DIT 209 NETWORKING I
INTRODUCTION TO NETWORKING
Presented by:
Zakaria Abukari
(PhD Computational Mathematics, MSc Computer Science)
Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences and
Technology, TaTU
TOPICS
1. What is a network?
2. Benefits of networking
3. Basic network components
4. Types of networks
5. Internet, intranet, and extranet
6. Network topologies
7. Network plans
What is a network?
• A collection of computers, printers, and other devices
connected to each other, in order to allow every device
share its resources with other devices, and access other
devices shared resources.
• Resources include documents, media files, folders,
printers, internet connections etc.
Components of a Simple Computer Network
Major components in simple network
• Major components in simple network
• Client computer
• Server computer
• Network interfaces (NICs)
• Connection medium
• Network operating system
• Hub or switch
• Router
Network and End-user Devices
End user devices
Examples are a ‘PC’, a ‘laptop’, a ‘printer’ and a
‘server’
Network devices
Examples hubs, switches, bridges, NICs and
routers.
Network and End-user Devices…Cont.
Special names given to computers in
networks
Servers
Workstations
Host
Networks in large companies
• Networks in large companies
• Components can include:
• Hundreds of local area networks (LANs) linked to firmwide corporate
network
• Various powerful servers
• Web site
• Corporate intranet, extranet
• Backend systems
• Mobile wireless LANs (Wi-Fi networks)
• Videoconferencing system
• Telephone network
• Wireless cell phones
Corporate Network Infrastructure
Today’s corporate
network infrastructure
is a collection of many
different networks from
the public switched
telephone network, to
the Internet, to
corporate local area
networks linking
workgroups,
departments, or office
floors.
Benefits of networking
1. Connectivity and Communication
2. Data Sharing
3. Hardware Sharing
4. Internet Access
5. Internet Access Sharing
6. Data Security and Management:
7. Performance Enhancement and Balancing
8. Entertainment
Types of networks
Classification by component roles
• Peer-to-Peer networks
• Server-based networks
Classification by Geographical distance
• LANs
• WANs
• CANs
• MANs
• Internet
• LANs are installed within a perimeter of 90 meters though
switches, hubs and repeaters can be used to extend LANs
beyond the indicated distance.
• The largest WAN is the Internet.
Internet, intranet, and extranet
• Intranet
• Within the company only
• Extranet
• With some specific external partners
• Internet
• Global
Internet, intranet, and extranet…cont
Network topologies
Bus topology
Ring topology
Mesh topology
Star topology
Hybrid topology
Wireless topology
Bus topology
Advantages of bus topology
One advantage of a bus topology is cost.
A bus topology uses less cable than a star topology or a mesh
topology
Another advantage of a bus topology is the ease of installation.
You need only the amount of cable to connect the workstation to
the backbone.
If a computer fails, the network stays functional
Disadvantages of bus topology
The main disadvantage of a bus topology is the difficulty of
troubleshooting it.
If there is a break in the cable, the entire network will go
down. In a large network, this problem can be tough to
isolate.
Scalability is an important consideration in the dynamic
world of networking. The bus topology is not very scalable
Ring topology
Advantages of ring topology
A major advantage of a ring topology is that signal
degeneration is low because each workstation is responsible
for regenerating or boosting the signal.
With the other topologies, as the signal travels the wire, it
gets weaker and weaker as a result of outside interference:
eventually, it becomes unreadable if the destination system is
too far away.
Because each workstation in a ring topology regenerates the
signal, the signal is stronger when it reaches its destination
and seldom needs to be retransmitted.
Disadvantages of ring topology
The biggest problem with ring topologies is that if one computer fails or the
cable link is broken, the entire network could go down.
With newer technology, however, this isn’t always the case.
Isolating a problem can be difficult in some ring configurations. (With newer
technologies, a workstation or server will put out a beacon if it notices a break in
the ring.)
Another disadvantage is that if you make a cabling change to the network or move
a workstation, the brief disconnection can interrupt or bring down the entire
network
Mesh topology
Advantages of mesh topology
The biggest advantage of a mesh topology is fault tolerance,
meaning that, if there is a break in a cable segment, traffic can
be rerouted through a different pathway.
This fault tolerance means that it is almost impossible for the
network to go down due to a cable fault.
Disadvantages of mesh topology
A disadvantage of a mesh topology is the cost of the
additional cabling and network interfaces to create the
multiple pathways between each system.
A mesh topology is very hard to administer and manage
because of the numerous connections
Star topology
Advantages of star topology
One advantage of a star topology is scalability and ease of adding
another system to the network.
If you need to add another workstation to the network with a star
topology, you simply connect that system to an unused port on the
hub.
Another benefit is the fact that if there is a break in the cable it
affects only the system that is connected to that cable.
Centralizing network components can make an administrator’s life
much easier in the long run.
Centralized management and monitoring of network traffic can be
vital to network success.
With a star configuration, it is also easy to add or change
configurations because all of the connections come to a central
point
Disadvantages of star topology
On the flip side, if the hub fails in a star topology, the
entire network comes down, so we still have a central
point of failure.
Another disadvantage of a star topology is cost. To connect
each workstation to the network, you will need to ensure
that there is a hub/switch with an available port, and you
will need to ensure you have a cable to go from the
workstation to the hub/switch.
Today, the cost is increasingly less of a disadvantage
because of the low prices of devices such as hubs and
switches
Hybrid topology
Wireless topology
Wireless topology
Network plans
•A formally created document that shows all the
network’s components, data storage, data access and
security policies and the planned connections between
them properly sketched
Unplanned networks have serious risk preponderance.
Examples are:
•Cumbersome to manage
•Poor Troubleshooting hence downtime is very high
•Security is weak hence hacking is easier
