NETWORKIN

G
Connecting the world

Prepared by ANUPAM BAIDYA

 Chapter 1

Introduction:
Direction of data flow (simplex, half duplex, full

duplex), Network topology, categories of network

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 Introduction
A network is a group of devices that can communicate with each other over links. Each
device is called a host. Each host has a unique address. The aim of the computer network
is the sharing of resources among various devices. In the case of computer network
technology, there are several types of networks that vary from simple to complex level.

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 Components of Network

NIC(Network interface card)

NIC is a device that helps the computer to communicate with another device. The
network interface card contains the hardware addresses, the data-link layer protocol use
this address to identify the system on the network so that it transfers the data to the
correct destination.
There are two types of NIC: wireless NIC and wired NIC.
Wireless NIC: All the modern laptops use the wireless NIC. In Wireless NIC, a connection
is made using the antenna that employs the radio wave technology.
Wired NIC: Cables use the wired NIC to transfer the data over the medium.
Hub
Hub is a central device that splits the network connection into multiple devices. When
computer requests for information from a computer, it sends the request to the Hub.
Hub distributes this request to all the interconnected computers.
Switches
Switch is a networking device that groups all the devices over the network to transfer
the data to another device. A switch is better than Hub as it does not broadcast the
message over the network, i.e., it sends the message to the device for which it belongs
to. Therefore, we can say that switch sends the message directly from source to the
destination.

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 Components of Network

Cables and connectors

Cable is a transmission media that transmits the communication signals. There are
three types of cables:
Twisted pair cable: It is a high-speed cable that transmits the data over 1Gbps or more.
Coaxial cable: Coaxial cable resembles like a TV installation cable. Coaxial cable is more
expensive than twisted pair cable, but it provides the high data transmission speed.
Fibre optic cable: Fibre optic cable is a high-speed cable that transmits the data using
light beams. It provides high data transmission speed as compared to other cables. It is
more expensive as compared to other cables.
Router
Router is a device that connects the LAN to the internet. The router is mainly used to
connect the distinct networks or connect the internet to multiple computers.
Modem
Modem connects the computer to the internet over the existing telephone line. A
modem is not integrated with the computer motherboard. A modem is a separate part
on the PC slot found on the motherboard.

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 Direction of Data Flow
Transmission modes
The way in which data is transmitted from one device to another device is known as
transmission mode.
The transmission mode is also known as the communication mode.
Each communication channel has a direction associated with it, and transmission media
provide the direction. Therefore, the transmission mode is also known as a directional
mode.
The transmission mode is defined in the physical layer.

The Transmission mode is divided into three categories:

Simplex mode
Half-duplex mode
Full-duplex mode

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 Simplex Mode

In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, i.e., the data flow in one
direction.
A device can only send the data but cannot receive it or it can receive the data but
cannot send the data.
This transmission mode is not very popular as mainly communications require the
two-way exchange of data. The simplex mode is used in the business field as in sales
that do not require any corresponding reply.
The radio station is a simplex channel as it transmits the signal to the listeners but
never allows them to transmit back.
Keyboard and Monitor are the examples of the simplex mode as a keyboard can only
accept the data from the user and monitor can only be used to display the data on the
screen.
The main advantage of the simplex mode is that the full capacity of the
communication channel can be utilized during transmission.

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 Simplex mode
Advantage of Simplex mode:
In simplex mode, the station can utilize the entire bandwidth of the
communication channel, so that more data can be transmitted at a time.

Disadvantage of Simplex mode:

Communication is unidirectional, so it has no inter-communication between
devices.

