Network Resources Flashcards
what does a network consist of?
a number of computers linked together by a cable or wireless technology. computers on a network can share resources and can communicate with each other
what are the different networks?
LAN
WAN
MAN
they differ in scale, method of connection and purpose
what is a LAN?
Local Access Network
that is spread over a relatively small geographical area such as a single building. the devices on a cable are close enough to be connected physically by wire cables or wirelessly
what is WAN?
Wide Area Network
spread over a larger geographical area, typically a global scale and requires telecommunications links provided by public telephone systems. its usually used organisations on national or global scale
what is MAN?
Metropolitan Area Network
spread over a highly populated area such as city. it provides services for a community of users, rather than for a particular organisation , using fibre optic or wirelessly
what are the network resoures?
Server
Network Interface Card (NIC)
Switched Hub
Repeater
Wireless Access Point (WAP)
Media Converter
IP Address
Media Access Control (MAC Address)
Client Server Network
Peer to Peer Network
what is a server?
manages network resources such as files, hardware devices, storage and emails
what is a NIC Card?
is an electronic device which enables a computer to connect with the file server and to share data with other computers on a network
what is a switched hub?
it acts as a single connection point for a number of networks by forwarding data packets to the appropriate destination using each packet address using IP
what is a repeater?
used in network transmission to regenerate or amplify signals which may be weakened or distorted particularly when transmitted over long distances
what is WAP?
its a hardware device that allows a wireless capable device to connect to a network using radio transmitters and antennae. it create a hotspot- provides network connectivity to offices
what is a media converter?
is a device that makes it possible to connect together networks using dissimilar media such as copper cable and fibre optic cable
what is IP address?
it enables the device to identify itself and communicate with other device in the network
IP address can either be static or dynamic
static- permanent
dynamic- temporary and are assigned each time a device connects to a network
IP consists of 32 bits
what is MAC Address?
its allocated to a network interface card usually when it is manufactured. it coded onto the computer NIC and is unique to it
MAC consists of 48 bits
what is a client server network?
at least one computer acts as a server controlling file storage and backup, providing application software and printer management
how can you access the server in client server network?
user must log onto one of the clients computers using username and password
this will give them access to resources such as dedicated data storage area, hardware resources such as printers and application software
what is peer-to-peer?
all computers on a peer-to-peer network have equal status. it allows computers hardware and software to function without the need for any dedicated a server device
each computer on this network is defined as supplier and a consumer of resources
what resources are available on a computer on peer-to-peer network?
processing power and disk storage available, in turn they can request a resource from another computer
what is ring network?
ring consists of a number of nodes connected together without the need for a fileserver. each node is connected to two other nodes adjacent
how does ring travel in a computer?
a special message called a token is passed from node to node. while node has possession of the token it can add a message data to the network. this is passed from node to node until it arrives at its destination
all data travels in one direction only, therefore avoiding any potential collisions
why is it difficult adding new nodes to the ring network?
the network and existing cable has to be served and join to either end of the new node
what happens if the connection is broken in the main cable in the ring network?
cause the network to fail but in some cases it is possible to isolate a faulty node
what happens when data travels large distances within ring network?
it can lead to problems with the data signal, it tends to degenerate and weaken
special boosters are used to prevent this
what is a bus network?
in this network all nodes are connected onto the main cable. data can be transmitted in both directions on its main cable
impact of cable failure on star and bus network?
star- each device is connected to a central hub by its own cable, if cable fails only single device is affected
bus- all devices are connected to a common cable, if backbone fails all communications is affected
how does data travel on a bus network?
at both ends of the main cable terminators are used. every node can transfer directly to any other node by sending it onto the main cable.
if one of the nodes is not functioning properly the network can still operate. its easier to add new nodes on this network compared to other topologies such as ring
what is the downside of adding nodes to bus network?
adding nodes to the backbone can slow the transmission speeds due to increased volumes of traffic
what happens when messages are sent at the same time and how can we solve this?
problems arise as this can lead to collisions. to avoid collisions a protocol known as CSMA/CD is used on a bus network
this involves checking whether or not the main cable is busy. if it is busy the terminal will wait
what is star network?
it this network there is a central fileserver and each node is connected to the fileserver by its own cable. the host controls all communications of network
what happens when a fileserver malfunctions in star network?
the whole network will fail. but if a node fails then the network can still operate as normal
what is advantages of star network?
each node has its own connection to the hub there is no contention for pathways.
adding a new node is only a matter of connecting it to the hub if there is capacity
what is the difference between MAC and IP?
IP is set up by the ISP. its linked to the physical location of the device, this will update with the location of the device. each device has permanent MAC address set up by manufacturer, embedded on the network card.
IP uses 32 bits
MAC uses 48 bits
