Structured Wiring System Components Quiz

Packet-Switched Network Responsibilities

• In a packet-switched network, the destination is responsible for:
  • Putting packets back in order
  • Identifying missing packets and requesting retransmission after a timeout period
  • Reassembling packets upon delivery

Physical Layer

• Operates at the bottom layer of the OSI model
• Responsible for signaling 1's and 0's
• Uses cabling or transmission media to transmit signals
• Analog communications use alternating current (AC) with a continuously changing voltage or amplitude signal
• Digital communications use discrete voltages or values to represent 1's and 0's

Transmission Media

• Copper transmission medium:
  • Used in unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) and shielded twisted-pair (STP) cables
  • Supports low-, medium-, and high-speed transmissions
• Coaxial transmission medium:
  • Used in rugged indoor or outdoor cables
  • Supports greater bandwidth and longer distances
• Glass/fiber transmission medium:
  • Supports large amounts of data transmission over long distances
  • Typically has multiple strands within the same cable sheath
• Air transmission medium:
  • Used in infrared, satellite, wireless, or radio frequency (RF)-based network technology
  • Can be affected by lack of clear line of sight or moisture

Network Interface Cards (NICs)

• Can possess multiple NICs, especially in virtual machines
• Enables association with multiple MAC addresses
• MAC addresses can be modified through software drivers, but conflicts arise if two devices share the same MAC address

Ethernet

• Uses a nondeterministic, unpredictable transmission approach
• Operates using CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection)
• Supports up to 400 Gbps trunk bandwidth speeds on single-mode optical fiber
• Uses Layer 2 and Layer 3 LAN switches to provide each port with an Ethernet LAN segment or collision domain

Network Design

• Minimizing collisions in a network can be achieved through:
  • Full-duplex communication
  • Switched networks
  • Segmentation
  • Collision detection/avoidance
• Networks can be categorized into:
  • Edge networks
  • Building backbone networks
  • Campus backbone networks
  • Metropolitan area networks (MANs)
  • Wide area backbone networks

Ethernet Detention

• Works when a NIC transmits onto the media and simultaneously listens
• A valid transmission allows the destination node to receive the Ethernet frame, while collisions trigger the transmitting node's transceiver to halt and retransmit after a random backoff

IEEE PoE Standards

• IEEE 802.3af (2003): Draws up to 15.4 watts of power from the PoE switch port
• IEEE 802.3at (2009): Draws up to 25.5 watts of power from the PoE switch port

Disadvantages of Packet-Switched Network

• Potential for packet loss and delays
• Higher complexity in routing
• Security challenges

Advantages and Disadvantages of Circuit-Switched Network

• Advantages:
  • Constant dedicated bandwidth
  • No packet loss
  • Simplicity in managing connections
• Disadvantages:
  • Inefficient use of resources
  • Limited scalability
  • Vulnerability to failure

Structured Wiring System

• Components:
  • Workstation outlet and RJ-45 connections
  • Intermediate distribution frame (IDF) or wiring closet
  • Intrabuilding distribution
  • Main distribution frame (MDF) or data center
• Benefits:
  • Modular and flexible for supporting end-to-end connectivity
  • Supports rapid moves, adds, and changes
  • Has a lifespan of more than 10 years of operation

Cut-Through and Store-and-Forward Switching

• Cut-Through Switching:
  • Advantages: Lower latency
  • Disadvantages: Limited error checking
• Store-and-Forward Switching:
  • Advantages: Robust error checking
  • Disadvantages: Higher latency

Design Considerations for Internetworking Workgroup LANs

• Various-sized switches with fixed-port and chassis-based options
• Fiber optic cables for extended connectivity
• Layer 2 switching functions through MAC address filtering and forwarding
• IEEE 802.1Q Ethernet tagging for unique identification and extension of Layer 2 VLANs### Network Architecture
• Used in collaborative environments where peers trust each other
• Technology is not safe, so Blockchain is used to encrypt and maintain integrity
• Benefits: Fault tolerant, reduced need for central authority
• Drawbacks: No central authority, conflict resolution must be negotiated, difficult to provide confidentiality

Data Storage and Management

• Stores and manages data efficiently
• Process: Data Storage, Data Processing, User Interface (UI) Processing, Business Logic Processing

Request Methods

• GET: Retrieve and render a resource (web page)
• HEAD: Same as GET, without any data in the response body
• POST: Submit input data to resource (web server)
• PUT: Overwrite data on (web server) resource
• DELETE: Delete data in (web server) resource
• TRACE: Generates an echo for debugging and auditing of a web server
• OPTIONS: Returns HTTP methods the web server supports
• CONNECT: Translates connection request to a TCP/IP tunnel; to increase security of a connection (HTTPS)
• PATCH: Applied partial modifications to the specified resource

