Network types and characteristics

Question 1

P2P

Answer 1

A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is a decentralized network of devices that are directly connected to each other, without a central server. In a P2P network, each device, or peer, is both a client and a server, and all peers are equal participants in the network.

Question 2

LAN

Answer 2

Local Area Network, which is a network of devices that are connected in a limited physical area, such as a home, office, or building. LANs can be small or large, and can connect a variety of devices, including computers, tablets, phones, printers, game consoles, and IoT devices.

Question 3

client-server network

Answer 3

is a computing model in which multiple clients connect to a central server to access resources, such as files, applications, and data. The server acts as a central hub, managing and providing services to the connected clients.

Question 4

WAN

Answer 4

A wide-area network (WAN) is the technology that connects your offices, data centers, cloud applications, and cloud storage together. It is called a wide-area network because it spans beyond a single building or large campus to include multiple locations spread across a specific geographic area, or even the world.

Question 5

WLAN

Answer 5

A wireless LAN is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using wireless communication to form a local area network within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office building.

Question 6

RF

Answer 6

Radio frequency

Question 7

MAN

Answer 7

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a computer network that connects devices to resources within a specific geographic area, such as a city or college campus. MANs are larger than local area networks (LANs) but smaller than wide area networks (WANs).
Some examples of MANs include: Local cable TV companies, Local telephone companies, Large companies, and Government networks

Question 8

CAN

Answer 8

Campus area network (CAN)
A network that connects multiple buildings on a large property, such as a college or university campus. CANs can provide internet access, allow users to share files and data, and enable security policies.

Question 9

SAN

Answer 9

A storage area network or storage network is a computer network which provides access to consolidated, block-level data storage. SANs are primarily used to access data storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries from servers so that the devices appear to the operating system as direct-attached storage.

Question 10

PAN

Answer 10

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network that connects electronic devices within a person’s workspace. PANs can be used to share data, resources, and applications between devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, and printers

Question 11

Telco

Answer 11

Telecommunications company is a kind of electronic communications service provider, more precisely a telecommunications service provider, that provides telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access

Question 12

NFC

Answer 12

Near-field communication (NFC) is a set of communication protocols that enables communication between two electronic devices over a distance of 4 centimetres (1.6 in) or less.

Question 13

ad hoc

Answer 13

is a wireless network that allows devices to connect directly with each other without the use of a pre-existing infrastructure, such as a router or access point. In an ad hoc network, each device participates in routing by forwarding data for other devices.

Question 14

transceiver

Answer 14

A transceiver is a device that combines a transmitter and a receiver into a single unit. Transceivers can be used in a variety of systems, including radio communication, cable, optical fiber, and local area networks.

Question 15

ISP

Answer 15

ISP stands for Internet Service Provider, which is a company that provides access to the internet and other related services

Question 16

WPAN

Answer 16

Wireless Personal Area Network, which is a small-scale wireless network that connects devices within a short range. WPANs are often used to connect a few devices in a single room, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearables.

Question 17

SD-WAN

Answer 17

Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) is a networking technology that uses software to manage and optimize the performance of wide area networks (WANs). SD-WAN can help organizations connect users, applications, and data across multiple locations securely and efficiently

Question 18

CAN

Answer 18

Campus area network (CAN)
A network that connects multiple buildings within a large property, such as a university campus, corporate facility, or military base. CANs allow users to share files and data, access the internet, and apply security policies.

Question 19

PAN

Answer 19

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network that connects electronic devices within a person’s immediate area. PANs can be used to transmit data between devices like smartphones, tablets, computers, and personal digital assistants.

Question 20

SAN

Answer 20

A storage area network or storage network is a computer network which provides access to consolidated, block-level data storage. SANs are primarily used to access data storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries from servers so that the devices appear to the operating system as direct-attached storage.

Question 21

Telco

Answer 21

Telco – a telecommunications or communication service provider (CSP) company that transports information electronically through telephony and data communication services in the networking industry. Since the invention of mobile telephony most telcos have also become Internet service providers (ISPs).

Question 22

NFC

Answer 22

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a wireless technology that allows devices to connect when they are within a few centimeters of each other. It uses radio frequency identification (RFID) to transmit data.

Question 23

ad hoc

Answer 23

A wireless ad hoc network or mobile ad hoc network is a decentralized type of wireless network. The network is ad hoc because it does not rely on a pre-existing infrastructure, such as routers or wireless access points. Instead, each node participates in routing by forwarding data for other nodes.

Question 24

transceiver

Answer 24

A transceiver is a device that both transmits and receives signals, and is a key component in modern networking systems. Transceivers can be used in cable, optical fiber, or wireless communication systems

Question 25

ISP

Answer 25

An ISP, or Internet Service Provider, is a company that provides internet access to individuals and organizations. ISPs provide internet access through various methods, including cable, DSL, dial-up, fiber-optic, and wireless connections.
ISPs also offer additional services, such as: domain name registration, web hosting, email, and software packages.

