BCSE354E Information Security

Management
Lecture 2
Dr. Saritha Murali
(SCOPE, VIT Vellore)
11-01-2024
 What is a network device?
• Components used to connect computers as
well as other electrical devices together in
order to share resources such as printers and
fax machines.
 Devices used in Networking
• Hubs
• Switches
• Routers
• Network bridges
• Gateways
• Firewalls
• Wireless AP (Access Points)
 Hub
• A small rectangular box that joins computers
together through ports

Ethernet hub – Wikipedia. [online image]. Available en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet hub

 Hub
• A hub receives data packets and passes on all
the Information it receives to all the other
computers connected to the hub.
• Information is also sent to the computer that
sent the information
• Example:
– if computer 1 wants to communicate with
computer 3, the data will be sent to all the
computers on the network since hubs do not
know the destination of the information it
receives.
Diagram of a hub network

Hub

Main PC
PC 1

Ethernet

PC 2
Additional Information about Hubs
• Most hubs contain 4 ports some have 5 or
more ports.
• Hubs can be used for a smaller network such
as a home network or a small office network.
• Hubs are not that expensive most range for
less than $30.
• Hubs may not be the best option for complex
networks.
 Switch
• Switches look similar to hubs in that they are
rectangular in shape.
• A switch also has ports on the back.

Network switch – net gear.[online image]. Available http://www.senasum.blogspot.com, July 9, 2013

 Switch
• Switches work about the same way as hubs.
Unlike hubs, switches can identify the destination
of a packet.
• Switches send information only to the computer
that is supposed to receive the information.
• Switches can also send and retrieve information
at the same time which makes sending
information faster to retrieve than hubs.
 Switch
• Ethernet managed switches provide advanced features like
VLANs, QoS, link aggregation, and security mechanisms.
They can be configured, monitored, and managed by
network administrators using a web-based interface or CLI.
• Ethernet unmanaged switches are plug-and-play devices
with fixed settings and no configuration options. They are
simpler, less expensive, and suitable for basic connectivity
needs.
• Managed switches are ideal for larger networks requiring
customization and control
• Unmanaged switches are commonly used in smaller
networks or home environments.
• Manageable switches are usually a little bigger than
unmanageable switches.
 Diagram of a Switch Network

Switch Diagram. LindyConnectionPerfection.[online image]. Available http://www.lindy-international.com, July 9, 2013

Additional Information about Switches
• Switches are a better option than hubs for
larger networks or home networks with 4 or
more connected computers.
• Switches can range in price from $30 up to
$100 or more depending on if the switch is
manageable or unmanageable, usually
unmanageable switches are less in price
versus managed switches.
 Router
• A specialized computer programmed to
interface between different networks.
• It manages traffic between the networks
by forwarding data packets to their
intended IP addresses, and allowing
multiple devices to use the same
Internet connection
Diagram of a Router
 Additional Information about Routers
• Routers make sure data sent over the Internet
goes where it needs to go and not where it is not
needed.
• Acts like a traffic controller, working to cut down
congestion throughout the network and keeps
everything flowing smoothly along the best path.
• Routers are the only type of equipment that looks
at every single packet passing by on the network.
• Home network router including wireless routers
can cost anywhere from $40 to $150 or higher.
 Bridge
• A hardware device used to create a connection
between two separate computer networks or to
divide one network into two.
• Filters data traffic at a network boundary and
reduces the amount of traffic on a LAN dividing it
into two segments.

• I -4E to Ethernet (10/100M) Network Bridge. [online image]. Network Bridge. Available at www.freewtc.com. July 12, 2013.
 Bridge
• Each bridge consist of a MAC address and
operates at layer 2 of the OSI model
• When a packet is received on the bridge ports the
forwarding table including the MAC address is
automatically updated to map the source MAC
address to the network port from which the
packet originated
• The gateway then process the received packet
according to the packet’s type.
Diagram of a Bridge
 Additional Information about Bridges
• A bridge examines each message on a LAN
and passes the ones known to be within the
same LAN.
• Computer addresses have no relationship to
location in a bridging network.
• A bridge is sometimes referred to as a brouter.
• Wireless network bridges can costs anywhere
from $100 to $1000 or more depending on
the type of bridge purchased.
 Gateway
• A communication device that provides a remote
network with connectivity to the host network.
• Gateways serve as the entry and exit point of a
network
• All data routed inward or outward must first pass
through and communicate with the gateway to use
routing paths.
• Generally, a router is configured to work as a
gateway device in computer networks.

