Bus Topology in Computer Networks

Bus Topology

• A bus network has each node connected to a single cable, resembling bus stops branching from a route.
• It's cost-effective, simple to set up, and add new nodes, but a central link failure causes all dependencies to fail.
• Bus networks are less secure due to the shared central link and slow down with more nodes sharing the cable.

Ring Topology

• A ring network has nodes and links arranged in a ring, with each node having two neighbors.
• Repeaters ensure data reaches distant nodes, and data usually flows unidirectionally.
• Ring networks are cheap to install and expand, with fast data flow, but a single node failure can bring down the network.

Star Topology

• A star network has nodes connected to a central hub, resembling a star shape.
• It's easier to troubleshoot issues with individual nodes, and a single node failure doesn't affect the rest of the network.
• However, if the central hub fails, the entire network goes down, and performance depends on the hub and connections.

Tree Topology

• A tree topology combines bus and star networks, with a central hub connecting multiple star networks.
• It allows for more devices to connect to a central data center, speeding up data flow.
• Identifying issues with individual nodes is relatively easy, but it's vulnerable to a single point of failure.

Mesh Topology

• A mesh network has each device connected to at least one other node, with full mesh connecting every node, and partial mesh connecting some nodes directly.
• Communication is fast, and nodes can communicate directly without a central hub.
• Mesh networks are resilient, continue to function if a node or connection fails, and offer greater security.
• However, they're expensive to set up, requiring many cables, and can be complicated to install and maintain.

Hybrid Topology

• A hybrid network combines multiple topologies, offering flexibility.
• Examples include tree networks combining star and bus networks.