Technology and Topology

I learnt about a very interesting topic, which is topology. What is topology actually? Network (LAN) topology is actually the study of the arrangement or mapping of the elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a network, especially the physical (real) and logical (virtual) interconnections between nodes. Network topology is divided into two types, which are the physical topology and also logical topology. 

 1.     Physical topology is the physical layout of devices on a network or the way that the devices on a   network are arranged and how they communicate with each other

 - The way that the workstations are connected to the network through the actual cables that transmit data - the physical structure of the network

2.      Logical topology is the mapping of the flow of data between the nodes in the network determines the logical topology of the network

  - the way that the signals act on the network media, or the way that the data passes through the network from one device to the next without regard to the physical interconnection of the devices.

Types/Classification of physical topologies:

a.       Linear Bus

b.      Star

c.       Star-Wired Ring

d.      Tree

e.       FDDI

f.       Mesh

1. Linear bus  

- A linear bus topology consists of a main run of cable with a terminator at each end.

- All nodes (file server, workstations, and peripherals) are connected to the linear cable.

- Ethernet and LocalTalk networks use a linear bus topology.

- The bus cable carries the transmitted message along the cable. As the message arrives at each workstation, the workstation computer checks the destination address contained in the message to see if it matches its own. If the address does not match, the workstation does nothing more.

-  If the workstation addresses matches that contained in the message, the workstation processes the message. The message is transmitted along the cable and is visible to all computers connected to that cable.

2. Ring

 

- neighbor forming a ring.

- The main difference between the bus and ring is that the ring topology does not require termination. Because the systems are connected all together in a loop, there is no beginning and end point as there is with the bus topology.

- This configuration is seen in Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) networks.