Representational State Transfer (REST)

• Issues remote service calls using HTTP and the web
• HTTP response consists of 3 parts: Status code, Response header, Optional message body

Malicious Software (Malware)

• Developed for the purpose of doing harm
• Types:
  • Trojan Horse: Disguised as a useful program to trick users to download and exploit known vulnerabilities
  • Spyware: Covertly gathers information about users' activity and reports it to a third party
  • Virus: Capability to generate copies of itself and spread file to file; it requires interaction of an individual and spread slowly
  • Worm: A self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable codes, programs, or documents
  • Ransomware: Malware that encrypts files, or even entire volumes, and forces the victim to pay a ransom to get the decryption key

Security Threats

• DoS Attack: Attacker consumes the resources on a target computer and prevents normal use of network resources for legitimate purposes
• DDoS Attack: Similar to DoS; except attack is launched from multiple distributed agents IP addresses
• Botnets: Workstations infected with remote-controlled malware from a collection of other remotely controlled infected workstations

Application Layer Controls

• Malware Scanners: Anti-malware programs use many techniques to check files and applications for viruses
• SSH: Gives the ability to login to systems in a secure manner as username and password are encrypted
• PGP: Uses public-private key system and offers strong protection from email
• S/MIME: Secures email by using X.509 certificates authentication

HTTP Request Process

• Web browser initiates connection
• Web browser sends HTTP request to server
• Browser constructs HTTP message and sends to host from URL
• HTTP request methods indicates whether request/response has a body and how to handle the message

Packet-Switched Network

• Disadvantages:
  • Potential for packet loss and delays
  • Higher complexity in routing
  • Security challenges
• Advantages:
  • Constant dedicated bandwidth
  • No packet loss
  • Simplicity in managing connections

Circuit-Switched Network

• Disadvantages:
  • Inefficient use of resources
  • Limited scalability
  • Vulnerability to failure
• Advantages:
  • Ensures a stable, predictable connection suitable for real-time applications like voice calls
  • Minimal risk of data loss during transmission

Physical Layer

• Operates at the bottom layer of the OSI model
• Signaling of 1's and 0's occurs
• Cabling or other transmission media is needed to transmit them
• Analog communications use alternating current (AC)
• Digital communications utilize discrete voltages or values to represent a 1 or a 0 in transmission

Transmission Medium

• Copper transmission mediums:
  • Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) and shielded twisted-pair (STP) cable
• Coaxial transmission medium:
  • Rugged indoor or outdoor cable
  • Supports greater bandwidth and transmissions at further distances
• Glass/fiber transmission medium:
  • Fiber cables have a glass core surrounded by a glass cladding
  • Supports large amounts of data transmissions over very far distances
• Air Transmission Medium:
  • Transmission medium for infrared, satellite, wireless, or radio frequency (RF)-based network technology

Network Interface Card (NIC)

• Physical component that connects a computer to a network
• Can possess multiple NICs, especially when using virtual machines on the same physical workstation
• Having multiple NICs enables association with several MAC addresses

MAC Addressing

• MAC address is typically assigned by the manufacturer for each NIC
• Some NICs permit users to modify these addresses through software drivers
• MAC spoofing: This will create a network error and collisions on an Ethernet LAN if two devices have the same MAC address

Ethernet

• Uses a nondeterministic, unpredictable transmission approach
• CSMA/CD determine if there is available room to transmit
• IEEE 802.3af-2003: Standard that draws up to 15.4 watts of power from the PoE switch port to power an IP phone
• IEEE 802.3at-2009: Standard that draws up to 25.5 watts of power from the PoE switch port to power an IP phone

Collision Detection/Avoidance

• Mechanisms help identify and prevent collisions, improving overall network efficiency
• Full-duplex Communication: Allows simultaneous data transmission and reception, reducing the chance of collisions
• Switched Networks: Provide dedicated paths for communication, minimizing collisions compared to shared networks
• Segmentation: Breaks the network into smaller collision domains, limiting the scope of collisions

Quality of Service (QoS)

• Routing that prioritizes time-sensitive protocols, ensuring faster delivery of packets
• Enables real-time applications, relying on time-sensitive protocols, to benefit from faster delivery of packets

Switching

• Components of CSMA/CD:
  • Carrier sense
  • Multiple access
  • Collision detection
• Cut-Through Switching: Forwards frames as soon as the destination address is recognized, reducing latency
• Store and Forward Switching: Stores and verifies the complete frame before forwarding, enabling more robust error checking