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 Duplex

Half Full
Duplex Duplex

With duplex communication, the flow of information is bi-directional for each device.
Duplex can be further divided into two sub-categories:

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 Half-Duplex mode

In a Half-duplex channel, direction can be reversed, i.e., the station can transmit and
receive the data as well.
Messages flow in both the directions, but not at the same time.
The entire bandwidth of the communication channel is utilized in one direction at a
time.
In half-duplex mode, it is possible to perform the error detection, and if any error
occurs, then the receiver requests the sender to retransmit the data.
A Walkie-talkie is an example of the Half-duplex mode. In Walkie-talkie, one party
speaks, and another party listens. After a pause, the other speaks and first party listens.
Speaking simultaneously will create the distorted sound which cannot be understood.

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 Half-Duplex mode

Advantage of Half-duplex mode:

In half-duplex mode, both the devices can send and receive the data and also can utilize
the entire bandwidth of the communication channel during the transmission of data.

Disadvantage of Half-Duplex mode:

In half-duplex mode, when one device is sending the data, then another has to wait,
this causes the delay in sending the data at the right time.

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 Full-Duplex mode

In Full duplex mode, the communication is bi-directional, i.e., the data flow in both the
directions.
Both the stations can send and receive the message simultaneously.
Full-duplex mode has two simplex channels. One channel has traffic moving in one
direction, and another channel has traffic flowing in the opposite direction.
The Full-duplex mode is the fastest mode of communication between devices.
The most common example of the full-duplex mode is a telephone network. When two
people are communicating with each other by a telephone line, both can talk and listen
at the same time.

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 Full-Duplex mode

Advantage of Full-duplex mode:

Both the stations can send and receive the data at the same time.

Disadvantage of Full-duplex mode:

If there is no dedicated path exists between the devices, then the capacity of the
communication channel is divided into two parts.

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 Differences b/w Simplex, Half-duplex and Full-duplex mode
Basis for comparison Simplex mode Half-duplex mode Full-duplex mode

In half-duplex mode, the

In simplex mode, the In full-duplex mode, the
Direction of communication is
communication is communication is
communication bidirectional, but one at a
unidirectional. bidirectional.
time.

A device can only send the

Both the devices can send Both the devices can send
data but cannot receive it
Send/Receive and receive the data, but and receive the data
or it can only receive the
one at a time. simultaneously.
data but cannot send it.

The Full-duplex mode has

better performance among
The performance of half- The performance of full- simplex and half-duplex
Performance duplex mode is better than duplex mode is better than mode as it doubles the
the simplex mode. the half-duplex mode. utilization of the capacity
of the communication
channel.

Examples of Simplex mode Example of the Full-duplex

Example of half-duplex is
Example are radio, keyboard, and mode is a telephone
Walkie-Talkies.
monitor. network.

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 Network Topology

Topology is derived from two Greek words topo and logy, where topo means 'place'
and logy means 'study'. In computer networks, a topology is used to explain how a
network is physically connected and the logical flow of information in the network. A
topology mainly describes how devices are connected and interact with each other
using communication links.
Network topology defines the layout, virtual shape, or structure of the network, not
only physically but also logically. A network can have one physical topology and
multiple logical topologies at the same time.

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 Types of Topologies
Physical Topology: A physical topology describes the way in which the computers or
nodes are connected with each other in a computer network. It is the arrangement
of various elements(link, nodes, etc.), including the device location and code
installation of a computer network. In other words, we can say that it is the physical
layout of nodes, workstations, and cables in the network.

Logical Topology: A logical topology describes the way, data flow from one computer
to another. It is bound to a network protocol and defines how data is moved
throughout the network and which path it takes. In other words, it is the way in
which the devices communicate internally.

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 Types of Physical Topology
Different types of Physical Topologies are:
1. P2P Topology
2. Bus Topology
3. Ring Topology
4. Star Topology
5. Tree Topology
6. Mesh Topology
7. Hybrid Topology

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 P2P Topology
Point-to-point topology is the easiest of all the network topologies. In this method, the
network consists of a direct link between two computers.

Advantages:
a) This is faster and highly reliable than other types
of connections since there is a direct connection.
b) No need for a network operating system
c) Does not need an expensive server as individual
workstations are used to access the files
d) No need for any dedicated network technicians
because each user sets their permissions
Disadvantages:
e) The biggest drawback is that it only be used for
small areas where computers are in close
proximity.
f) You can't back up files and folders centrally
g) There is no security besides the permissions.
Users often do not require to log onto their
workstations.

