Network Devices Flashcards
What are physical appliances?
Dedicated hardware devices focused on specific network functions
What do physical appliances need ?
Higher cost and space
What are virtual appliances ?
Software based solutions that run on virtual machines
Describe the benefits VLANs provide in three adjectives ?
Flexibile, scalable, and cost efficient
Would physical or virtual appliances perform better ?
Physical
Where does the router operate ?
Network layer
How do routers direct data packets between networks ?
IP address
What do routers use to determine the best path for forwarding packets to their destination ?
Routing tables
What do routers also provide ?
Security like firewalls and VPN support
Do routing tables connect multiple networks together ?
Yes
What layer does the switch operate at ?
Layer 2
How does a switch forward data ?
Based on MAC address
Is each port on a switch a collision domain ? What does it help with ?
Yes, they help with improving network efficiency by reducing collisions
What connectivity are layer 2 switches used for ?
Connect devices within the same network or VLAN
What is a firewall ?
Monitors incoming/outgoing network traffic
What do firewalls decide ?
To allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of security rules
Why are firewalls crucial ?
They establish a barrier between secure internal networks and untrusted external networks
What are IDS (intrusion detection system) ?
detect malicious network activity
What techniques do IDS use ?
Signature identification techniques like antimalware
Is anomalous behavior detectable by IDS ?
Yes
What is an IPS (intrusion prevention system) ?
Device or software that drops packets or connections that are identified as malicious
What must be configured on an IPS for it to identify traffic ?
Rules
Can these IPS devices operate at multiple layers ?
Yes
Does the IDS do anything about the intrusion ?
No
What is a load balancer ?
Device or software that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers
What do load balances ensure ?
No single server becomes overwhelmed
What can load balancers improve ?
Reliability and availability of applications
What information can a load balancer use to make decisions ?
IP addresses, TCP/UDP ports, or application-level content
Proxy server
Device or software acting as an intermediary between a user’s device and the internet
What other functionalities does a proxy server have ?
Content caching, access control, and filtering to enhance security and performance
Are proxies similar to firewalls ?
Either implemented on firewalls or are firewalls also
Network attached storage (NAS)
Dedicated file storage device connected to a network
What features are NAS systems designed with?
With easy file sharing, data backups, and centralized data management
What protocols does NAS support ?
NFS, SMB/CIFS, AFP
What two characteristics does NAS offer to share files across different platforms and devices ?
Scalability and cost-effectiveness
What are SANs designed to do ?
To handle large volumes of data transfers
What do SANs improve with applications ?
Availability and performance
What do SANs enhance ?
Storage solutions and data management
Access point
Networking devices that allow wireless devices to connect to wired networks using WiFi or similar standards
What layer do APs operare at ?
Layer 2
What do APs bridge together ?
Wireless and wired segments of a network
Can APs extend network coverage ?
Yes, it provides network access to wireless devices within their range
Wireless LAN controller
Manages WAPs in a network, centralizing control of the WLAN
How do WLCs simplify wireless networks ?
Deployment and management of wireless networks (configuration, security policies, manage guest access)
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Globally distributed network of proxy servers and data centers
Do CDN, cache content, like web pages, videos, and images
Yes
Why do CDNs cache content ?
To reduce latency and improve access speed for users regardless of their location
Virtual private network
Technology that creates a safe and encrypted connection over a less secure network
How are VPNs used ?
To establish a secure connection between remote users or remote sites and an organization private network
What does a VPN act as ?
A devices direct connection to the private network
Quality of Service (QoS)
Set of technologies and policies that manage and prioritize network traffic to ensure the performance of critical applications and services
What does QoS assign higher priority to ?
Voice and video communications
What does QoS help reduce ?
Latency, jitter, and packet loss
Time to live (TTL)
Maximum time or number of hops before a packet gets discarded
What does TTL help prevent ?
Indefinite looping
