Network Topologies Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a network Topology?

A

A network topology is a way of describing the interconnections and cabling of a group of computers

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2
Q

What is a physical Topology

A

Physical topology is how the devices or a group of computers are physically connected.

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3
Q

What is a logical Topology?

A

Logical topology is how the network devices communicate with each other

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4
Q

What is a star topology?

A
  • Each device on the network is connected to a central communication device such as a Hub or switch
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5
Q

What happens if one cable breaks in a star topology?

A

If one network cable breaks, the workstation connected to it also fails, but it does not affect the rest of the network

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6
Q

What happens if the central hub fails in a star topology?

A

if the central hub fails the whole network will be inoperative as each workstation relies on the central hub for communication.

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7
Q

What is the central device - hub?

A
  • central device - hub: network signals reach the hub that are sent out to all connected devices.
  • The hub just repeats them all on its connections and does not process the signals
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8
Q

What is the central device - Switch?

A
  • Central device - switch: uses a table that maps each device to the port it is connected to.
  • switch is able to direct message to correct recipient
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9
Q

STAR TOPOLOGY - What is security and speed like?

A
  • Improves security and speed
  • messages are transmitted along a specific path from source to destination
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10
Q

STAR TOPOLOGY - What is reliability like?

A
  • Switch or hub is a central point of failure
  • if it fails, the connected devices will be unable to communicate or access network resources
  • failure of individual cables will not affect the network
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11
Q

STAR TOPOLOGY - What are the advantages?

A
  • If one of the network cables breaks only the computer connected to that cable is affected.
  • Fast response time and no problems with data collision as each workstation has its own cable.
  • Security can be installed at the central hub.
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12
Q

STAR TOPOLOGY - What are the disadvantages?

A
  • All communication takes place via the central hub and if it fails the whole network will break down.
  • Uses the most cable which can be expensive to purchase and install. Also long cable runs can cause the data signal to degrade.
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13
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What is a Bus Topology?

A
  • The bus topology has one cable that connects every device on the network which is called the backbone
  • Each device is connected to the main capable to join the network
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14
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What is the backbone?

A
  • The one cable that connect to a every device on a network.
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15
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What is a terminator?

A
  • At the end of the main capable there is a device called the terminator
  • The terminator absorbs signals when they reach the end to prevent interference
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16
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What are the Operations like?

A
  • Network signals (representing messages between the devices) are sent through the main cable to reach all connected devices.
  • Each message contains a destination address that identities its intended recipient
  • MAC address that is hard coded into the Network Interface controller
17
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What happens when there is a collision?

A
  • If two or more devices try to transmit at the same time, it will cause a collision
  • if a collision occurs, the devices must stop and try again later
  • causes the overall performance of the network to deteriorate
18
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What is the security like?

A
  • Transmitting signals is a security issue
  • every device attached to the bus can “read” every message
  • message needs to be encrypted to not be read
19
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What are the Reliability like?

A
  • failure of the main bus capable will bring the whole network to a stop
  • if there is failure in the cable that connects a single device to the bus, it will only affect just that device
20
Q

RING TOPOLOGY - What is a ring topology?

A

Each device is connected to exactly to other devices creating a single pathway - ring - along which signals travel

21
Q

RING TOPOLOGY - What does it mean that a Ring is Uni-directional?

A
  • A ring can be uni-directional : the signals can only travel in one direction
  • break in the capable can lead the network to fail
22
Q

RING TOPOLOGY - What does it mean that a Ring is bi-directional?

A
  • signals travel in either direction so the network has more resilience
23
Q

RING TOPOLOGY - What is a token ring network?

A
  • Token ring network - a special signal called the token circulates the network
  • Devices can only communicate when they have the token - there will be no collisions
24
Q

RING TOPOLOGY - What direction can they travel in?

A
  • Well they can be bi-directional or uni-directional
25
Q

MESH TOPOLOGY - What is a Mesh Topology?

A
  • There is no central communication point
  • multiple paths between the communication devices that form the network
  • provides many communication pathways
  • no critical point of failure as every communication path has several alternative pathways
  • allows the most efficient paths to be used
26
Q

What is a local area network?

A
  • Local area networks: two or more computers connected together within a small geographical area
27
Q

What is a wide area network?

A

is a network that connects two or more networks over a wider geographical area.

28
Q

What is a Switch?

A

A switch sends each communication to the specific computer it is intended for

29
Q

What do both wired and wireless networks have?

A

Both wired and wireless networks have a MAC address

30
Q

What is the difference between a physical and logical Topology?

A
  • Physical topology of a network defines how the devices are physically connected
  • The logical topology defines how the devices communicate across the physical topologies
31
Q

What is Cloud Computing?

A
  • Cloud computing – is imaginative term for internet computing, using remote servers run by organisations such as DropBox, Microscoft or thousands of other specialists software companies
  • Multiple servers -> Virtual environment
  • Scale your resource usage in near real time.
  • The mutliple severs behave as one
  • Pay to what you need/use
32
Q

How does a physical bus topology work?

A
  • The file server is connected to the main bus for data distribution to all the workstations.
  • Data can be transmitted in either direction along the main cable, and workstations can communicate with their peers.
  • A range of peripherals can also be connected to the main bus for shared usage.
  • The physically wired star topology can be dynamically reconfigured into a logical bus topology by making use of appropriate protocols and specialist equipment such as routers and switches.
33
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What are the advantages?

A
  • If one workstation fails it does not affect the rest of the network.
  • Is cheaper to install as it uses the least cable as the cost of network cabling (particularly fibre optic) and the cost of network cable installation can be significant.
34
Q

BUS TOPOLOGY - What are the disadvantages?

A

If the main network cable breaks anywhere then none of the workstations can access the network.
If there is heavy network traffic the system performance will fall off dramatically.
If the main bus fails all computers are affected.