Computer Networks Flashcards
What is a network
A network is two of more devices connected together with the purpose of sharing resources
What is a local area network
A local area network (LAN) is a network which has a small geographical area
What is a wide area network
A wide area network (LAN) is a network which has a large geographical area
What are the factors that affect network performance
Number of Users
Bandwidth
Latency
Error Rate
Transmission Media
How does the number of users affect a network
Too many users can cause the network to slow down if there is not enough bandwidth for all of the data being sent and received
What is bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent and received at any given time
How does bandwidth affect a network
A smaller bandwidth means that less data can be sent and the network can slow down, potentially to the point of becoming unusable
What is latency
Latency is the delay between data being sent and received
How does latency affect a network
If there is a big delay between the two, more data will be on the network causing collisions
What is error rate
the measure of how many packets of data do not reach their destination
What is Transmission media
the type of cable used in wired connections
How does error rate affect a network
An increased error rate occurs in less reliable connections - a poor wireless signal would be a contributing factor to an increased error rate
How does transmission media affect a network
Wired connections offer a higher bandwidth than wireless connections
What is a Client-Server model
A client is a computer on the network, these connect to the server via a switch
What is a server
A server is a computer on a network which often has a single purpose
What are the advantages of client severs
-Managing backups of the network is easier as it is done from one central point
-Updating and installing new software can be done centrally
-Security of files can be managed easily
What are the disadvantages of a client server
-Servers can be expensive to purchase, setup and maintain
-A specialist network manager would be required as servers require specialist IT knowledge
-Servers can be a single point of failure, meaning all users would lose access to the network if the server fails
What is a Peer-to-Peer model
A peer is a computer on a network which is equal to all other computers
What are the advantages of a peer-peer server
-Very easy to set up and maintain
-Very cheap to set up because there is no expensive hardware to purchase
-No specialist knowledge or staff are required to run the network
What are the disadvantages of a peer-peer server
-Users will need to manage their own backups
-Users will need to manage their own software updates
-The network can be less secure
What is a router
The router is responsible for routing data packets between different networks
What is a wireless access point (WAP)
The Wireless Access Point (WAP) allows wireless devices to connect to a local area network (LAN)
What is a switch
A Switch allows multiple wired devices to connect to a local area network (LAN)
What is a network interface card (NIC)
The Network Interface Card (NIC) is required for a computer to connect to a network
What is the Internet
The Internet is a collection of networks spanning the whole world
What is a domain name system
a directory of domain names and is used to translate human-readable domain names to the numeric IP addresses that computers use
What are web servers
Web servers are dedicated servers that store web pages/websites and other resources