• ZULQARNAIN HAIDER

SP10-MBA-169 (B) 1st Semester

• ASSIGNMENT ON
Advantages & Disadvantages of
Networks

• SUBMISSION DATE
20-04-2010

• SUBMITTED TO
Mr. Omer Vikas
 Advantages and Disadvantages of
Computer Networks

Brief Introduction to Computer Networks

Advantages:

• Sharing of Data and information:

Sharing of Data and information has a lot of benefits for instance in the university the networks
of university has been made allow students to access their files from computers throughout the
university. Students can begin an assignment in their classroom, save part of it on a public access
area of the network, and then go to the media center after school to finish their work.

• Efficient Communication:

In the network there are many types of communication channels first of all network is itself is an
efficient communication system and within network there many physical and electronic devices
and programs with which we can communicate efficiently like we can use physical devices like
cameras, headphones, telephone calls, videoconferencing and the like. We can also work
cooperatively through the network.
 • Sharing of peripheral Devices:

Equipment sharing is extremely beneficial. When you share resources, you can buy equipment
with features that you would not otherwise be able to afford as well as utilize the full potential of
that equipment on your network. A properly designed network can result in both lower
equipment costs and increased productivity.

Sharing resources is another area in which a network exceeds stand-alone computers. Most
universities and colleges cannot afford enough laser printers, fax machines, modems, scanners, and
CD-ROM players for each computer. However, if these or similar peripherals are added to a
network, they can be shared by many users and students

• Time Management:

A well-designed computer network produces benefits on several fronts: within the organization,
between organizations (universities, colleges, schools) and between organization and their
customers (students). Within the organization, networks enable to streamline their internal
processes or management. Common tasks such as collaboration on projects, provisioning, and
holding meetings can take less time and be much less expensive.

For example, a professor, or other colleagues, may need to work together on projects. With a
computer network they can work on the same electronic files, each from their own computers,
without copying or transferring files from a floppy disk. If the applications they are using feature
basic integration with the network operating system (NOS), they can open, view, or print the
same files simultaneously.

Networks also make holding meetings more efficient. For example, collaboration software can
search through a number of busy schedules to find time for a meeting—including the schedules
of employees at different locations. The meeting can be held over the network through a
teleconferencing session, thus eliminating the travel cost for those employees at remote sites.
The attendees can simultaneously view and edit the same document and instantaneously view
each other's changes as they are made. Moreover, they can do this without worrying about
accidentally changing or deleting the work of others.
 • Backup Files and Security of Data:

Backing up files in the network became easy task now a days we can easily upload our files in the
network whether it is any kind of network and Files and on a network can be designated as "copy
inhibit," so that you do not have to worry about illegal copying of your personal files. Also,
passwords can be established for specific directories to restrict access to authorized users.

• Cost efficiently:

By networking our computers we can reduce the amount of money we spend on hardware by
sharing components and peripherals while also reducing the amount of time you spend managing
your computer system.

Suppose that you had a number of unconnected computers. Users using these computers would
not be able to print unless you purchased a printer for each computer or unless users manually
transferred files to computers with printers. In this scenario you would be choosing between
hardware and labor expenses.

A network also enables us to save money on software. Instead of buying separate copies of the
same application for various machines, we can purchase one copy with enough user licenses for
our network. In large businesses the amount of money saved on software is substantial.

• Sharing of programs:

One of the greatest benefits of installing a network at a organization is the fact that all of the
software can be loaded on one computer (the file server). This eliminates that need to spend time
and energy installing updates and tracking files on independent computers throughout the
building.

We can work on the same program at a time in the network.

When you implement a business intranet, you can create or update information and make it
accessible to all company employees easily and immediately. With Web publishing tools and a
World Wide Web server running on your intranet you can create or change any information, and
you can have that information automatically and instantaneously published on your Web server.

For instance the university gives new students everything they need to get started (workstation,
ID card, passwords.), can be automated on a network. The entire new student information can be
entered into one terminal, and various departments’ management will receive that new
information automatically.

Disadvantages

• Sharing of Data and information:

Although a file server is no more susceptible to failure than any other computer, when the files
server "goes down," the entire network may come to a halt. When this happens, the entire
organization (universities, colleges, schools) may lose access to necessary programs and files.

• Efficient Communication:

The network’s efficiency depends a lot on the skill of its manager. A poorly managed network
(or one where the manager is obstructive) becomes frustrating to use and may be less efficient
than stand-alone machines.
Another negative aspect of communication over the network is receiving unwanted mail and
attachments. Businesses can send out junk mail to you email accounts just like they send junk
mail to your mailboxes at home. Besides junk mail, you may receive forwards containing useless
information that can waste your time, or you may receive viruses through emails that can destroy
the hard drive on your compute

• Sharing of peripheral Devices:

If the network is not operating properly, hardware and software resources cannot be accessed.

• Time Management:

If a network is not well designed, it might not cope with an increase in traffic without a
significant decrease in performance.

• Backup Files and Security of Data:

It is Hard to keep secure from hackers. Companies manage large amount of data of their
customers, and maintaining the security for them is tough job. The organization has to arrange a
good security system otherwise the information on the network will be in risk.
 • Cost efficiently:

Large networks will require a staff to ensure efficient operation and this will cost much more to
maintain the network. In today’s world, is of paramount concern especially as more companies
add Internet and extranet connections to their networks. Security implementations can
drastically add to the cost of deploying and operating a network. Creating a cost-efficient
network design involves analyzing risks and developing requirements. How sensitive is the
customer's data? What would be the financial cost of someone accessing the data and stealing
trade secrets? In this manner it will be very costly.

• Sharing of programs:

When we share programs over the network the modern applications will load slowly over a network
and congest the network more than necessary. However, it is relatively easy with some programs.
Just copy the shortcut from the computer on which the program is installed to the computer you
want to run it on (the client) and modify the shortcut to point to the shared network drive, but in
some cases it difficult.

• Sharing of Data Bases:

The databases also may has disadvantages over the network when working on it and sharing it all
over the network like Data redundancy, Data inconsistency, and Duplication of data may occur in
the database and it will spread all over network users and lead to mistakes.