Networking Basics: Module 1

Module 1: Networking Today

• Networking is essential, comparable to basic needs like air, water, food, and shelter.
• Modern networks connect people globally like never before.
• Networks affect daily life by enabling communication and connection.

Networking Today: No Boundaries

• Networks transcend geographical limitations.
• Networks facilitate global communities.
• The modern network is a human network uniting individuals.

Network Components: Host Roles

• Every computer on a network is a host or end device.
• Servers provide information to end devices.
• Email servers provide email services.
• Web servers provide web page access.
• File servers store files.
• Clients request and retrieve information from servers.

Network Components: Peer-to-Peer

• A device can be both a client and a server.
• This design is best for small networks.
• Advantages include ease of setup, simplicity, and lower cost.
• Drawbacks include lack of centralized administration, security concerns, and limited scalability.
• Suitable for simple tasks like file sharing and printer sharing.

Network Components: End Devices

• End devices initiate and receive data.
• Data travels through the network from a sending end device to a receiving end device.
• LANs (Local Area Networks) are part of the complete network.
• Internetworks can allow alternate routes between connected LANs.

Network Components: Intermediary Devices

• Intermediary devices connect end devices.
• Examples include switches, wireless access points, routers, and firewalls.
• Intermediary devices manage data flow, including regenerating and retransmitting signals and maintaining network pathways.
• They notify other devices about errors or communication failures.

Network Components: Network Media

• Data travels across a network through a medium, allowing messages to pass from source to destination.
• Types of Media include metal wires(copper), glass or plastic fibers(fiber optic), and wireless.

Network Representations and Topologies

• Network diagrams, also known as topology diagrams, use symbols to represent network devices.
• Terms like physical port, network interface card, and interface are commonly used.
• Physical topology diagrams show the physical arrangement of devices and cable installations.
• Logical topology diagrams depict the devices, ports, and addressing scheme of the network.

Common Types of Networks

• Networks vary in size, user count, services, and responsibility areas.
• Network types include small home networks, small office/home office (SOHO), medium/large networks, and wide area networks (WANs).
• WANs connect many networks.
• LANs interconnect devices in a limited physical area.

Common Types of Networks: LANs and WANs

• LAN covers a small geographical area, usually managed by a single organization.
• WANs span larger geographical areas, often maintained by multiple service providers.
• WANs typically connect several LANs.

Common Types of Networks: The Internet

• The internet is a collection of interconnected LANs and WANs worldwide.
• LANs and WANs use copper, fiber optic, and wireless transmission.
• The internet isn't owned by any single entity. Organizations like the IETF, ICANN, and IAB help maintain internet structure.

Common Types of Networks: Intranets and Extranets

• Intranets are private LAN/WAN collections internal to a company. Access is restricted to authorized members.
• Extranets allow secure access to an organization's network from outside individuals or other organizations.

Internet Connections: The Converging Network

• Before converged networks, organizations used separate networks for telephone, video, and data.
• Each technology used a unique set of rules and standards.

Internet Connections: The Converging Network (Cont.)

• Converged networks allow data, voice, and video to share the same network infrastructure.
• This uses the same rules and standards.

Reliable Networks

• Quality of Service (QoS), fault tolerance, scale, and security are vital qualities in a robust network.
• Scalability lets networks accommodate more users and applications without compromising performance.
• Fault tolerance reduces the impact of failures by using alternative paths.
• Security protects the network infrastructure from unauthorized access or data breaches.

Network Trends

• Recent trends affect the role of networks, necessitating ongoing adjustments.
• Several recent trends that impact networks, include bring your own device (BYOD), online collaboration, video communications, and cloud computing.
• These trends constantly impact and change networks allowing flexibility to support future technologies