Features & choice and performance of network Flashcards
Features of different networks
Different types of network can be defined by their size (personal, local, wide area networks) or by their
purpose (virtual private networks).
What is WAN
A WAN:
is a computer network that
covers a large geographical area
such as a country or the whole world
The internet is the largest, most
well-known and widely used WAN.
What is LAN
A LAN:
is a computer network that
covers a single building or site.
Personal area network (PAN)
A PAN:
is used to
network devices wirelessly within a short range of an individual.
Example of PAN
Bluetooth:
is commonly used to create a PAN to connect
all the digital devices in a person’s workspace, for
example connecting a mobile phone to a Bluetooth
headset for hands-free operation
Virtual private network (VPN)
This network technology creates a secure
network connection over a public network,
usually the internet, by using encryption.
This allows a business to have a secure
wide area network without having to
pay the high costs of constructing
the physical network infrastructure,
as they can use the existing internet
infrastructure.
Factors affecting choice of network
**
1. User experience
2. Security
3. Efficiency
4. Cost
5. Connectivity
6. Productivity
|**
Factors to Consider when choosing a network
* manufacturer - is there an affinity to a particular
manufacturer? What is the corporate policy?
* specification — what kit meets the needs and supports
the required features?
* warranty/ongoing support - corporate level of support?
SLA? Response times?
* infrastructure - what does it have to fit into, for example
incorporate existing data cabling?
Factors affecting the performance of Networks
available bandwidth and connection
methods
* load — is the demand likely to be
100% loading the components (how
much wiggle room is there)?
* professional level equipment or
SOHO equipment?
® infrastructure ■ is it being used on
Ageing infrastructure?
