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BOARD DIPLOMA EXAMINATION, (C-20)
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER-2023
DCME-FOURTH SEMESTER EXAMINATION
COMPUTER NETWORKS
Time: 3 Hours] Answer key [Total Marks: 80
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PART-A 3×10=30
Instructions: (1) Answer all questions.
(2) Each question carries three marks.
(3) Answers should be brief and straight to the point and shall not exceed five simple
sentences.
2. Hardware Sharing: Users can share devices such as printers, scanners, CD-ROM drives, hard
drives etc., Without computer networks, device sharing is not possible.
3. Application Sharing: Applications can be shared over the network and this allows implementing
client/server applications
4. User Communication: Networks allow users to communicate using e-mail, news groups and video
conferencing etc..
5. Network Gaming: A lot of network games are available, which allow multi-users to play from
different locations.
6. Voice Over IP (VoIP): Voice over Internet Protocol (IP) is a revolutionary change in
telecommunication which allows to send telephone calls (voice data) using standard Internet Protocol
(IP) rather than by traditional PSTN.
The Network ID indicates which network the device is on. The Host ID refers to the specific device on that
network. (Usually your router is .1, and each subsequent device gets assigned .2, .3, and so on.)
6. What is Subnetting
Ans. Subnetting is the process of dividing a larger IP network into smaller, more manageable sub-networks
or subnets. This is done to improve network performance, security, and organization. Subnetting involves
borrowing bits from the host portion of an IP address to create a subnet address, allowing for the creation of
multiple smaller networks within a larger one.
It helps in optimizing network traffic, reducing broadcast domains, and enhancing security by isolating
different parts of a network. Subnetting is a common practice in IP networking and is crucial for efficient
address space utilization in both IPv4 and IPv6 environments.
OR
Subnetting is a combination of two words i.e. Sub and Netting. Here Sub word means Substitute and netting
word means Network. The Substitute Network created for a function to happen is known as Subnetting.
Here, Substitute Network does not mean a new network is created. A full piece of network is broken into
small pieces and each piece a different is assigned.
Device Manager provides a centralized location to oversee various components, including graphics cards,
network adapters, printers, and more. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the proper functioning of
hardware by giving users control over their connected devices and ensuring that the necessary drivers are
installed and up-to-date.
PART-B 8×5=40
Scope: Spans a wide geographical area, often connecting multiple cities or countries.
Data Transfer Rate: Variable, ranging from moderate to high, depending on the technologies used.
Ownership: Usually involves multiple organizations or service providers.
Examples: The internet is a global WAN, connecting networks across the world.
Application Layer:
Function: This layer provides communication services directly to applications. It enables network services
such as email (e.g., SMTP), file transfer (e.g., FTP), and web browsing (e.g., HTTP).
Protocols: Examples include HTTP, SMTP, FTP.
Transport Layer:
Function: Responsible for end-to-end communication and data flow control. It ensures reliable and efficient
data transfer between devices on a network.
Protocols: TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) for reliable communication, and UDP (User Datagram
Protocol) for faster but less reliable communication.
Internet Layer:
Function: Handles logical addressing and routing of data packets between different networks. It is crucial for
forwarding data between devices across the internet.
Protocols: IP (Internet Protocol) is a fundamental protocol in this layer.
Network Access Layer:
Function: Manages the physical connection to the network, addressing on the local network, and the delivery
of frames within the network.
Protocols: Ethernet, Wi-Fi (802.11), PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol).
OR
Layers of the TCP/IP Model
Unlike the OSI model which comprises seven layers, the TCP/IP model is structured with four different
layers. These four layers are:
1. Network Access Layer
2. Internet Layer
3. Host to Host Layer
4. Application Layer
Now, let us discuss each of these four layers in detail along with their functions as a part of the protocol
architecture.
.
Types of twisted pair cable:
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable: In STP the wires are covered by a copper braid covering or a
foil shield, this foil shield adds a layer that protects it against interference leaking into and out of the
cable. Hence, they are used for longer distances and higher transmission rates.
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable: Unshielded twisted pair cable is one of the most commonly
used cables in computer networks at present time. UTP consists of two insulated copper wires
twisted around one another, the twisting of wires helps in controlling interference
3. Fiber Optic Cable: Fiber optic cables use optical fibers which are made of glass cores surrounded by
several layers of cladding material usually made of PVC or Teflon, it transmits data in the form of light
signals due to which there are no interference issues in fiber optics. Fiber optics can transmit signals
over a very long distance as compared to twisted pairs or coaxial cables. It uses 10BaseF, 100BaseFX,
100BaseBX, 100BaseSX, 1000BaseFx, 1000BaseSX, and 1000BaseBx ethernet variants. Hence, it is
capable of carrying information at a great speed.