• Gateway Network Communications [online image]. Available www.hiwtc.com

 Gateway
• The gateway node acts like a proxy server and
firewall
• The gateway uses forwarding tables to
determine where packet are to be sent
Gateway Diagram
 Additional Information about
Gateways
• On the Internet a node or stopping point can
be a gateway.
• The computers controlling traffic within a
network are gateway nodes.
• A gateway is also associated with a router.
 Wireless Access Point
• A small hardware device featuring built-in
network adapter, antenna, and radio signals.
• Configured nodes on a WLAN. (A wireless
local-area network (WLAN) is a group of
computers or other devices that form a
network based on radio transmissions rather
than wired connections. A Wi-Fi network is a
type of WLAN.)

» Wireless Access Points, Page 2. [online image]. Available compnetworking.about.com

 How a Wireless Access Point works?
• Operates using radio frequency technology
• Broadcast wireless signals that computers can
detect and use
• A wireless network adapter is implemented
while using a wireless access point, most
computers today already have network
adapters built into the computer.
Diagram of Wireless Access Point

RxNT – The eprescribing System. [online image]. Available www.rxnt.com

 Additional Information about Access
Points
• The access point usually connects to the
router
• A hotspot serves as a wireless access point for
connecting devices to the internet.
• Wireless access points can cost anywhere
from $30 and up depending on the type
purchased.
 Edge Devices
• An edge device is any piece of hardware that
controls data flow at the boundary between
two networks.
• Examples include routers, routing switches,
integrated access devices, multiplexers, and a
variety of metropolitan area network and
wide area network access devices
 Endpoint
• Endpoint point devices (PCs, laptops, mobile
devices and servers)
Servers
 Servers
• A server is a computer or system that provides resources, data,
services, or programs to other computers, known as clients, over a
network.

How do servers work?

• Servers work in several ways to connect users to different data
functions. They house large amounts of data for organizations and
make it accessible to users through internal networks or via the
internet. They respond to user requests to retrieve appropriate files
from stored or interconnected data sources. They also work in
tandem with an operating system to better listen to and respond to
user requests.
 Types of servers
1. Web server

An open-source web server is used for accessing the world wide web through
public domain software. These servers connect stored information from an
internet website to your own computer. Web servers store information for the
internet that is retrieved via "HTTP" code and sent to your web browser. This is
one of the most widely used types of servers.

2. Proxy server
Proxy servers act as a bridge between a host server and a client server. A
proxy sends data from a website to your computer IP address after it passes
through the proxy's server. This practice adds a layer of security since the
information is requested then transferred from the source to the proxy server
and never directly from a client to another user. A proxy server can filter out
various harmful internet entities.
 Types of servers
3. Virtual machine (VM)
Virtual machines store and connect data strictly through virtual space.
To create a virtual machine, IT teams use a hypervisor, also known as a
virtual machine monitor (VMM), which is software that can run
thousands of virtual machines through only one piece of physical
hardware. This method of server virtualization is widely used for data
transfer and storage because they are the most cost-effective type of
server to run.
 Types of servers
4. File transfer protocol (FTP) server

FTP servers are used to relocate files from one computer to another. Uploaded
files move from your computer to the server while downloaded files are
extracted from the server onto your device. File transfer protocol also refers to
the method of using a server to connect one computer to another in order to
share data safely.

5. Application server
These servers connect clients to software applications through virtual server
connections. This allows users to bypass downloading data to their own
hardware in order to access applications. Application servers can effectively
host large amounts of application data to many users at once, making them
ideal for businesses.
 Types of servers
6. File server

A file server stores data files for multiple users. They allow for faster data
retrieval and saving or writing files to a computer. This is a basic type of server
used commonly by organizations where lots of users need access to files that
are more conveniently and safely stored on a server than a personal computer.
7. Database server

Database servers function as large storage spaces that organizations use and
access to run multiple programs to meet their needs. A database server can run
independently of any database architecture.
 Types of servers
8. Mail server

A mail server (sometimes called an email server) is a software program that

sends and receives email. Because mail servers are set up to continually
connect to a network, individual users can access their email without running
any systems through their own devices.
9. Print server

A print server connects remotely to local computers to print through a network.

These servers give businesses the ability to use a single printer to serve an
entire department. Some printers even come with their own built-in server
ready to join a network once they're installed in an office area.
 Types of servers
10. Domain name system (DNS) server

These servers transform readable computer domain names into computer

language IP addresses. The DNS server takes search data from a user and
finds the requested address to deliver to the client device.
11. Collaboration server
When work needs to be shared across multiple users, a collaboration server
makes it easy to connect. These servers allow you to share and store files,
applications and other large amounts of data.
12. Gaming server
Large gaming networks use servers to connect users from around the world.
These servers host multi-player online games.
 Types of servers
13. Monitoring and management server

Monitoring and management servers function in several capacities. First, they

record and track digital transactions and receive user requests. Others simply
monitor and don't actively participate in user operations. Monitoring servers are
responsive to network administrators who survey network health to check for
threats or bugs in the system.