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Bus Topology
The bus topology is designed in such a way that all
the stations are connected through a single cable
known as a backbone cable.
Each node is either connected to the backbone cable
by drop cable or directly connected to the backbone
cable.
When a node wants to send a message over the
network, it puts a message over the network. All the
stations available in the network will receive the
message whether it has been addressed or not.
The bus topology is mainly used in 802.3 (Ethernet)
and 802.4 standard networks.
The configuration of a bus topology is quite simpler
as compared to other topologies.
The backbone cable is considered as a "single lane"
through which the message is broadcast to all the
stations.
The most common access method of the bus
topologies is CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access).
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 Bus Topology

CSMA: It is a media access control used to control the data flow so that data integrity
is maintained, i.e., the packets do not get lost. There are two alternative ways of
handling the problems that occur when two nodes send the messages simultaneously.

CSMA CD: CSMA CD (Collision detection) is an access method used to detect the
collision. Once the collision is detected, the sender will stop transmitting the data.
Therefore, it works on "recovery after the collision".

CSMA CA: CSMA CA (Collision Avoidance) is an access method used to avoid the
collision by checking whether the transmission media is busy or not. If busy, then the
sender waits until the media becomes idle. This technique effectively reduces the
possibility of the collision. It does not work on "recovery after the collision".

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 Bus Topology
Advantages of Bus topology:
a) Low-cost cable: In bus topology, nodes are directly connected to the cable without
passing through a hub. Therefore, the initial cost of installation is low.
b) Moderate data speeds: Coaxial or twisted pair cables are mainly used in bus-based
networks that support upto 10 Mbps.
c) Familiar technology: Bus topology is a familiar technology as the installation and
troubleshooting techniques are well known, and hardware components are easily
available.
d) Limited failure: A failure in one node will not have any effect on other nodes.
Disadvantages of Bus topology:
e) Extensive cabling: A bus topology is quite simpler, but still it requires a lot of
cabling.
f) Difficult troubleshooting: It requires specialized test equipment to determine the
cable faults. If any fault occurs in the cable, then it would disrupt the
communication for all the nodes.
g) Signal interference: If two nodes send the messages simultaneously, then the
signals of both the nodes collide with each other.
h) Reconfiguration difficult: Adding new devices to the network would slow down the
network.
i) Attenuation: Attenuation is a loss of signal leads to communication issues.
Repeaters are used to regenerate the signal.
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Ring Topology
Ring topology is like a bus topology, but with connected
ends.
The node that receives the message from the previous
computer will retransmit to the next node.
The data flows in one direction, i.e., it is unidirectional.
The data flows in a single loop continuously known as an
endless loop.
It has no terminated ends, i.e., each node is connected
to other node and having no termination point.
The data in a ring topology flow in a clockwise direction.
The most common access method of the ring topology is
token passing.
Token passing: It is a network access method in
which token is passed from one node to another
node.
Token: It is a frame that circulates around the
network.

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Working of Token passing
A token moves around the network, and it is passed from computer to computer until
it reaches the destination.
The sender modifies the token by putting the address along with the data.
The data is passed from one device to another device until the destination address
matches. Once the token received by the destination device, then it sends the
acknowledgment to the sender.
In a ring topology, a token is used as a carrier.

