Lesson-1 COMPUTER NETWORK CONCEPTS

WHAT IS A COMPUTER NETWORK?

A computer network is an interconnected group of computers.

Computer Network

In general, the term network can refer to any interconnected group or system. More specifically, a network is any
method of sharing information between two systems (human or mechanical).

BENEFITS OF SHARING INFORMATION VIA NETWORK

In addition to reducing hardware costs by sharing expensive printers and other peripherals among multiple users, networks
provide additional benefits to the users.
 Software and data files can be shared for access by multiple users
 Electronic mail (email) can be sent and received
 Collaboration features allow contributions by multiple users to a single document
 Remote-control programs can be used to troubleshoot problems or show new users how to perform a task

SHARED HARDWARE COMPONENTS

Virtually any storage or output device can be shared over a network, but the most common devices to be used over a network include:
 Printers  Modems
 Disk drives  Fax
 CD-ROM and optical drives  Tape backup units

NETWORK TOPOLOGY
Network Topology signifies the way in which intelligent devices in the network see their logical relations to one
another. The use of the term "logical" here is significant. That is, network topology is independent of the "physical" layout of
the network.

Bus Topology
It is often used when network installation is small,
simple or temporary. On a typical bus network, the cable is
just 1 or more wires with no active electronics to amplify the
signal or pass it along from computer to computer.

Advantages: 1) Easy to use and understand. 2) Requires least amount of cable to connect the computers together. 3) It is
easy to extend a bus; two cables can be joined into 1 longer cable with a BNC, Barrel connector making a longer cable and
allowing more computers to join the network.

Disadvantages: 1) Heavy network traffic can slow a bus considerably as only 1 computer can send a message at a time. 2)
It is difficult to troubleshoot the bus. A cable break or loose connector causes reflection and stops all the activity.
 STAR TOPOLOGY
In this kind of topology all the cables run from the computers to the
central location where they are all connected by a device called hub or
switch. Each computer on a star network communicates with a central device
that resends the message either to each computer or only to the destination
computer.

Advantages:
 It is easy to modify and add new computers without disturbing the rest
of the network.
 The center of the star network is a good place to diagnose the faults.
 Single computer failure does not necessarily bring down the whole star network.
Disadvantages:
 If the central device fails the whole network fails to operate.
 Star networking is expensive because all network cables must be pulled to one central point, requires more cable than
other network topologies.

RING TOPOLOGY
In this type each computer is connected to the next computer with the last one
connected to the first. Each retransmits what it receives from the previous computer.

Advantage
1. Each node has equal access.
2. Capable of high-speed data transfer

Disadvantage
1. Failure of one computer on the ring can affect the whole network.
2. Difficult to troubleshoot the network.

TYPES OF NETWORKS
Below is a list of the most common types of computer networks in order of scale.

Personal Area Network (PAN)

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network used for communication

among computer devices close to one person. Some examples of devices that may
be used in a PAN are printers, fax machines, telephones, PDA’s or scanners.
 1. Local Area Network (LAN)

A network covering a small geographic area, like a home, office, or building.

Current LANs are most likely to be based on Ethernet technology. For example, a
library will have a wired or wireless LAN for users to interconnect local devices
(e.g., printers and servers) and to connect to the internet. All of the PCs in the
library are connected by category 5 (Cat5) cable, running the IEEE 802.3 protocol
through a system of interconnection devices and eventually connect to the
internet. The Cables to the servers are on Cat 5e enhanced cable, which will
support IEEE 802.3 at 1 GB/s.

Client/Server Vs Peer-to-Peer Networks

Although every computer on a LAN is connected to every other, they do not necessarily mean all communicate with
each other. There are two basic types of LAN, based on communication patterns between the machines, called
client/server networks and peer-to-peer networks.

Client/Server Networks

Every computer has a distinct role, that of either a client or a server. A server is designed to share its resources
among client computers on the network. The Client/Server is composed of:

Servers

 These are located in secured areas, such as locked closets and data centers, because they hold the organization's
most valuable data and do not have the accessed by operators on a continuous basis.

 The server runs a special network operating system such as: Windows
NT Server, Windows 2000 or Novell Netware.
Clients

 The rest of the computers on the network function as client. A client standard PC that is running an operating system
such as DOS or Windows.

Peer-to-Peer Network

In a peer-to-peer network, every computer is equal and can communicate with

other computer on a network to which it has been granted access rights.
Essentially, every computer in this network functions as both server and client.
Peer-to-peer network can be as small as two computers as many as hundreds of
units.

2. CAMPUS AREA NETWORK (CAN)

A network that connects two or more LANs but that is limited to a specific
and contiguous geographical area such as a college campus, industrial
complex, or a military base. A CAN may be considered a type of MAN
(metropolitan area network), but is generally limited to an area that is
smaller than a typical MAN.

3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A Metropolitan Area Network is a network that connects two or more Local

Area Networks or Campus Area Networks together but does not extend
beyond the boundaries of the immediate town, city, or metropolitan area.
Multiple routers, switches & hubs are connected to create a MAN.
 4.Wide Area Network (WAN)

A WAN is a data communications network that covers a relatively broad

geographic area (i.e. one city to another and one country to another country)
and that often uses transmission facilities provided by common carriers, such
as telephone companies.

5.Global Area Network (GAN)

Global area networks (GAN) specifications are in development by several groups,

and there is no common definition. In general, however, a GAN is a model for
supporting mobile communications across an arbitrary number of wireless LANs,
satellite coverage areas, etc.

Inter-network

Two or more networks or network segments connected using devices that operate at layer 3 (the 'network' layer) of
the OSI Basic Reference Model, such as a router. Any interconnection among or between public, private, commercial,
industrial, or governmental networks may also be defined as an inter-network.

In modern practice, the interconnected networks use the Internet Protocol. There are at least three variants of inter-
network, depending on who administers and who participates in them:

 Intranet
 Extranet
 Internet

Intranet

An intranet is a set of interconnected networks, using the Internet Protocol and uses IP-
based tools such as web browsers and ftp tools, that is under the control of a single
administrative entity.
 Extranet

An extranet is a network or inter-network that is limited in scope to a single organization

or entity but which also has limited connections to the networks of one or more other
usually, but not necessarily, trusted organizations or entities (e.g. a company's
customers may be given access to some part of its intranet creating in this way an
extranet, while at the same time the customers may not be considered 'trusted' from a
security standpoint).

Internet
A specific inter-network, consisting of a worldwide interconnection of
governmental, academic, public, and private networks based upon the
Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) developed by
ARPA of the U.S. Department of Defense – also home to the World Wide Web
(WWW) and referred to as the 'Internet' with a capital 'I' to distinguish it from
other generic inter-networks.