chapter 2 - networks Flashcards
benefits of networking
- share resources eg printers which reduces cost
- share files/ data
- data can be backed up centrally
- managers can manage the network eg apply access rights
- can communicate
- licences to run software on a single network is often cheaper than on many computers
drawbacks of networking
- expensive hardware
- expensive / hard to manage
- if on device breaks eg file server it affects the whole network
- malware can affect the whole network
MAC address
- 48bit hexadecimal separated into 6 bytes
- physical hardware address and is unique
- assigned to NIC by manufacturer
- identifies devices
what is an ISP
provides access to the internet eg EE vodaphone
internet browser
accesses the internet via an app eg bing
LAN vs WAN
- LAN is over a smaller physical area whereas WAN is over a many different locations
- individual vs shared ownership
- faster vs slower
- twisted pair cable/wifi vs fibre optic
LAN +
+ expense of installing software on individual PCs could be reduced
+ file server can be connected to allow sharing
+ can share resources eg printers reducing cost and allowing higher quality resources to be brought
+ office can become paper less
WAN +
+can run a ‘job’ on a remote comp that required the application software
+ data archive stored on a remote computer that could be accessed
+ a message could be transmitted electronically to a user on a remote comp
IP address
- assigned by the router
- identifies the device on the network
- can change if location changes
internet vs www
internet is the hardware that the www runs on
www is the software that runs on the internet
eg email - uses www to open web browser and email account but internet at acc send to different computers
client server model
where a client runs an application provided by a server on a network -
- uses separate servers and client computers
- users can access files which are stored on servers
- server supplies resources and client consumes them
- used to share data
thin client
choses an application to run on a server and only provides input and receives output from the server - doesn’t process on the client
thick client
carries out some of the processing itself
thin client +/-
+cheaper to expand
+all devices linked to server
+ server offers protection against hacking and malware
-reliant on the server - if it breaks
-higher start up costs – more complex – powerful servers needed
thick client +/-
+ more robust
+ clients have more control
-data integrity - since many clients access same data
-less secure
- each client needs to update data individually
peer to peer model
- each node is connected to the other nodes = status
- each responsible for own security
- users access data from each other - act as provider and consumer
Used for - smaller less secure networks where workstation based applications are needed - for connectivity
server definition
- provide functions
– have dedicated roles and run software to perform dedicated tasks eg file servers, windows server, web servers
– client requests service server provides
frame/packet
unit of transfer containing the data, address and control info
peer to peer +/ -
+ avoids congestion on the network when many clients are downloading files at the same time
+ parts of a file can be downloaded separately
+ the parts are available from more than one host
- less secure
- no central backup
- all comps have to be on to share files - might not always be available
client- server +
+ allows an organisation to control downloading and use of some files
+ files can be better protected from malware attacks because the files are stored on one server which can be scanned using anti virus software
bus topology
central main cable
+ cheap to install
+ even if one node fails test function
- if cable fails no data can be transmitted
- increased traffic down central backbone
- poor security as all computers can see transmissions along shared cable
star topology
central switch
+ if cable fails other computers aren’t affected
+ easy to add new computers
+ less traffic as its isolated between computers
+ no data collisions
- costly to install - extra hardware
- if central node fails so does whole network
point to point topology
- one comp to one comp
- Transmission can be simplex or duplex
- Message is unicast
+ simple
neg- only 2 comps