Question 26

WPAN

Answer 26

A Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is a small-scale network that connects devices wirelessly within a short range. WPANs are often used to connect devices in a single room or work space, such as printers, smartphones, home appliances, and computers

Question 27

SD-WAN

Answer 27

Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) is a networking technology that uses software to manage and optimize the performance of wide area networks (WANs). SD-WAN can help organizations connect users, applications, and data across multiple locations securely and efficiently

Question 28

SDN

Answer 28

Software-defined networking (SDN) is a network management approach that uses software to control and configure networks. SDN differs from traditional networks, which use hardware devices to control network traffic.

Question 29

MPLS

Answer 29

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a networking technology that routes data packets between nodes using labels instead of network addresses. MPLS is used to improve the speed and efficiency of data transmission, and is often used by large service provider networks.
Here are some things to know about MPLS:
How it works
MPLS labels each data packet and directs it along a predetermined path, rather than sending it from router to router. This means that routers spend less time deciding where to forward packets, and packets take the same path each time.
Where it’s used
MPLS is often used by organizations with multiple remote locations that need to access a data center or applications at a headquarters or other branch.
Benefits
MPLS is scalable, improves performance and bandwidth, and reduces downtime.
Drawbacks
MPLS can be expensive, and requires significant resources for deployment and maintenance. It’s also not compatible with cloud systems, and is vulnerable to cyber attacks because it doesn’t use end-to-end encryption.

Question 30

ATM

Answer 30

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a networking standard that uses cells of fixed size to transmit data at high speeds. It’s a connection-oriented technology that’s used for both local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs).
Here are some characteristics of ATM networks:
Cell-switching: ATM networks use switches to connect end stations to the network.
Fixed-size cells: ATM transmits data in cells that are typically 53 bytes in size.
Connection-oriented: ATM uses a connection-oriented approach to ensure reliable data delivery.
Versatile: ATM can support a variety of applications, including video, voice, and data.
Virtual path identifiers (VPIs) and virtual channel identifiers (VCIs): These identifiers identify the source of an ATM cell.
Transmission capacity: The availability of transmission capacity is affected by network traffic.
Alternate routes: ATM networks allow packets to take alternate routes, which can lead to congestion and variable delays.
ATM’s use of fixed-size cells can be efficient, but it can also lead to bandwidth wastage when dealing with smaller data packets. ATM’s emphasis on quality of service (QoS) can also make it more complex and expensive to implement than other technologies.

Question 31

Frame Relay

Answer 31

Frame relay is a protocol used to transmit data over a network, typically a Wide Area Network (WAN). It operates on Layer 2 of the OSI model and is based on packet-switching technology. Frame relay was widely used in the 1990s and early 2000s as a cost-effective solution for connecting remote locations in a WAN.

Question 32

DSL

Answer 32

Digital Subscriber Line
A technology that uses existing telephone lines to transmit digital data, such as for internet access. DSL connections are usually between a customer and a network service provider’s central office. DSL allows for simultaneous voice and data transmission, and the signal and voice signals are separated into different frequency channels. DSL connections are dedicated, so you don’t share bandwidth with other subscribers. However, DSL may not be the fastest or best quality option over long distances

Question 33

T1

Answer 33

T1 is standard for digital transmission in the United States. It is a digital transmission link with a capacity of 1.544Mbps. T1 uses two pairs of normal twisted wires, the same as found in most residences. T1 normally handles 24 voice conversations, each one digitized at 64kbps.

Question 34

E1

Answer 34

E1 is the European equivalent of T1; a common carrier-provided point-to-point digital line service used in private data networks and cellular, Wi-Fi and fixed-network backhaul.

Question 35

mGRE

Answer 35

Multipoint Generic Routing Encapsulation (mGRE) is a protocol that allows multiple remote sites to be connected through a Virtual Private Network (VPN). mGRE uses a hub and spoke topology to forward and encapsulate data packets between remote sites

Question 36

GRE

Answer 36

Generic Routing Encapsulation is a tunneling protocol developed by Cisco Systems that can encapsulate a wide variety of network layer protocols inside virtual point-to-point links or point-to-multipoint links over an Internet Protocol network.

Question 37

DLCI

Answer 37

A data link connection identifier is a Frame Relay 10-bit-wide link-local virtual circuit identifier used to assign frames to a specific PVC or SVC. Frame Relay networks use DLCIs to statistically multiplex frames. DLCIs are preloaded into each switch and act as road signs to the traveling frames.

Question 38

PVC

Answer 38

A permanent virtual circuit (PVC) is a connection that is permanently established between two or more nodes in frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based networks. It enables the creation of a logical connection on top of a physical connection between nodes that communicate frequently or continuously.

Question 39

SVC

Answer 39

A switched virtual circuit (SVC) is a type of virtual circuit in telecommunication and computer networks that is used to establish a temporary connection between two different network nodes until completion of a data transfer session, after which the connection is terminated.

Techopedia Explains Switched Virtual Circuit
SVCs are implemented in data, voice or video communication connection-based packet and circuit switching networks that have small or limited time usability. Typically, SVCs are created and managed by the data terminal equipment (DTE) or frame relay device.

A remote user requests a connection with the host server/device, and a virtual circuit/connection is created between both nodes. When the circuit connection’s purpose is complete, or it becomes idle, the SVC is suspended. For example, a SVC created between a remote user and server for a file download is closed when the download process is completed.