Computer Networks

Rajat Saxena

Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences, Indore

rajat.saxena@suas.ac.in

July 31, 2019

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Overview

1 Introduction
Computer Network
Importance of Computer Networks
Why Build a Computer Network

2 Data Communication
Definition of Data Communication
Fundamental Characteristics of Data Communication

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Introduction

Computer Network
A computer network is a set of data processing nodes that are
interconnected for the purpose of data communication. It is a group of
computer joined with each other to share data and information to perform
a particular predefined task.

Computer Networking
Computer networking is the scientific and engineering discipline concerned
with communication and sharing of resources between computers.

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Importance of Computer Networks

Every organization uses a substantial number of computers and

communication tools to effective usage and communication of
information retrieval programs.

Computer Networks allow user to access remote database and

programs from the public sources. It provides communication faster
than other facilities that increases organizational learning rate.

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Why We Build a Computer Network

1 Networks enable communication for the view of fundamental change

and interaction with work around.
2 It helps to standardize the policies, procedures, and practices among
network users and increases the work efficiency.
3 It brings together diverse ideas and issues into a common and global
forum.
4 It ensures to work in redundant information environments.

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Basic Requirements for a Network

1 It must provide connections which refers to the hardware.

2 In must provide communications is such a way that devices talk to
each other.
3 It must provides services which are shared with rest of the network.

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Aims for Computer Networks

Data Sharing
Sharing of data files stored in local disk of one computer. This data can
be accessed from other computer present on either same network or
different network.

Resource Sharing
Resource sharing to one computer from other computer present on either
same network or different network is very important issue. This features
reduces the cost of making the resource physical available on every
computer.

Network Security
Main feature of network is to restrict the unauthorized access of the
resources on the computer.

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Network Criteria

Performance
Performance can be measured by transit time and response time. Transit
time is the amount of time required for a message to travel from one
device to another. Response time is the elapsed time between an inquiry
and a response. The performance of a network depends on number of
users, the type of transmission medium, the capabilities of the concerned
hardware, and the efficiency of the software. Performance can also
evaluated by throughput and delay. For a good system, we need high
throughput with less delay.

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Network Criteria

Network Reliability
Network reliability can be observed by accuracy of delivery, frequency of
failure, time required for recovery from a failure, robustness of network in
a disaster.

Network Security
Network security includes protecting data from unauthorized access,
damage, data losses. It also measured from implementing policies and
procedures for recovery from breaches.

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Data

Data refers to information presented in any form is agreed upon by the

parties creating and using the data.
Data Communication
Data communications are the exchange of data between two devices via
some form of transmission medium such as a wire cable. For data
communications to occur, the communicating devices must be part of a
communication system made up of a combination of hardware (physical
equipment) and software (programs).

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Fundamental Characteristics of Data Communication

1. Delivery
The system must deliver data to the correct destination. Data must be
received by the intended device or user and only by that device or user.

2. Accuracy
The system must deliver the data accurately. Data that have been altered
in transmission and left uncorrected are unusable.

3. Jitter
Jitter refers to the variation in the packet arrival time. It is the uneven
delay in the delivery of audio or video packets.

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Fundamental Characteristics of Data Communication

4. Timeliness
The system must deliver data in a timely manner. Data delivered late are
useless. In the case of video and audio, timely delivery means delivering
data as they are produced, in the same order that they are produced, and
without significant delay. This kind of delivery is called real-time
transmission.

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A Data Communication system has Five Components.

1. Message
The message is the information (data) to be communicated. Popular
forms of information include text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video.

2. Sender
The sender is the device that sends the data message. It can be a
computer, workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so on.
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A Data Communication system has Five Components.

3. Receiver
The receiver is the device that receives the message. It can be a computer,
workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on.

4. Transmission medium
The transmission medium is the physical path by which a message travels
from sender to receiver. Some examples of transmission media include
twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, and radio waves.

5. Protocol
A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communications. It represents
an agreement between the communicating devices. Without a protocol,
two devices may be connected but not communicating, just as a person
speaking French cannot be understood by a person who speaks only
Japanese.
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Data Flow

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1. 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. The keyboard can only introduce input; the monitor can only
accept output. The simplex mode can use the entire capacity of the
channel to send data in one direction.

2. Half-Duplex
In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and receive, but not
at the same time. When one device is sending, the other can only receive,
and vice versa. The half-duplex mode is like a one-lane road with traffic
allowed in both directions. When cars are traveling in one direction, cars
going the other way must wait. In a half-duplex transmission, the entire
capacity of a channel is taken over by whichever of the two devices is
transmitting at the time. The half-duplex mode is used in cases where
there is no need for communication in both directions at the same time;
the entire capacity of the channel can be utilized for each direction.
Walkie-talkies and CB (citizens band) radios are both half-duplex systems.
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3. 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 at the same time. In full-duplex mode,
signals going in one direction share the capacity of the link with signals
going in the other direction. This sharing can occur in two ways: Either
the link must contain two physically separate transmission paths, one for
sending and the other for receiving; or the capacity of the channel is
divided between signals traveling in both directions. One common example
of full-duplex communication is the telephone network. When two people
are communicating by a telephone line, both can talk and listen at the
same time. The full-duplex mode is used when communication in both
directions is required all the time. The capacity of the channel, however,
must be divided between the two directions.

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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.

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1.Point-to-Point
A point-to-point connection provides a dedicated link between two devices.
The entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission 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, such as microwave or
satellite links, are also possible. When we change television channels by
infrared remote control, we are establishing a point-to-point connection
between the remote control and the televisions control system.

