Understanding Networking - Report Example

UNDERSTANDING NETWORKING BOOKLET A5 CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION RESEARCH CRITICAL ANALYSIS CONCLUSION REFERENCES PREFACE: Networking involves designing and building of computer network with devices, computers or other communication means to share or exchange data or information among the shared devices or computers. This booklet will help you learn different perspective of networking and its related fields. Networking is much more about practical work and assessment, but theories in this booklet will make it easier. This booklet about networking will brief about the variety of networking technologies and its uses in this era and will help you understand how networking is done? How does it affect our efficiency? Individuals with networking interest or professionally in this field will find this booklet interesting with new researches which are compiled in this booklet. Information Technology is the fastest growing field which is not possible without networking. It short, it is all about understanding Networking. INTRODUCTION: Networking is a technological advancement which joins two or more computers, communication devices and other operative devices which needs to be shared among each other. It has a wide range of uses and holds a credibility of fast communication or transfer of information is all based on networking and its advancement with Excellency. Different types of networking are used according to their size, reach and their speed. TYPES OF NETWORKING: It can be defined and categorized in several ways like: LANs, WANs, MANs, CANs and TANs. Among these, three are the most important and commonly used in the present world. LANs (Local Area Network) which includes an area or a particular geographical region. LANs can be used to interlink or interconnect 100 to 1000 computers at a time and can transfer or share data or information among its network computers. Mostly the speed of Local Area Network is minimum 10Mbps and can reach maximum till 1Gbps. LANs provide its services through two different modes, Peer to Peer and Client Server which are later discussed in this booklet. WANs (wide area network) which covers wide area or work across cities, countries and sometimes across the globe. Internet is the best example of public WANs. WANs interconnect LANs over large distances, often across borders this is why we are able to use internet and can communicate easily across borders. This network uses routers to connect to the right path through correct network nodes. MANs (Metropolitan Area Network): This network connects LANs to each other at higher speed to spread the network to provide quality services. It is made up of switches or routers to connect LANs through fiber optic cables. There are two more types of network: CANs (Campus Area Network) and TANs (Tiny Area Network). These are considered as LANs with a minor difference that they are used for extremely small network which involves two to three computers only (A.C. Davenhall, 2005). In short, Network System can only be different with its range of approach and its speed; otherwise initially all three of networking types are similar. NETWORK DESIGNS: Computer networking is done in two main layouts which are high level network designs known as peer to peer and client server. Client Server is mainly used in sophisticated projects or businesses because this networking system is centralized with server computer and it stores or maintains a record of emails, web pages, applications or files, It is appropriate for a wide range networking where a lot of emails, or files are transferred daily. It holds the functioning of other computers which are interconnected through networking. Peer to peer network design have workstation connected to all computers equally and there is no main server in this network design. Data can be shared among all computers and printer can be operated through one workstation to another workstation. Peer to peer is a better option, where small numbers of computers are interlinked or interconnected to share data, files or information. Though it cannot be privileged like Client Server like security and no facility of backing up files. This network design is suitable for homes or very small scale businesses (M.J. Leese (2005). NETWORK TOPOLOGIES: Topology is a virtual structure of network; however it is not necessarily like a physical structure of the network. For example ring topology does not require computer devices to be set in a ring or in a circle. Computer Networks can be classified by their topologies and there are different topologies used in networking. The basic topologies are: Ring topology, Bus topology, Star topology, Tree topology and Mesh topology. Complex networks can be based as hybrids by using two or more topologies together. Each topology has different features. RING TOPOLOGY: Each computer device is connected to two neighbors to share and all messages travel in either direction to all connected devices (clockwise or anti clockwise direction) but if any of the devices fails to operate, then the ring is broken and the complete network system gets affected and needs a reset. Moreover to implement ring topology, Sonet, FDDI or Token Ring technology has to be used. BUS TOPOLOGY: A single cable is used as a backbone to share communication medium that devices attached with an interface connector. A message is sent on network if one device want to get connected with any