Network topology is the arrangement of the various elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a computer network.

Essentially, it
is the topological structure of a network and may be depicted physically or logically. Physical topology is the placement
of the various components of a network, including device location and cable installation, while logical topology
illustrates how data flows within a network, regardless of its physical design. Distances between nodes, physical
interconnections, transmission rates, or signal types may differ between two networks, yet their topologies may be
identical.
An example is a local area network (LAN): Any given node in the LAN has one or more physical links to other devices in
the network; graphically mapping these links results in a geometric shape that can be used to describe the physical
topology of the network. Conversely, mapping the data flow between the components determines the logical topology
of the network.
Two Categories:
The cabling layout used to link devices is the physical topology of the network. This refers to the layout of cabling, the
locations of nodes, and the interconnections between the nodes and the cabling. The physical topology of a network is
determined by the capabilities of the network access devices and media, the level of control or fault tolerance desired,
and the cost associated with cabling or telecommunications circuits.
The logical topology in contrast, is the way that the signals act on the network media, or the way that the data passes
through the network from one device to the next without regard to the physical interconnection of the devices.
Types of Topologies:

Point-to-point

The simplest topology with a permanent link between two endpoints. Switched point-to-point topologies are the basic
model of conventional telephony. The value of a permanent point-to-point network is unimpeded communications
between the two endpoints. The value of an on-demand point-to-point connection is proportional to the number of
potential pairs of subscribers and has been expressed as Metcalfe's Law.

Permanent (dedicated)

Easiest to understand, of the variations of point-to-point topology, is a point-to-point communications channel that
appears, to the user, to be permanently associated with the two endpoints. A children's tin can telephone is one
example of a physical dedicated channel.

Within many switched telecommunications systems, it is possible to establish a permanent circuit. One example might
be a telephone in the lobby of a public building, which is programmed to ring only the number of a telephone
dispatcher. "Nailing down" a switched connection saves the cost of running a physical circuit between the two points.
The resources in such a connection can be released when no longer needed, for example, a television circuit from a
parade route back to the studio.

Switched:
Using circuit-switching or packet-switching technologies, a point-to-point circuit can be set up dynamically and dropped
when no longer needed. This is the basic mode of conventional telephony.

Bus network topology

In local area networks where bus topology is used, each node is connected to a single cable. Each computer or
server is connected to the single bus cable. A signal from the source travels in both directions to all machines
connected on the bus cable until it finds the intended recipient. If the machine address does not match the
intended address for the data, the machine ignores the data. Alternatively, if the data matches the machine
address, the data is accepted. Because the bus topology consists of only one wire, it is rather inexpensive to
implement when compared to other topologies. However, the low cost of implementing the technology is offset
 by the high cost of managing the network. Additionally, because only one cable is utilized, it can be the single
point of failure.
Linear bus
The type of network topology in which all of the nodes of the network are connected to a common transmission
medium which has exactly two endpoints (this is the 'bus', which is also commonly referred to as the backbone,
or trunk) – all data that is transmitted between nodes in the network is transmitted over this common
transmission medium and is able to be received by all nodes in the network simultaneously.[1]
Note: When the electrical signal reaches the end of the bus, the signal "echoes" back down the line,
causing unwanted interference. As a solution, the two endpoints of the bus are normally terminated
with a device called a terminator that prevents this echo.
Distributed bus
The type of network topology in which all of the nodes of the network are connected to a common transmission
medium which has more than two endpoints that are created by adding branches to the main section of the
transmission medium – the physical distributed bus topology functions in exactly the same fashion as the
physical linear bus topology (i.e., all nodes share a common transmission medium).
Components:
• Nodes (file server, workstations and peripherals)
• Bus – main cable which is used to transmit signals from one end to other end
• T- connectors - cable that connects each node on a network
• Terminator – placed at the end of the bus to absorb the free signals

Star network topology

In local area networks with a star topology, each network host is connected to a central hub with a point-to-
point connection. In Star topology every node (computer workstation or any other peripheral) is connected to a
central node called hub or switch. The switch is the server and the peripherals are the clients. The network does
not necessarily have to resemble a star to be classified as a star network, but all of the nodes on the network
must be connected to one central device. All traffic that traverses the network passes through the central hub.
The hub acts as a signal repeater. The star topology is considered the easiest topology to design and implement.
An advantage of the star topology is the simplicity of adding additional nodes. The primary disadvantage of the
star topology is that the hub represents a single point of failure.
Extended star

A type of network topology in which a network that is based upon the physical star topology has one or more
repeaters between the central node (the 'hub' of the star) and the peripheral or 'spoke' nodes, the repeaters
being used to extend the maximum transmission distance of the point-to-point links between the central node
 and the peripheral nodes beyond that which is supported by the transmitter power of the central node or
beyond that which is supported by the standard upon which the physical layer of the physical star network is
based.
If the repeaters in a network that is based upon the physical extended star topology are replaced with hubs or
switches, then a hybrid network topology is created that is referred to as a physical hierarchical star topology,
although some texts make no distinction between the two topologies.
Components:
- Nodes
- Hub/Switch as central point
- Segments

Ring
- a cable forms a closed loop (ring) with all computers and devices arranged along the ring.
- data transfer from a ring travels from device to device around the entire ring in one direction. When a
computer or a device sends a data, the data travels to each computer on the ring until it reach its destination.
- it is also considered an active topology because the computers in the ring actually pass a token around the
circle.
- can be unidirectional(one pathway) or bidirectional(redundant topology, clockwise or anticlockwise)
- a token is a packet data that carries signals that functions like a ticket. It is a special series messages that is
receivable in every nodes in a ring topology. If a token is receive, an acknowledgement message will be responded by a
node that symbolizes a token was been received.
- a simple failure in a computer can impact the whole network.

Components:
-Nodes
-a cable looping
Mesh

- Each node relays data for the network

- Relay data through flooding technique or a routing technique
- Routing – message is propagated along a path by hoping from node to node until it reaches its destination
- Self- Healing algorithms – (Shortest Path Bridging) allows routing based network to operate when a node
breaks down or when the connection becomes unavailable.

Fully connected network

Fully connected mesh topology

A fully connected network is a communication network in which each of the nodes is connected to each other.
A fully connected network doesn't need to use switching or broadcasting. However, its major disadvantage is
that the number of connections grows quadratically with the number of nodes and so it is extremely impractical
for large networks. A two-node network is technically a fully connected network.

Advantage:

➢ More secure and reliable

Disadvantage

➢ Problems in cables affect nodes attached to it

➢ Costly
➢ Hard to add nodes

Partially connected
Partially connected mesh topology

The type of network topology in which some of the nodes of the network are connected to more than one other
node in the network with a point-to-point link – this makes it possible to take advantage of some of the
redundancy that is provided by a physical fully connected mesh topology without the expense and complexity
required for a connection between every node in the network.

Tree Topology
- star bus combines elements of the star and bus topologies to create a versatile network environment.
- Nodes in particular areas are connected to hubs (creating stars), and the hubs are connected together
along the network backbone (like a bus network).
- if one of the nodes are damage, the network continue to work.

Components:
-nodes
-hubs
-a backbone cable