2. Multi-Point
A multipoint (also called multidrop) connection is one in which more than
two specific devices share a single link.

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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
the relationship of all the links and linking devices (usually called nodes) to
one another. There are four basic topologies possible: mesh, star, bus, and
ring.

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Mesh Topology
In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point-to-point link to
every other device. The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic
only between the two devices it connects. To find the number of physical
links in a fully connected mesh network with n nodes, we first consider
that each node must be connected to every other node. Thus, We need
n.(n − 1) physical links.

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Mesh Topology

In a mesh topology, if each physical link allows communication in both

directions (duplex mode), we can divide the number of links by 2. In other
words, we can say that in a mesh topology, we need n.(n−1)
2 duplex-mode
links. To accommodate that many links, every device on the network must
have n1 input/output (I/O) ports to the other n − 1 stations.

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Advantages of Mesh Topology

1 The use of dedicated links guarantees that each connection can carry
its own data load, thus eliminating the traffic problems that can occur
when links must be shared by multiple devices.
2 A mesh topology is robust. If one link becomes unusable, it does not
incapacitate the entire system.
3 There is the advantage of privacy or security. When every message
travels along a dedicated line, only the intended recipient sees it.
Physical boundaries prevent other users from gaining access to
messages.
4 Point-to-point links make fault identification and fault isolation easy.
Traffic can be routed to avoid links with suspected problems. This
facility enables the network manager to discover the precise location
of the fault and aids in finding its cause and solution.

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Disadvantages of Mesh Topology

1 The main disadvantages of a mesh are related to the amount of

cabling and the number of I/O ports required. First, because every
device must be connected to every other device, installation and
reconnection are difficult.
2 The sheer bulk of the wiring can be greater than the available space
(in walls, ceilings, or floors) can accommodate.
3 The hardware required to connect each link (I/O ports and cable) can
be prohibitively expensive. For these reasons a mesh topology is
usually implemented in a limited fashion.

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Star Topology

In a star topology, each device has a dedicated point-to-point link only to

a central controller, usually called a hub. The devices are not directly
linked to one another. Unlike a mesh topology, a star topology does not
allow direct traffic between devices. The controller acts as an exchange: If
one device wants to send data to another, it sends the data to the
controller, which then relays the data to the other connected device.

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Advantages of Star Topology

1 A star topology is less expensive than a mesh topology.

2 In a star, each device needs only one link and one I/O port to connect
it to any number of others. This factor also makes it easy to install
and reconfigure. Far less cabling needs to be housed, and additions,
moves, and deletions involve only one connection: between that
device and the hub.
3 Third advantages include robustness. If one link fails, only that link is
affected. All other links remain active. This factor also lends itself to
easy fault identification and fault isolation. As long as the hub is
working, it can be used to monitor link problems and bypass defective
links.

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Disadvantages of Star Topology

1 One big disadvantage of a star topology is the dependency of the

whole topology on one single point, the hub. If the hub goes down,
the whole system is dead.
2 Although a star requires far less cable than a mesh, each node must
be linked to a central hub. For this reason, often more cabling is
required in a star than in some other topologies (such as ring or bus).

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Bus Topology
A bus topology have multipoint connections. One long cable acts as a
backbone to link all the devices in a network. Nodes are connected to the
bus cable by drop lines and taps. A drop line is a connection running
between the device and the main cable. A tap is a connector that either
splices into the main cable or punctures the sheathing of a cable to create
a contact with the metallic core. As a signal travels along the backbone,
some of its energy is transformed into heat. Therefore, it becomes weaker
and weaker as it travels farther and farther. For this reason there is a limit
on the number of taps a bus can support and on the distance between
those taps.

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Advantages of Bus Topology

1 Advantages of a bus topology include ease of installation. Backbone

cable can be laid along the most efficient path, then connected to the
nodes by drop lines of various lengths.
2 A bus topology uses less cabling than mesh or star topologies.
3 In a bus, this redundancy is eliminated. Only the backbone cable
stretches through the entire facility. Each drop line has to reach only
as far as the nearest point on the backbone.

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Disadvantages of Bus Topology

1 It includes difficult reconnection and fault isolation.

2 A bus is usually designed to be optimally efficient at installation. It
can therefore be difficult to add new devices.
3 Signal reflection at the taps can cause degradation in quality. This
degradation can be controlled by limiting the number and spacing of
devices connected to a given length of cable. Adding new devices may
therefore require modification or replacement of the backbone.
4 A fault or break in the bus cable stops all transmission, even between
devices on the same side of the problem. The damaged area reflects
signals back in the direction of origin, creating noise in both
directions.

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Ring Topology
In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated point-to-point connection
with only the two devices on either side of it. A signal is passed along the
ring in one direction, from device to device, until it reaches its destination.
Each device in the ring incorporates a repeater. When a device receives a
signal intended for another device, its repeater regenerates the bits and
passes them along.

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Advantages of Ring Topology

1 A ring is relatively easy to install and reconfigure. Each device is

linked to only its immediate neighbors (either physically or logically).
To add or delete a device requires changing only two connections.
The only constraints are media and traffic considerations (maximum
ring length and number of devices).
2 In addition, fault isolation is simplified. Generally, in a ring a signal is
circulating at all times. If one device does not receive a signal within
a specified period, it can issue an alarm. The alarm alerts the network
operator to the problem and its location.

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Disadvantages of Ring Topology

1 Unidirectional traffic can be a disadvantage.

2 In a simple ring, a break in the ring (such as a disabled station) can
disable the entire network. This weakness can be solved by using a
dual ring or a switch capable of closing off the break.

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 The End

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