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Computer Networks and Their Attributes

This document discusses various attributes of computer networks. It describes three main modes of communication: simplex (one-way), half-duplex (two-way but not simultaneous), and full-duplex (two-way simultaneous). It also discusses different network topologies including bus, star, ring and mesh, and covers criteria for evaluating networks such as performance, reliability and security.

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Oxman Bhatti
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46 views

Computer Networks and Their Attributes

This document discusses various attributes of computer networks. It describes three main modes of communication: simplex (one-way), half-duplex (two-way but not simultaneous), and full-duplex (two-way simultaneous). It also discusses different network topologies including bus, star, ring and mesh, and covers criteria for evaluating networks such as performance, reliability and security.

Uploaded by

Oxman Bhatti
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Networks and their

Attributes
Simplified Communications Model -
Diagram
Signal Conversion
Data Flow
Simplex
In simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional,
as on a one-way street. Only one of the two devices on
a link can transmit; the other can only receive.
Keyboards and traditional monitors are examples of
simplex devices.
Half-Duplex
In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit
and receive, and vice versa.
The half-duplex mode is like a one-lane road with
traffic allowed in both directions.
Full-Duplex
In full-duplex mode(also called duplex), both stations
can transmit and receive simultaneously.
The full-duplex mode is like a two way street with
traffic flowing in both directions share with at the
same time.
Networks
A network is a set of devices(often referred to as
nodes) connected by communication links. A node can
be a computer, printer, or any other device on the
network.
Distributed Processing
Most networks use distributed processing, in which a
task is divided among multiple computers. Instead of
one single large machine being responsible for all
aspects of a process, separate computers(usually
personal computer or workstation) handle a subset.
Network Criteria
A network must be able to meet a certain number of
criteria. The most important of these are.
Performance
Reliability
Security
Performance
Performance can be measured in many ways. Including transit
time and response time. The performance of a network
depends on a number of factors, Including the number of
users, the type of transmission medium, the capabilities of the
connected hardware, and the efficiency of the software.
o Transit Time
Transit time is the amount of time required for a message to
travel from one device to another.
o Response time
Response time is the elapsed time between an inquiry and a
response.
Reliability
In addition to accuracy of delivery, network reliability is
measured by the frequency of failure, the time it takes a link
to recover from a failure, and the network’s robustness in a
catastrophe.
Security
Network security issues include protecting data from
unauthorized access, protecting data from damage and
development, and implementing policies and procedures for
recovery from branches and data losses.
Communications Tasks

Transmission system utilization Addressing

Interfacing Routing

Signal generation Recovery

Synchronization Message formatting

Exchange management Security

Error detection and correction Network management


Transmission System Utilization
Refers to the need to make efficient
use of transmission facilities that are typically shared
among a number of communicating
devices. Various techniques (referred to as
multiplexing) are used to allocate the total capacity of
a transmission medium among a number of users.
Interface
An interface is a shared boundary or connection
between two dissimilar objects, devices or systems
through which information is passed.
The connection can be either physical or logical.
They use of electromagnetic signals propagated over a
transmission medium.
Signal Generation
Signal Generation is required for communication.
The properties of the signal, such as form and
intensity, must be such that they are
1) Capable of being propagated through the transmission
system.
2) Interpretable as data at the receiver.
Synchronization
Synchronization between transmitter and receiver. The
receiver must be able to determine when a signal begins
to arrive and when it ends. It must also know the duration
of each signal
element.

Exchange Management
•There are a variety of requirements for
communication between two parties that might be
collected under the term exchange management. If
data are to be exchanged in both directions over a
period of time, the two parties must cooperate.
Error Detection and Correction
In all communications systems, there is a potential for
error; transmitted signals are distorted to some extent
before reaching their destination. Error detection and
correction are required in circumstances where errors
cannot be tolerated; this is usually the case with data
processing system.
Physical Structures
Before discussing networks, we need to define some
network attributes.
Type of Connection
A network is two or more devices connected through
links. A link is a communications pathway that
transfers data from one device to another. For
visualization purposes, it is simplest to imagine any
link as a line drawn between two points. For
communication to occur, two devices must be
connected in some way to the same link at the same
time.
Point to Point
A point to point connection provides a dedicated links
between two devices. The entire capacity of the link is
reserved between those two devices. Most point to point
connections use an actual length of wire or cable to connect
the two ends, but other options microwave or satellite links,
are also possible.
Multipoint
A multipoint connections is one in which more than two
specific devices share a single link.
In a multipoint environment, the capacity of the channel is
shared, either spatially or temporally. If several devices can
use the link simultaneously, it is a spatially shared
connection.
Physical Topology
The term physical topology refers to the way in which a
network is laid out physically. Two or more devices connect
to a link; two or more links form a topology. The topology
of a network is the geometric representation of all the links
and linking devices.
There are four basic topologies.
Bus Topology
Star Topology
Ring Topology
Mesh Topology
Bus Topology
A bus topology, is multipoint. One long cable acts as a
backbone to link all the devices in network.
Nodes are connected to the bus cable by drop lines and
taps. A drop line is a connection running between the
device and main cable. A tap is a connector that either
specifies into the main cable.
Advantages

1)  It is easy to set-up and extend bus network.