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 Ring Topology
Advantages of Ring topology:
a) Network Management: Faulty devices can be removed from the network without
bringing the network down.
b) Product availability: Many hardware and software tools for network operation and
monitoring are available.
c) Cost: Twisted pair cabling is inexpensive and easily available. Therefore, the installation
cost is very low.
d) Reliable: It is a more reliable network because the communication system is not
dependent on the single host computer.
Disadvantages of Ring topology:
e) Difficult troubleshooting: It requires specialized test equipment to determine the cable
faults. If any fault occurs in the cable, then it would disrupt the communication for all
the nodes.
f) Failure: The breakdown in one station leads to the failure of the overall network.
g) Reconfiguration difficult: Adding new devices to the network would slow down the
network.
h) Delay: Communication delay is directly proportional to the number of nodes. Adding
new devices increases the communication delay.
i) In the ring, topology signals are circulating at all times, which develops unwanted power
consumption.
j) Adding or removing the computers can disturb the network activity.
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 Star Topology

Star topology is an arrangement of the network in

which every node is connected to the central hub,
switch or a central computer.
The central computer is known as a server, and the
peripheral devices attached to the server are known as
clients.
Coaxial cable or RJ-45 cables are used to connect the
computers.
Hubs or Switches are mainly used as connection
devices in a physical star topology.
Star topology is the most popular topology in network
implementation.

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Advantages of Star topology Star Topology
a) Efficient troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is quite efficient in a star topology as
compared to bus topology. In a bus topology, the manager has to inspect the kilometers
of cable. In a star topology, all the stations are connected to the centralized network.
Therefore, the network administrator has to go to the single station to troubleshoot the
problem.
b) Network control: Complex network control features can be easily implemented in the
star topology. Any changes made in the star topology are automatically accommodated.
c) Limited failure: As each station is connected to the central hub with its own cable,
therefore failure in one cable will not affect the entire network.
d) Familiar technology: Star topology is a familiar technology as its tools are cost-effective.
e) Easily expandable: It is easily expandable as new stations can be added to the open
ports on the hub.
f) Cost effective: Star topology networks are cost-effective as it uses inexpensive coaxial
cable.
g) High data speeds: It supports a bandwidth of approx 100Mbps. Ethernet 100BaseT is
one of the most popular Star topology networks.
h) Disadvantages of Star topology
i) A Central point of failure: If the central hub or switch goes down, then all the
connected nodes will not be able to communicate with each other.
j) Cable: Sometimes cable routing becomes difficult when a significant amount of routing
is required.
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Tree Topology

Tree topology combines the characteristics of

bus topology and star topology.
A tree topology is a type of structure in which all
the computers are connected with each other in
hierarchical fashion.
The top-most node in tree topology is known as
a root node, and all other nodes are the
descendants of the root node.
There is only one path exists between two nodes
for the data transmission. Thus, it forms a parent-
child hierarchy.

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 Tree Topology

Advantages of Tree topology

a) Support for broadband transmission: Tree topology is mainly used to provide
broadband transmission, i.e., signals are sent over long distances without being
attenuated.
b) Easily expandable: We can add the new device to the existing network. Therefore, we
can say that tree topology is easily expandable.
c) Easily manageable: In tree topology, the whole network is divided into segments
known as star networks which can be easily managed and maintained.
d) Error detection: Error detection and error correction are very easy in a tree topology.
e) Limited failure: The breakdown in one station does not affect the entire network.
f) Point-to-point wiring: It has point-to-point wiring for individual segments.
Disadvantages of Tree topology
g) Difficult troubleshooting: If any fault occurs in the node, then it becomes difficult to
troubleshoot the problem.
h) High cost: Devices required for broadband transmission are very costly.
i) Failure: A tree topology mainly relies on main bus cable and failure in main bus cable
will damage the overall network.
j) Reconfiguration difficult: If new devices are added, then it becomes difficult to
reconfigure.
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 Mesh Topology

Mesh technology is an arrangement of the network in which computers are

interconnected with each other through various redundant connections.
There are multiple paths from one computer to another computer.
It does not contain the switch, hub or any central computer which acts as a central
point of communication.
The Internet is an example of the mesh topology.
Mesh topology is mainly used for WAN implementations where communication
failures are a critical concern.
Mesh topology is mainly used for wireless networks.
Mesh topology can be formed by using the formula:
Number of cables = (n*(n-1))/2;
Where n is the number of nodes that represents the network.