Design:An optical fiber consists of a core and a cladding, chosen for their total internal reflection
due to the difference in refractive index between the two. In real optical fibers, the cladding is
usually covered with a layer of acrylate or polyimide polymer. The coating protects the fiber
from damage and several layers of protective sheathing, depending on the application, are added
to form the cable.
Description: In a bus topology, all devices share a single communication line, or "bus." Each device has a
unique address, and data is transmitted along the bus. All devices on the network receive the data, but only
the device with the corresponding address processes it.
Advantages: Simple and easy to implement, cost-effective for small networks.
Disadvantages: Performance can degrade as more devices are added, and the failure of the central bus can
disrupt the entire network.
2. Star Topology:
Description: In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central hub or switch. The hub acts as a
repeater and facilitates communication between devices. If one connection fails, it doesn't affect the rest of
the network.
Advantages: Easy to install, robust against individual cable failures, and scalable.
Disadvantages: Dependent on the central hub; failure of the hub disrupts the network.
3. Ring Topology:
Description: In a ring topology, each device is connected to exactly two other devices, forming a closed
loop. Data travels in one direction around the ring. Devices have repeaters to strengthen the signal.
Advantages: Simple and easy to install; suitable for small networks with limited traffic.
Disadvantages: Failure of one device or connection can disrupt the entire network; adding or removing
devices can be complex.
4.Mesh Topology:
Description: In a mesh topology, every device is connected to every other device in the network. This
redundancy ensures multiple paths for data transmission, enhancing reliability and fault tolerance.
Advantages: High reliability, fault tolerance, and scalability.
Disadvantages: Expensive to implement due to the extensive cabling and hardware requirements; complex to
manage
IP Addressing Scheme: IP address is an address that is used to uniquely identify a device on an IP network.
IP address is made up of 32 binary bits. These binary bits can be further divided into network portion and
host portion with the help of a subnet mask.
The 32 binary bits are broken into four octets of 8 bits each. Each octet is converted to decimal and
separated by a period (dot).
The IP address is thus expressed in a dotted decimal format (for example, 192.18.80.200), where the value in
each octet can range from 0 to 255 decimal (or 00000000 – 11111111 binary).
IP ADDRESSING SCHEME IN IP v4
Every device on internet has an address for the intercommunication among different devices. These
addresses can be of various types like MAC or hardware address on OSI layer 2 (Data Link Layer) and IP
address or logical address on OSI Layer 3 (Network Layer). These layer-3 addresses are used for routing &
Switching, creation of logical paths between different nodes so that IP packets can be forwarded.
Here we are going to discuss the different classes & ranges of IP addresses and how these are defined. These
classes are defined on the basis of different combinations of first 8 bits (First octet) out of the total 32 bits of
IP address. Following are the different classes of IP addresses and the corresponding range. We will refer the
following table showing the corresponding value of first 8 bits (in on mode)
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lower range can be found out by keeping all the bits off (means the corresponding numerical value is not
added)
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Higher range can be calculated by turning all the bits on (except the 1st bit which is reserved as off)
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
So the range of class B is 128-191. Some examples are 130.x.x.x, 156.x.x.x, 178.x.x.x, 190.x.x.x.
Note: – In class B the range 169.254.0.0 -169.254.255.255 is reserved for APIPA (Automatic private IP
addressing) and used when a computer doesn’t get any IP from DHCP server for various reasons.
CLASS-C
This class has 24 bits for network part and so its default subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. To assign the range
first 3 bits are reserved, 1st & 2nd bits are always on and 3rd bit is always off.
Its lower range is 192 as last five bits are off.
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Bit’s Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
So the class C range is 192-223. Some examples are 200.x.x.x, 215.x.x.x, 221.x.x.x, 195.x.x.x.
CLASS-D
The range of this class is from 224-239 and can’t be allocated to hosts. This class is used for multicasting by
various routing protocols. Some common examples are
224.0.0.9-Used by RIP-2
224.0.0.10-Used by EIGRP
224.0.0.18-Used by VRRP
224.0.0.22-Used by IGMP
CLASS-E
The range of this class is from 240-255 and is not meant for general use. These are typically used for
experiments.
