Computer Networking Flashcards
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What is a computer network?
A computer network is a collection of devices that are connected with each other through a transmission medium where they can communicate with one another by sending and receiving data.
The role of a computer network is to enable the data communication process to take place.
What is data communication?
Data communication is the process where two or more devices in the network exchange information with one another. The communication of devices is a key enabler of the internet.
What are the types of network architectures?
- Personal Area Network
- Local Area Network
- Wide Area Network
- Metropolitan Area Network
What is a personal area network?
A personal area network is also known as a workgroup, or a peer-to-peer network.
A peer-to-peer network is created when two or more PCs are connected and share resources without going through a separate server.
The PAN only serves one individual. It provides data transmission among devices such as computers, smartphones etc.
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What is a Local Area network?
A local area network is a network that connects a small number of nodes in a small geographical area.
LANs can transmit data very fast, but only over a short distance.
The ethernet is the most popular physical LAN layer technology in use today.
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What is a Wide Area Network?
It is a network that connects a large number of devices over a large-scale geographical area. The network uses long-range data links to connect different smaller networks.
WANs can be connected together using the internet, leased lines or satellite links.
What is a metropolitan area network?
It is a network that connects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by a LAN, but smaller than that of an area covered by a WAN.
It is extremely efficient and provides fast communication via high-speed carriers.
What is a server host?
Provides high-volume storage capacity, heavy data crunching and / or high resolution graphics and can also provide services such as file storage, printer sharing and internet access.
What is a client server?
It provides the user-interaction interface and some or all of the application processing and establishes a connection to the server over a LAN or WAN, such as the internet.
What are some applications of a client-server network?
- File server (FTP)
- Web server
- Mail server (SMTP)
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What are some advantages of a client-server network?
- Security is better since all files are stored in a central location and access rights are managed by the server
- Backups are done centrally so if there is breakdown and some data is lost, recovery procedures will enable it to be restored
- Data and other resources can be shared
- It is easy to replace, upgrade or relocate as they are all independent and request data only from the server
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What are some disadvantages of the client-server network?
- It is expensive to install and manage
- If all the clients simultaneously request data from the server, it may get overloaded. This may lead to congestion in the network
- If the server fails for any reason, then none of the requests of the clients can be fulfilled. This leads to failure of the network.
What is data processing in the client-server architecture?
In the client-server model, data might be processed by either side. A client will send a request message to a server which should respond with the data requested or a suitable message otherwise.
Describe the process of client-side processing.
Data is processed on the client computer, rather than on the server.
E.g. Validation of data entry can be done at the client’s side before the data is sent to the server.
Processing data on the client-side can improve security as it can avoid unnecessary data transfer. It can also adjust styles for different platforms and screens.
Describe the process of server-side processing.
Servers process an enormous amount of data, and can process this data much faster than a client computer.
E.g. Checking user credentials, looking up valid airport locations etc