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 Mesh Topology

Partially Connected Mesh Topology Fully Connected Mesh Topology

Mesh topology is divided into two categories:

Partial Mesh Topology: In a partial mesh topology, not all but certain computers are
connected to those computers with which they communicate frequently.

Full Mesh Topology: In a full mesh topology, each computer is connected to all the
computers available in the network.

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 Mesh Topology

Advantages of Mesh topology:

a) Reliable: The mesh topology networks are very reliable as if any link breakdown will
not affect the communication between connected computers.
b) Fast Communication: Communication is very fast between the nodes.
c) Easier Reconfiguration: Adding new devices would not disrupt the communication
between other devices.

Disadvantages of Mesh topology

d) Cost: A mesh topology contains a large number of connected devices such as a router
and more transmission media than other topologies.
e) Management: Mesh topology networks are very large and very difficult to maintain
and manage. If the network is not monitored carefully, then the communication link
failure goes undetected.
f) Efficiency: In this topology, redundant connections are high that reduces the efficiency
of the network.

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Hybrid Topology

A Hybrid topology is a computer

topology which is a combination of two
or more topologies. In practical use, they
are the most widely used.
In this topology, all topologies are
interconnected according to the needs to
form a hybrid.
All the good features of each topology
can be used to make an efficient hybrid
topology.

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 Hybrid Topology

Advantages of Hybrid Topology

a) Reliable: If a fault occurs in any part of the network will not affect the functioning of
the rest of the network.
b) Scalable: Size of the network can be easily expanded by adding new devices without
affecting the functionality of the existing network.
c) Flexible: This topology is very flexible as it can be designed according to the
requirements of the organization.
d) Effective: Hybrid topology is very effective as it can be designed in such a way that the
strength of the network is maximized and weakness of the network is minimized.

Disadvantages of Hybrid topology

e) Complex design: The major drawback of the Hybrid topology is the design of the
Hybrid network. It is very difficult to design the architecture of the Hybrid network.
f) Costly Hub: The Hubs used in the Hybrid topology are very expensive as these hubs
are different from usual Hubs used in other topologies.
g) Costly infrastructure: The infrastructure cost is very high as a hybrid network requires
a lot of cabling, network devices, etc.

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 Categories of Network
The Network allows computers to connect and communicate with different
computers via any medium and share their resources, data, and applications. LAN,
MAN and WAN are the three major types of the network designed to operate over
the area they cover.

Different types of Network are:

1. Personal Area Network (PAN)
2. Local Area Network (LAN)
3. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
4. Campus Area Network (CAN)
5. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
6. Wide Area Network (WAN)
7. Storage-Area Network (SAN)
8. System-Area Network (also known as SAN)
9. Passive Optical Local Area Network (POLAN)
10. Enterprise Private Network (EPN)
11. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

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 PAN
The smallest and most basic type of network,
a PAN is made up of a wireless modem, a
computer or two, phones, printers, tablets,
etc., and revolves around one person in one
building. These types of networks are
typically found in small offices or residences,
and are managed by one person or
organization from a single device, typically
within a range of 10 meters. Personal Area
Network is used for connecting the computer
devices of personal use is known as Personal
Area Network. Thomas Zimmerman was the
first research scientist to bring the idea of the
Personal Area Network. Personal Area
Network covers an area of 30 feet. Personal
computer devices that are used to develop
the personal area network are the laptop,
mobile phones, media player and play
stations.

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 Types of PAN

There are two types of Personal Area Network:

Wireless Personal Area Network: Wireless Personal Area Network is developed by
simply using wireless technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth. It is a low range
network.
Wired Personal Area Network: Wired Personal Area Network is created by using
the USB.