other present on network, which can be seen by all devices but only the willing ones can connect after accepting its message follow up. But the drawback is that if a cable gets a problem then the whole network become unusable. STAR TOPOLOGY: Star topology is based on one hub or switch where all devices connect with unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet. This topology needs more wires than bus topology but it is better because if there is a problem in one cable only that needs to be changed which does not affect the whole network. However, if the hub fails to work than the entire network is devastated. TREE TOPOLOGY: This network topology is like a tree using multiple star topologies together onto a bus topology. In this Hub is connected directly to tree bus and each individual hub works as a root with the tree of computers attached. This is a hybrid of star and bus topologies. MESH TOPOLOGY: This topology is unlike any other explained above based on the concept of routes. Messages sent on this topology can adopt any of the path or several paths from source to destination. In full mesh topology all devices can connect directly to each other where as in partial mesh some devices can connect indirectly to others. (Bradley Mitchell,2011) NETWORK PROTOCOLS: The communication language which is used in networking by computer or communication devices is known as Protocols. Networking system supports the protocols set by the network and more than one protocol is set to keep connectivity smooth. TCP/IP is the most common protocols used together in recent networking. Though these are two different network protocols but always used together and known as TCP/IP. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) corresponds to the 4th layer of OSI Model and IP (Internal Protocol) corresponds to the 3rd layer of OSI model. TCP transport channel is used to deliver information across IP network addresses. WIRED VS WIRELESS NETWORKING: TCP/IP work in either wired or wireless networking. Ethernet cables were mostly in use in different organizations like small companies, schools and home etc. Recently wired networking is shifted to wireless networking which is easy to handle to use because it has no wires around. Data or information is transferred through microwave or radio signals. It has a negative effect on health like microwave waves or radio waves can cause memory loss or brain damage. VPN (VIRTUAL PATH NETWORKING): Virtual Path Network is a private network which can access over public infrastructure. It is a cheap alternative to leased lines and it is benefited by improved scalability and economically reasonable for wireless networking and its management. NETWORK ANALYSIS: There are certain tools to detect network problems or allow exploration of hardware on a computer network. These tools are categorized as: Packet Analyzer: Its function is to capture and show of individual messages that are being processed by computer network card. Post Scanners: Its function is that, interesting information are reported which are being probed from other computers or network devices. It only focuses on the ports which are open. Hardware Scanners: It scans the network and reports back whatever is found on network. It works for a wider perspectives and looks at a bigger picture that what is the purpose of that device and how it works on the network. Network analysis tools are valuable in their own way and provide good learning prospects for those who want to learn computer networking. (Network Analysis Tools, Jhand,2011) CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Computer networking has numerous advantages but we cannot say that it does not have any negative impact. One of main concern is of security which is always a risk if not taken care of the network properly. Computer hackers can easily crack a system and can go through different tools because they do not want your data but computer to attack different sites. Moreover if a system suffers from a virus then all the computer devices connected through networking are possibly in a chance to get viruses. (M LUKER, 2003) Secondly, if the network server breaks down then the whole system will not be able to access the files, which can result in the system failure or collapse. This gives us idea of never be dependent on one source and backup should be maintained on more than one system. CONCLUSION: Computer networking plays a major role in building up a structure for communication, sharing and data transferring. In this fast era, where millions of works are getting done on computer and internet, computer networking is a vital source to make it more reliable. Networking was initiated for simple transferring of data to save time and to get accurate data directly which later grew into a wide source of connecting devices across the globe. If networking would not have been introduced, world would have been hundred years behind. REFERENCES GRAHAM KINGS (2005), Understanding and Designing Computer Networks pg- 21-35. Bradley Mitchell (2011), “Network Topologies”, Guide: About.com/wireless and networking. NURUL SARKAR (2006), “Tools for teaching computer networking and hardware concepts” from www.about.com/wireless and networking. Mark Luker (2003), “Conducting a risk analysis” Pg.7, Published by Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Company. A.C. Davenhall & M.J. Leese (2005) “An Introduction to Computer Network Monitoring and Performance” Edinburgh, pg 6-9. Read More