Internet addresses are made up of a network address and a host (or local) address. This two-part address
allows a sender to specify the network as well as a specific host on the network. A unique, official network
address is assigned to each network when it connects to other Internet networks. However, if a local network
is not going to connect to other Internet networks, it can be assigned any network address that is convenient
for local use.
The Internet addressing scheme consists of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and two special cases of IP
addresses: broadcast addresses and loopback addresses.
Internet addresses
The Internet Protocol (IP) uses a 32-bit, two-part address field.
Subnet addresses
Subnet addressing allows an autonomous system made up of multiple networks to share the same
Internet address.
Broadcast addresses
The TCP/IP can send data to all hosts on a local network or to all hosts on all directly connected
networks. Such transmissions are called broadcast messages.
Local loopback addresses
The Internet Protocol defines the special network address, 127.0.0.1, as a local loopback address
OR
TCP/IP includes an Internet addressing scheme that allows users and applications to identify a specific
network or host with which to communicate.
TCP/IP uses a 32 bit addressing scheme to identify the devices on a network. These 32 bits are divided into
four octets, of eight bits each.
Each of these four octets is represented in a decimal form, and separated by a dot. For example,
198.172.168.10 is an IP address. This format of representing IP address is called the dotted decimal format.
The octets in an IP address can take a decimal value from 9 to 255 because the largest decimal value that can
be represented by eight binary bits is 255(11111111 in binary).
For example, the 32 bit binary address 11000110.10101100.1010100.0001010 represents the IP address
198.172.168.10.
Ans. SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, is a protocol used for managing and monitoring
devices on a network. It operates in a client-server model, where the managed devices (like routers,
switches, and servers) are the servers, and the management systems (such as network management software)
are the clients.
1.Managed Devices: These are the network devices you want to monitor or manage. Each device runs an
SNMP agent, which is a software module that collects information about the device and makes it available
to SNMP.
2.SNMP Manager: This is the system responsible for monitoring and managing the network. It sends
requests to SNMP agents on managed devices and receives responses. The SNMP manager can also receive
unsolicited notifications (traps) from the agents.
Get Request: The SNMP manager sends a Get request to a specific OID (Object Identifier) on a managed
device's SNMP agent, requesting information.
Get Response: The SNMP agent responds with the requested information.
Set Request: The manager can also send Set requests to modify configuration parameters on a managed
device.
Trap: SNMP agents can send Trap messages to the SNMP manager to notify it of specific events without
waiting for a request.
4.MIB (Management Information Base): It's a virtual database that defines the hierarchy and structure of
managed objects in a device. Each OID corresponds to a specific variable (like CPU usage, interface status,
etc.).
5.SNMP Versions: SNMP has different versions (SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, SNMPv3), each with improvements
in security and functionality. SNMPv3, for example, provides authentication and encryption to secure
communication between the manager and agents.
OR
SNMP is a standard protocol for network management. It provides a way to monitor and control devices on
the network, such as routers, switches, modems, printers, servers, etc. The advantage of SNMP is that it
allows you to view information from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. This can be useful
when you need to check the status or configuration of all your devices at once. You can also remotely
configure your devices.
The most common use of network management protocol is to monitor and manage devices on an enterprise’s
local area network (LAN). This type of monitoring is often referred to as “network management.” In
addition to this basic function, this can be used to remotely configure network devices or collect
performance statistics about the LAN.
Working of SNMP.
The network management protocol is a standard protocol that allows network administrators to monitor the
status of network devices. It sends queries to devices and collects information about their state. Once the
protocol is enabled, devices will store their performance statistics, which are then sent back to the central
database.
When a device wants to send a message to another device, it sends a request using the Network Management
Protocol, which tells the receiving device, “Hey, I need help!”. If the receiving device doesn’t have any
trouble with the request, it will respond with a response containing its status and configuration.
If the receiving device is having problems, it may not respond. Or if it responds but gives insufficient
information, it could mean that the requesting device did not properly format the request.
The receiving device may return an error code if it cannot handle the request. For example, if the receiving
device is down, it might tell the sender that the device is unavailable.
In either case, the sending device uses the response to determine how to fix the problem. If the receiving
device says it needs help, the sending device might try to contact the appropriate administrator. If the
receiving device returns an error code, the sending device might go into diagnostic mode.
RMON enables continuous monitoring of network traffic without causing significant overhead. It defines a
set of monitoring functions that can be applied to network devices such as switches and routers. These
functions include statistics collection, event reporting, and alarm generation.