Examples Of Personal Area Network:

Body Area Network: Body Area Network is a network that moves with a person.
For example, a mobile network moves with a person. Suppose a person establishes
a network connection and then creates a connection with another device to share
the information.
Offline Network: An offline network can be created inside the home, so it is also
known as a home network. A home network is designed to integrate the devices
such as printers, computer, television but they are not connected to the internet.
Small Home Office: It is used to connect a variety of devices to the internet and to
a corporate network using a VPN

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 LAN
Local Area Network is a group of computers connected to each
other in a small area such as building, office. LAN is used for
connecting two or more personal computers through a
communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as
hubs, network adapters, and ethernet cables. The data is
transferred at an extremely faster rate in Local Area Network.
Local Area Network provides higher security.
Following are the functionalities of a Local Area Network:
File Serving: In LAN, a large storage disk acts as a central
storage repository.
Print Serving: Printers can be shared very easily in a LAN by
various computers.
Academic Support: A LAN can be used in the classroom, labs,
etc. for educational purposes.
Manufacturing Support: LAN can support the manufacturing
and industrial environment.
High Reliability: Individual workstations might survive the
network in case of failures.

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 LAN

Following are the advantages of a LAN:

1. File transfer and file access
2. Resource or peripherals sharing
3. Personal computing
4. Document distribution
5. Easy to design and troubleshoot
6. Minimum propagation delay
7. High data rate transfer
8. Low error rate
9. Easily scalable(devices can be added or removed very easily)

Following are the disadvantages of a LAN:

10. Equipment and support may be costly
11. Some hardware devices may not inter-operate properly

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 WLAN
Stands for "Wireless Local Area Network." A WLAN, or wireless LAN, is a network that
allows devices to connect and communicate wirelessly. Unlike a traditional wired LAN,
in which devices communicate over Ethernet cables, devices on a WLAN communicate
via Wi-Fi.
While a WLAN may look different than a traditional LAN, it functions the same way.
New devices are typically added and configured using DHCP. They can communicate
with other devices on the network the same way they would on a wired network. The
primary difference is how the data is transmitted. In a LAN, data is transmitted over
physical cables in a series of Ethernet packets. In a WLAN, packets are transmitted
over the air.
As wireless devices have grown in popularity, so have WLANs. In fact, most routers
sold are now wireless routers. A wireless router serves as a base station, providing
wireless connections to any Wi-Fi-enabled devices within range of the router's
wireless signal. This includes laptops, tablets, smart phones, and other wireless
devices, such as smart appliances and smart home controllers. Wireless routers often
connect to a cable modem or other Internet-connected device to provide Internet
access to connected devices.

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 WLAN
“LANs and WLANs can be merged together using a bridge that connects the two
networks. Wireless routers that include Ethernet ports can automatically combine wired
and wireless devices into the same network.”

Advantages of WLANs
The most obvious advantage of a WLAN is that devices can connect wirelessly, eliminating
the need for cables. This allows homes and businesses to create local networks without
wiring the building with Ethernet. It also provides a way for small devices, such as smart
phones and tablets, to connect to the network. WLANs are not limited by the number of
physical ports on the router and therefore can support dozens or even hundreds of
devices. The range of a WLAN can easily be extended by adding one or more repeaters.
Finally, a WLAN can be easily upgraded by replacing routers with new versions — a much
easier and cheaper solution than upgrading old Ethernet cables.
Disadvantages of WLANs
Wireless networks are naturally less secure than wired networks. Any wireless device can
attempt to connect to a WLAN, so it is important to limit access to the network if security
is a concern. This is typically done using wireless authentication such as WEP or WPA,
which encrypts the communication. Additionally, wireless networks are more susceptible
to interference from other signals or physical barriers, such as concrete walls. Since LANs
offer the highest performance and security, they are still used for many corporate and
government networks.
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 CAN

