaction. Because of the amount of information that is transmitted, bandwidth has become critical. In addition, because these applications are time-critical, latency (delay through the network) is critical. Even variations regarding the amount of latency can affect the network. Not only is proper bandwidth mandatory, QoS is mandatory. VoIP and video applications must be given the highest priority. Today, VoIP is promoted as a way for organizations to save money and is said to be as easy as installing a VoIP router into the network. While the benefits of VoIP are often true in the home network, it can result

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Topic Notes: Building a Simple Network

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in disaster in a small office network. Simply installing a VoIP router in a network does not provide enough bandwidth, nor does it provide a proper QoS scheme. The result is that applications that worked properly in the past begin to run so slowly that they are unusable when someone is on the phone. Additionally, voice quality is poor. You can overcome both of these issues with proper network design.

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