Scribd
Upload
4 views

Tutorial 03

The document outlines key concepts related to networking, including characteristics of networks, routing processes, and the differences between static and dynamic routing. It explains the structure and importance of routing tables, various routing algorithms, and examples of distance-vector and link-state protocols. Additionally, it discusses the implications of these concepts for network efficiency, reliability, and design.

Uploaded by

Mohamed Juma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views

Tutorial 03

The document outlines key concepts related to networking, including characteristics of networks, routing processes, and the differences between static and dynamic routing. It explains the structure and importance of routing tables, various routing algorithms, and examples of distance-vector and link-state protocols. Additionally, it discusses the implications of these concepts for network efficiency, reliability, and design.

Uploaded by

Mohamed Juma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Tutorial 03

Question and Answer

1. List seven characteristics of a network.

Definition (Techopedia): A network is a group of interconnected devices that share


resources, communicate, and exchange information.

Characteristics:

1. Connectivity: Ability to connect devices to share resources.


2. Scalability: Capability to expand the network with minimal impact.
3. Reliability: Ensures data is delivered without errors or interruptions.
4. Security: Protects data integrity, availability, and confidentiality.
5. Speed: Measures how quickly data can be transmitted across the network.
6. Topology: The physical or logical layout of the network components.
7. Resource Sharing: Enables sharing of printers, files, and internet among devices.

Why This Matters: These characteristics define the efficiency, usability, and effectiveness
of a network in achieving organizational or personal goals.

2. What is routing in a network?

Definition (Techopedia): Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network to send data
packets from a source to a destination.

Elaboration: Routers use algorithms and routing tables to determine the most efficient path
for data. It ensures data delivery even in complex, multi-node networks.

Where Applicable: Routing is vital in large-scale networks like the internet and enterprise
systems to maintain connectivity and optimize data flow.

3. What information fields are available in a routing table?

Definition (Techopedia): A routing table is a data table stored in a router that lists paths,
metrics, and rules for directing data packets.

Fields in a Routing Table:

1. Destination Network: The target subnet or IP.


2. Subnet Mask: Used to identify network size.
3. Next-Hop Address: The next router's IP to send the packet.
4. Metric: Cost associated with reaching the destination.
5. Interface: Router interface used for forwarding.
6. Administrative Distance: Priority of the route source.

Why This Matters: Routing tables ensure routers have accurate information to forward
packets efficiently.

4. Why would you choose static routing over dynamic routing?

Definition (Techopedia): Static routing involves manually setting up routes in a network,


while dynamic routing uses protocols to adapt to network changes.

Reasons to Choose Static Routing:

1. Simplicity: Easier to configure for small networks.


2. Control: Provides deterministic routes without automatic updates.
3. Security: Less prone to routing attacks compared to dynamic protocols.
4. Resource Efficiency: Does not consume router CPU or memory.

Where Applicable: Ideal for stable, small-scale networks with minimal changes.

5. What is a floating static route?

Definition (Techopedia): A floating static route is a backup route with a higher


administrative distance, activated only when the primary route fails.

Elaboration: It is often configured to improve redundancy and reliability in networks.

Why This Matters: Prevents downtime in case of a failure in the primary route.

6. Why does dynamic routing add additional load on router CPU/RAM?

Definition (Techopedia): Dynamic routing uses protocols like OSPF or RIP to automatically
update routes.

Explanation:

 Processing Overhead: Routers must continuously calculate the best paths.


 Memory Usage: Routing protocols maintain multiple tables (e.g., topology,
neighbor).
 Updates: Periodic broadcasting consumes processing power.

Where Applicable: This is a critical consideration for resource-constrained routers in large


or complex networks.
7. Explain the three tables maintained by a link-state protocol.

Definition (Techopedia): Link-state protocols like OSPF maintain three key tables to ensure
effective routing.

Tables:

1. Neighbor Table: Contains information about directly connected routers.


2. Topology Table: Represents the entire network topology using link-state
advertisements.
3. Routing Table: Stores the best routes to destinations.

Why This Matters: These tables enable the protocol to make informed decisions, ensuring
reliability and efficiency.

8. Explain the difference between global routing algorithms and decentralized routing
algorithms.

Definition (Techopedia): Routing algorithms determine the best path for data transmission
in a network.

Differences:

 Global Routing Algorithm:


o Has complete knowledge of the network topology.
o Requires each router to know the costs of all links in the network.
o Example: Link-State Protocol (e.g., OSPF).
 Decentralized Routing Algorithm:
o Each router knows only about its directly connected neighbors and relies on
them for updates.
o Example: Distance-Vector Protocol (e.g., RIP).

Why This Matters: Global algorithms are faster and more efficient but require more
resources, while decentralized algorithms are simpler and more scalable.

9. Use the link-state algorithm in Figure 1 to create the routing table for the source to all
destinations in the network in Figure 2.

Definition (Techopedia): A link-state algorithm uses a shortest-path-first approach to


compute routes in a network.

Steps:

1. Use Dijkstra's algorithm to calculate the shortest paths from the source node.
2. Identify all directly connected neighbors and their link costs.
3. Continue iterating until paths to all nodes are established.
Routing Table (Example Format):

Destination Next-Hop Path Cost


Node B Node A 2
Node C Node B 5

Why This Matters: The routing table ensures accurate data forwarding. Would you like help
computing this based on Figure 2?

10. Use the Bellman-Ford equation to find the cost of the least-cost path from node X to
destination Y.

Definition (Techopedia): Bellman-Ford is an algorithm that calculates the shortest paths


from a source to all destinations using a distance-vector approach.

Equation:

Dx(y)=min⁡v{c(x,v)+Dv(y)}D_x(y) = \min_{v} \{ c(x,v) + D_v(y) \}Dx(y)=vmin{c(x,v)+Dv


(y)}

Where:

 Dx(y)D_x(y)Dx(y) is the cost of the shortest path from xxx to yyy.


 c(x,v)c(x,v)c(x,v) is the cost from xxx to neighbor vvv.
 Dv(y)D_v(y)Dv(y) is the cost from vvv to yyy.

Why This Matters: Bellman-Ford is widely used for routing in Distance-Vector Protocols
like RIP.

11. Why is it not possible to achieve load balancing on static routing?

Definition (Techopedia): Load balancing refers to distributing traffic evenly across multiple
paths.

Explanation:

 Static routes are manually configured and cannot dynamically adapt to traffic
changes.
 There is no mechanism to monitor or split traffic between routes based on load.

Why This Matters: Static routing is less efficient for networks requiring high availability
and balanced traffic distribution.
12. What are examples of distance-vector protocols?

Definition (Techopedia): Distance-vector protocols use algorithms that consider distance


(cost) and direction (next-hop) to route data.

Examples:

1. RIP (Routing Information Protocol): Simple protocol for small networks.


2. EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol): Cisco proprietary, hybrid
protocol.
3. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol): Used for routing between autonomous systems.

Why This Matters: These protocols are essential for specific network scales and types.

13. What are examples of link-state protocols?

Definition (Techopedia): Link-state protocols maintain a full map of the network topology
for optimal routing.

Examples:

1. OSPF (Open Shortest Path First): Commonly used in enterprise networks.


2. IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System): Used in larger service
provider networks.

Why This Matters: Link-state protocols provide fast convergence and better scalability for
complex networks.

14. What is the diagram below all about?

Explanation: The diagram appears to depict:

 A network topology with nodes and connections.


 Link costs: Representing the cost of data transmission between nodes.

Why This Matters: Understanding network diagrams is crucial for designing,


troubleshooting, and optimizing networks.

You might also like