1.Statistics Collection: RMON devices can collect statistics on various aspects of network traffic, such as
packet counts, error rates, and bandwidth utilization. This information helps in understanding how the
network is performing and identifying potential issues.
2.Alarm Generation: RMON supports the setting of thresholds for specific network parameters. When these
thresholds are exceeded, alarms are generated, allowing administrators to proactively address potential
problems before they affect network performance.
3.Event Reporting: RMON devices can be configured to report specific network events, providing insights
into the network's health and performance. Events may include link status changes, excessive collisions, or
other significant occurrences.
4.Packet Capture: Some RMON implementations support the capture of packet data for detailed analysis.
This feature is useful for troubleshooting specific network issues by examining the actual content of network
packets.
5.History Collection: RMON allows the storage of historical data, enabling administrators to review past
network performance trends and identify patterns or recurring issues.
RMON is an extension of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and enhances SNMP by
providing more detailed and specific monitoring capabilities. It is particularly valuable in large or complex
networks where real-time monitoring and proactive management are crucial for maintaining optimal
performance and reliability.
1.Partitioning:
7.Disk Encryption:
Definition: Securing data on a disk by converting it into unreadable code.
Tools: BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on macOS, LUKS on Linux.
8.Storage Pooling and RAID Configuration:
Definition: Combining multiple physical drives into a single logical storage unit for redundancy or
performance.
Tools: Windows Storage Spaces, Disk Utility on macOS, mad on Linux.
9.Monitoring Disk Health:S
Definition: Keeping track of a disk's performance, temperature, and potential issues.
Tools: SMART monitoring tools, Disk Utility on macOS, Gnome Disks on Linux.
These tools and tasks collectively enable users to manage their storage efficiently, ensuring data integrity,
optimal performance, and effective use of disk space.
A file management system has limited capabilities and is designed to manage individual or group files, such
as special office documents and records. It may display report details, like owner, creation date, state of
completion and similar features useful in an office environment.
Data on every computer is stored in a complex hierarchical file system constituted of directories and
subdirectories beneath them. Files are stashed inside these directories, usually following pre-determined
hierarchical structures determined by a program's instructions.
However, many other files such as pictures, videos and documents are arranged by the user according to his
or her own will.
A file management system ultimately is the software used to arrange these files, move them, and work with
then. In fact, file management systems take care of how the files are organized rather than just how they are
stored.
A file management system's tracking component is key to the creation and management of this system,
where documents containing various stages of processing are shared and interchanged on an ongoing basis.
It consists of a straightforward interface where stored files are displayed It allows the user to browse, move,
and sort them according to different criteria such as date of last modification, date of creation, file
type/format, size, etc.
Status.
In Microsoft Windows operating systems, the default file management system is Windows Explorer.
On Mac computers, instead, this role is taken belongs to a tool called Finder. Although the functionality
offered by these file management systems is pretty basic, they are usually enough for most users.
However, some businesses might want more advanced tools that can, for example, understand the
differences between files of the same format or sort them according to their content.
More advanced file management systems can provide additional functions. such as document management
software (DMS) which can organize important documents. Files are assigned a label or indexed according to
their attributes to build a searchable database for faster retrieval.
A file management system should not be confused with a file system, which manages all types of data and
files in an operating system (OS), or a database management system (DBMS), which has relational database
capabilities and includes a programming language for further data manipulation.
PART-C 10×1=10
Both the devices printers and scanners use the same process for installation and configuration. It is a step by
step process as given below:
Step 1: Attach the device using a local or network port and connect the power:
The device is to be set up on a flat stable surface first after which it is to be connected to host computer with
its power off or to the network. Once this is done, connect power to it using power adapter that comes with it
or with A/C power cord if the device has built-in power supply and finally the device is to be turned on.
Step 2: Install and Update the Device driver and calibrate the device:
Boot up the computer and wait for it to recognize the device and the wizard that appears helps in the
configuration process of driver for printer/ scanner or CD-ROM that comes with the device can be inserted
which guides through the device driver installation procedure.
The device functions once the driver is installed but some devices such as Inkjet printers or scanners require
to calibrate the device.
Once the driver is installed, default settings and options for printers and Scanners can be configured as
required.
Once all the steps above are completed, can test the output of printer/ scanner by printing a test page.
Windows has a built-in function for doing this.
Scanners are required to run the scanning software and place a single page on the scanner and press scan
button and see that the scanned output on the PC is correct.