Question

Describe topologies and concepts in the understanding, usage, and design of local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) transmission methods, and communications topologies in the design of networks:

1.Distinguish between the client-server and peer-to-peer models used to control access to a network

2.Describe various networking hardware devices and the most common physical topologies

3.Describe the seven layers of the O S I model

4.Explain best practices for topologies when working with networks and computers

•The Thomas Brown Foundation is a fundraising and development organization for the Alberta Symphony Orchestra and the Brown Art Museum.

•The Thomas Brown Foundation has a board of directors and eight full- and part-time staff members, including an executive director.

•The board has authorized the staff to move into larger quarters in an office building.

•One part of the move involves networking the computers used by the staff, which has not been done in the old office.

•The staff uses Windows 7 Professional.

• Once a week, the chairperson of the board of directors drops into the present office to work for the Foundation and is expected to do the same in the future office.

•The executive director uses Mac OS X Lion on her laptop computer, and she wants to have a network connection available. The Foundation hires you through Network Design Consultants to assist with the network design.

The Foundation plans to share folders on the network along with other resources. You learn from talking with the executive director that the board currently does not plan to authorize the purchase of a server.

With this information in mind, what type of network do you recommend?

•Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of what you recommend distinguishing between the client-server and peer-to-peer models.

•Describe at least three different topologies considered including the networking hardware devices for those topologies.

•Use diagrams and pictures to support your recommendation that illustrate the seven layers of the OSI model.

•Explain how best practices for topologies, when working with networks and computers, support your recommendation.

Answer 1

There are different types of topologies. They are the Bus Topology, Ring Topology, Star Topology, Mesh Topology and the Tiered Topology. While the Bus, Ring and Star configuration are simpler and inexpensive to implement they are vulnerable to failure.

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a communication network of devices which spans geographical areas. It is an interconnection across geographical locations, of multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) which are small communication networks in the same locality. WANs can be compared to a spider web. The multiple webs confined with a house (locality within building or area or country) are LANs while when they grow to the extent that they traverse multiple houses (internationally across different countries), they become WANs.

Network topology describes the arrangement by which the components of networks (LANs or WANs) are organized. We will now examine the different topologies by which a WAN may be arranged.

Question 1:

Key​​ Differences Between Client-server and Peer-to-Peer network

1.The key difference between Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer network is that there is a dedicated server and specific clients in the client-server network model whereas, in peer-to-peer each node can act as both server and client.

2.ln the client-server model, the server provides services to the client. However, in peer-to-peer, each peer can provide services and can also request for the services.

3.In the client-server model, sharing information is more important whereas, in peer-to-peer model connectivity between peers is more important.

4.In the client-server model, data is stored on a centralized server whereas, in peer-to-peer each peer has its own data.

5.In peer-to-peer model, the servers are distributed in a system, so there are fewer chances of server getting bottlenecked, but in the client-server model, there is a single server serving the clients, so there are more chances of server getting bottlenecked.

6.The client-server model is more expensive to implement than peer-to-peer.

7.The client-server model is more scalable and stable than peer-to-peer.

Question 2:

Different networking devices:

Network Hub:

Network Hub is a networking device which is used to connect multiple network hosts. A network hub is also used to do data transfer. The data is transferred in terms of packets on a computer network. So when a host sends a data packet to a network hub, the hub copies the data packet to all of its ports connected to. Like this, all the ports know about the data and the port for whom the packet is intended, claims the packet.

Network Switch:

Like a hub, a switch also works at the layer of LAN (Local Area Network) but you can say that a switch is more intelligent than a hub. While hub just does the work of data forwarding, a switch does 'filter and forwarding' which is a more intelligent way of dealing with the data packets.

Modem:

A Modem is somewhat a more interesting network device in our daily life. So if you have noticed around, you get an internet connection through a wire (there are different types of wires) to your house. This wire is used to carry our internet data outside to the internet world.

Network Router:

A router is a network device which is responsible for routing traffic from one to another network. These two networks could be a private company network to a public network. You can think of a router as a traffic police who directs different network traffic to different directions.

Bridge:

If a router connects two different types of networks, then a bridge connects two subnetworks as a part of the same network. You can think of two different labs or two different floors connected by a bridge.

Repeater:

A repeater is an electronic device that amplifies the signal it receives. In other terms, you can think of repeater as a device which receives a signal and retransmits it at a higher level or higher power so that the signal can cover longer distances.

Question 3:

7 layers of the OSI model

The seven Open Systems Interconnection layers are:

Layer 7: The application layer: Enables the user (human or software) to interact with the application or network whenever the user elects to read messages, transfer files or perform other network-related activities. Web browsers and other internet-connected apps, such as Outlook and Skype, use Layer 7 application protocols.

Layer 6: The presentation layer: Translates or formats data for the application layer based on the semantics or syntax that the application accepts. This layer is also able to handle the encryption and decryption that the application layer requires.

Layer 5: The session layer: Sets up, coordinates and terminates conversations between applications. Its services include authentication and reconnection after an interruption. This layer determines how long a system will wait for another application to respond. Examples of session layer protocols include X.225, AppleTalk and Zone Information Protocol (ZIP).

Layer 4: The transport layer: Is responsible for transferring data across a network and provides error-checking mechanisms and data flow controls. It determines how much data to send, where it gets sent and at what rate. The Transmission Control Protocol is the best known example of the transport layer.

Layer 3: The network layer: Primary function is to move data into and through other networks. Network layer protocols accomplish this by packaging data with correct network address information, selecting the appropriate network routes and forwarding the packaged data up the stack to the transport layer.

Layer 2: The data-link layer: The protocol layer in a program that handles the moving of data into and out of a physical link in a network. This layer handles problems that occur as a result of bit transmission errors. It ensures that the pace of the data flow doesn’t overwhelm the sending and receiving devices. This layer also permits the transmission of data to Layer 3, the network layer, where it is addressed and routed.

Layer 1: The physical layer: Transports data using electrical, mechanical or procedural interfaces. This layer is responsible for sending computer bits from one device to another along the network. It determines how physical connections to the network are set up and how bits are represented into predictable signals as they are transmitted either electrically, optically or via radio waves.