2)  Cable length required for this topology is the least compared to
other networks.
3)  Bus topology costs very less.
4) Linear Bus network is mostly used in small networks. Good for
LAN.
Disadvantages
1)  There is a limit on central cable length and number of nodes that
can be connected.
2)  Security is very low because all the computers receive the sent
signal from the source.
3)  It is difficult to detect and troubleshoot fault at individual station.
4)  Maintenance costs can get higher with time.
Ring Topology
Ring topology is a network topology in which the
nodes or the computers are connected in a closed loop.
Each node is connected to two other nodes and when
the data is sent it travels across all nodes in one
particular direction. Ring topology is used when there
is heavy flow of data as it has greater capability to
handle data and doesn’t even require any central
workstation to handle the data transmission.
Advantages
1) High performance delivered.
2) All nodes have equal opportunity to transmit the data.
Disadvantages
1) If one node is disrupted then the whole network goes down.
2) It becomes difficult to add/remove nodes.
3) If more than one token is generated then it may cause
ambiguity in the sending of both kinds.
Star Topology
In Star topology every node (computer workstation or any
other peripheral) is connected to central node called hub or
switch. The switch is the server and the peripherals are the
clients.
Data from the source is first delivered to the hub and is then
transferred to the other nodes. It is easy to add or remove
nodes or workstations in this topology. Star topology gives
better performance as data doesn’t pass through every node
unlike Bus topology. If a particular workstation or a node
gets an error then the entire network is not affected. But if
the central workstation or the hub goes down, then the
entire network collapses.
Advantages

1) Easy to install and implement


2) Give better performance as messages doesn’t pass through various
nodes unlike Bus topology
3) Faulty nodes can be easily removed without affecting the other
nodes in the loop
Disadvantages

1) If the central hub fails then the whole network is disrupted


2) If more nodes are to be added then more cable would be required
and this would increase the cost
3) Data transfer and capability depends on capacity of the central hub
Mesh Topology
Mesh topology uses one of the two arrangements either Full Mesh
topology or Partial Mesh topology. In Full Mesh topology each
node is connected to every other node in the network. In Partial
Mesh topology every node is not connected to each node in the
network. Due to many interconnections much of the cable is
required for implementation of mesh topology so it is quite
expensive. However, it is reliable because if one node fails, rests of
the nodes continue to work with each other.
Since lot of cables is involved, mesh topology is quite expensive to
implement. So its often coupled with star, ring or any other
topology to form hybrid topology. WAN (Wide Area Network) like
Internet uses Mesh network structure. 
Advantages
1) It is efficient in a sense when one node fails, others continue
to work without disruption.
2) Network can be easily expanded.
3) In one particular instance you can send the data from one
node to many nodes.
Disadvantages
1) It is quite expensive since a higher length of cable is
required.
2) Implementation can be a very arduous task.
Network Models
Computer networks are created by different entities.
Standards are needed so that these heterogeneous
networks can communicate with one an another. The
two standards are the OSI (Open System
Interconnections) model and the Internet model.
Categories of Networks
Today when we speak of networks, we generally
referring to two primary categories: local-area-
networks and wide-area-networks.
Local Area Network
A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects
computers and other devices in a relatively small area,
typically a single building or a group of buildings.
Most LANs connect workstations and personal
computers and enable users to access data and devices
(e.g., printers and modems) anywhere on the network.
Users can also use the LAN to communicate with each
other, by sending e-mail or engaging in chat sessions.
LANs can be characterized by their topology, protocols and
media. Topology is the geometric arrangement of devices on
the network. For example, devices can be arranged in a ring
or in a straight line. Protocols are the rules and encoding
specifications for sending data. They also determine whether
the network uses a peer-to-peer or client/server architecture.
The most common type of LAN is Ethernet. Media is what is
used to connect the devices, i.e., twisted-pair copper wire,
coaxial cables, fiber optic cables or radio waves.
Wide Area Network
It is similar to a Local Area Network (LAN), but it's a
lot bigger. Unlike LANs, WANs are not limited to a
single location. Many wide area networks span long
distances via telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, or
satellite links. They can also be composed of smaller
LANs that are interconnected. The Internet could be
described as the biggest WAN in the world.
Metropolitan Area Network
A metropolitan area network(MAN) is a network with
a size between a LAN and a WAN. It normally covers
the area inside a town or a city. It is designed for
customers who need a high speed connectivity,
normally to the Internet, and have endpoints spread
over a city or part of city. A good example of a MAN
is the part of the telephone company network that can
provide a high speed DSL line to the customer.
Hierarchical organization of the Internet

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