Stands for "Campus Area Network." A CAN is a network that covers an educational or
corporate campus. Examples include elementary schools, university campuses, and
corporate buildings.
A campus area network is larger than a local area network LAN since it may span
multiple buildings within a specific area. Most CANs are comprised of several LANs
connected via switches and routers that combine to create a single network. They
operate similar to LANs, in that users with access to the network (wired or wireless)
can communicate directly with other systems within the network.
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 MAN
A Metropolitan Area Network is a bigger version
of LAN that uses similar technology as LAN. It
spans over a larger geographical area such as a
town or an entire city.
It can be connected using an optical fibre cable
as a communication medium. Two or more
LAN's can also be connected using routers to
create a MAN. When this type of network is
created for a specific campus, then it is termed
as CAN(Campus Area Network).
The MAN spans over a geographical area of
about 50km. The best example of MAN is the
cable television network that spans over the
whole city.
A MAN can be either a public or privately
owned network. Generally, a telephone
exchange line is most commonly used as a
communication medium in MAN. The protocols
that are used in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay,
ISDN, etc.
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 MAN

Uses Of Metropolitan Area Network:

1. MAN is used in communication between the banks in a city.
2. It can be used in an Airline Reservation.
3. It can be used in a college within a city.
4. It can also be used for communication in the military.

Following are the advantages of using MAN:

5. Large geographical area cover as compared to LAN
6. High-speed data connectivity
7. The Propagation delay of MAN is moderate

Following are the disadvantages of MAN:

8. It is hard to design and maintain a MAN
9. MAN is less fault-tolerant
10. It is costlier to implement
11. Congestions are more in a MAN

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 WAN
A Wide Area Network is the largest spread network. It spans
over very large-distances such as a country, continent or
even the whole globe. Two widely separated computers can
be connected very easily using WAN. For Example, the
Internet.
A WAN may include various Local and Metropolitan Area
Network. The mode of communication in a WAN can either
be wired or wireless. Telephone lines for wired and satellite
links for wireless communication can be used in a wide area
network.
In other words, WAN provides long distance transmission of
data, voice, image, and video, over a large geographical
area. A WAN may span beyond 100km range. It may be
privately or publicly owned.
The protocols used in WAN are ISDN(Integrated Service
Digital Network), SMDS(Switched Multi-Megabit Data
Service), SONET(Synchronous Optical Network), HDLC(High
Data Link Control), SDLC(Synchronous Data Link Control),
etc.
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 WAN

The advantage of WAN is that it spans over a very large geographical area, and
connects a huge mass of people.
Following are the disadvantages of WAN:
1. The propagation delay is more in a WAN
2. The data rate is low
3. The error rate is high
4. It is very complex to design a WAN
Prepared by ANUPAM BAIDYA
 Storage-Area Network (SAN)
As a dedicated high-speed network that connects shared pools of storage devices
to several servers, these types of networks don’t rely on a LAN or WAN. Instead,
they move storage resources away from the network and place them into their
own high-performance network. SANs can be accessed in the same fashion as a
drive attached to a server. Types of storage-area networks include converged,
virtual and unified SANs.

System-Area Network (also known as SAN)

This term is fairly new within the past two decades. It is used to explain a relatively
local network that is designed to provide high-speed connection in server-to-server
applications (cluster environments), storage area networks (called “SANs” as well) and
processor-to-processor applications. The computers connected on a SAN operate as a
single system at very high speeds.

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 Passive Optical Local Area Network (POLAN)

As an alternative to traditional switch-based Ethernet LANs, POLAN technology can be

integrated into structured cabling to overcome concerns about supporting traditional
Ethernet protocols and network applications such as PoE (Power over Ethernet). A
point-to-multipoint LAN architecture, POLAN uses optical splitters to split an optical
signal from one strand of single mode optical fibre into multiple signals to serve users
and devices.

Enterprise Private Network (EPN)

These types of networks are built and owned by businesses that want to securely connect
its various locations to share computer resources.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

By extending a private network across the Internet, a VPN lets its users send and receive
data as if their devices were connected to the private network – even if they’re not.
Through a virtual point-to-point connection, users can access a private network
remotely.

Prepared by ANUPAM BAIDYA