Section 2: Network Basics

Question 1

Client Server Model

Answer 1

Dedicated servers, more centralized backup and administration

Question 2

Client Server Model Benefits

Answer 2

a) Centralized Administration; b) Easier Management; c) Better Scalability

Question 3

Client Server Model Drawbacks

Answer 3

a) Higher Cost; b) Requires Dedicated Resources (HW, SW, Staff); c) Requires OS.

Question 4

Peer-to-peer Benefits

Answer 4

a) Lower Cost; b) No Dedicated Resources; c) No Specialized OS

Question 5

Peer-to-peer Drawbacks

Answer 5

a) Decentralized Management; b) Inefficient for Large Networks; c) Poor Scalability.

Question 6

PAN / Examples

Answer 6

Personal Area Network - Smallest type of wired or wireless network.
Examples: Bluetooth; USB Hard Drive to Desktop/Laptop; Firewire Video Camera to Computer

Question 7

LAN

Answer 7

Local Area Network - Connects components over a limited distance.

Question 8

CAN

Answer 8

Campus Area Network - Connects building-centric LANS

Question 9

MAN

Answer 9

Metropolitan Area Network - Connects networks across a metropolitan area. (25-mile radius in larger cities; >CAN but <WAN)

Question 10

WAN

Answer 10

Wide Area Network - Connects Geographically disparate networks around the country/globe.

Question 11

Definition: Physical Topology

Answer 11

How network devices are physically connected by media.

Question 12

Definition: Logical Topology

Answer 12

How network traffic flows across the physical topology.

Question 13

Bus Topology

Answer 13

Alternatively called line topology, bus topology is a network setup where each computer and network device is connected to a single cable or backbone.

Older networking method that used a single cable with “T” or vampire taps to connect devices.

Consists of single collision domain. (No longer commonly used.)

Question 14

Ring Topology

Answer 14

Circular loop cable of connected devices.
Traffic flows in a single direction.
Devices wait for a turn to communicate.
FDDI (fiber) networks used two counter-rotating rings for redundancy.

Question 15

Star Topology

Answer 15

Devices connect to a single point. (Ethernet, wireless, fiber, etc.) Single point of network failure.

Question 16

Hub-and-Spoke Topology

Answer 16

Used to connect multiple networked sites.
Like a Star Topology but uses WAN links between sites. No redundancy. If central office fails the whole network can fail.

Question 17

Full-Mesh Topology

Answer 17

Every node connects to every other node.
Most redundant.
Provides for most optimal routing.
Very expensive to operate and maintain.
Number of connections X=n(n-1)/2. (e.g. 6 nodes = 15 connections.)

Question 18

Partial-Mesh Topology

Answer 18

Hybrid of Full-Mesh and Hub-and-Spoke topologies.
Provides optimal routing for some sites.
Must consider traffic patterns when designing.

Question 19

Infrastructure Mode

Answer 19

Devices on the network all communicate through a single access point, which is generally the wireless router.

Requires centralized management.
Uses wireless access point (WAP).
Supports wireless security controls.

Question 20

Ad-Hoc Mode

Answer 20

P2P connections.
Decentralized wireless network.
No routers or access points.
Data forwarding decisions made dynamically.
On-the-fly creation/joining of networks.

Question 21

Wireless Mesh Topology

Answer 21

▪ Interconnection of different types of nodes or devices.
▪ Consists of clients, routers, and gateways.
▪ Different radio frequencies to extend/expand
▪ Reliable and redundant connections

Question 22

802.11

Answer 22

Operates as infrastructure or ad hoc.

Question 23

Bluetooth

Answer 23

Low energy use variant of Bluetooth which allows for a mesh network.

A short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs).

Question 24

RFID

Answer 24

Radio Frequency ID - Uses electromagnetic fields to read data stored in embedded tags.

Question 25

NFC

Answer 25

Near Field Communication - Four-centimeter range. Enables two devices to communication.

Question 26

IR

Answer 26

Infrared - Line of sight.

Question 27

Z-Wave

Answer 27

Short-range, low-latency data transfer at rates and power consumption lower than Wi-Fi.
Used primarily for home automation.

Question 28

Ant+

Answer 28

Wireless technology that allows monitoring devices to talk (tire pressure, TVs, lights).