Structured Wiring System

• Components:
  • Workstation outlet and RJ-45 connections
  • Intermediate distribution frame (IDF) or wiring closet
  • Intrabuilding distribution
  • Main distribution frame (MDF) or data center
• Benefits:
  • Modular and flexible for supporting end-to-end connectivity
  • Support rapid moves, adds, and changes
  • Have a lifespan of more than 10 years of operation

Coaxial Cable

• Types:
  • RG-6: Typically used for home audio, video, and TV transmission equipment
  • RG-58: Typically used for RF transmissions and antennae cabling to radio equipment
  • RG-59/U: Closed circuit television (CCTV) transmission to monitors
  • RG-60U: High definition television (HDTV) and high-speed cable modems

Network Design

• Considerations:
  • Various-sized switches with fixed-port and chassis-based options
  • Fiber optic cables to mitigate error susceptibility
  • Layer 2 switching functions through MAC address filtering and forwarding mechanisms
  • IEEE 802.1Q Ethernet tagging to enable unique identification and extension of Layer 2 VLANs
  • Optimize performance with high-speed Ethernet, QoS, and scalable subnetting
  • Enhance security through ACLs, firewalls, and robust authentication mechanisms

Backbone Network

• Approaches:
  • Hierarchical Backbone Network: Features a structured, multilayered design linking departmental LANs to a central high-speed backbone
  • Flat Backbone Network: Involves connecting departmental LANs to a centralized high-speed backbone using VLANs and Ethernet tagging
• Advantages of collapsed backbone topology:
  • Simplicity
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Enhanced performance
• Disadvantages of collapsed backbone topology:
  • Fiber optic cabling is required
  • The central switch represents a single point of failure### Network Architecture
• A collapsed backbone network is a simplified design where the core and distribution layers are collapsed into a single layer.
• The core layer is responsible for high-speed data transfer, and the distribution layer manages connectivity to access layer devices.
• There are 3 common network connection levels:
  • Access network: supports PC and workstation connectivity
  • Distribution network: connects workgroup LANs into department LANs
  • Core backbone network: connects building backbones and departmental LANs into a common and shared network

Network Services

• Layer 4 provides flow control, fragmentation/assembly, error control, and acknowledgement of delivery.
• Protocols operate within the network layer, including:
  • IP (main protocol used to transit packets across the network)
  • ICMP (easy method to send short messages, commonly used for error messages)
  • IPSec (authenticates and encrypts each IP packet)

TCP Connection

• Steps to set up and use a TCP connection:
  • Remote client sends connection request to server
  • Server acknowledges connection request
  • Client confirms acknowledgment to server
  • TCP connection is established, and client and server exchange messages
  • Remote client sends a close request to the server
  • Server acknowledges the close request and sends all messages
  • Client acknowledges server's close request
  • Server closes its side of the connection after receiving acknowledgment
• Steps 1-3 are referred to as the Three Way Handshake

IPv6

• Making assigning IP addresses easier
• Simplifying renumbering networks
• Standardizing the host identification part of the address
• Integrating network security into the protocol
• Defining multicasting as part of the specification
• 3 methodologies to send packets to one, several, or many destinations:
  • Unicast: sending a packet to a single destination
  • Anycast: sending a packet to the nearest node in a specified group of nodes
  • Multicast: sending a packet to multiple destinations

Architecture Types

• Host-based: server performing all four functions and clients enable users to send and receive messages to and from the host computer
  • Benefits: superior security controls, easy to manage data concurrency, simple
  • Drawbacks: not scalable, single point of failure, difficult to expand
• Client/server: server performing all four functions is accessed by the client computer through the network
  • Benefits: leverages workstations processing, reduces local storage cost
  • Drawbacks: excessive network I/O, not scalable, performance tied to network bandwidth
• Cloud computing/N-tier: users view websites through application server request, and the application accesses its data security through a database server
  • Benefits: maximizes data and processing distribution, scalable, easy to add components on demand
  • Drawbacks: more complex to code for distributed infrastructure, administration and security are partially outsourced/split, operations and recovery planning are more complex with more components
• Peer-to-peer (P2P): peers share data and processing with each other
  • Benefits: fault tolerant, reduced need for central authority
  • Drawbacks: no central authority, conflict resolution must be negotiated, difficult to provide confidentiality

HTTP Request

• Process of an HTTP request:
  • Web browser initiates connection
  • Web browser sends HTTP request to server
  • Browser constructs HTTP message and sends to host from URL
  • HTTP request methods indicate whether request/response has a body and how to handle the message
• Request methods:
  • GET: retrieve and render a resource
  • HEAD: same as GET, without any data in the response body
  • POST: submit input data to resource
  • PUT: overwrite data on resource
  • DELETE: delete data in resource
  • TRACE: generates an echo for debugging and auditing of a web server
  • OPTIONS: returns HTTP methods the web server supports
  • CONNECT: translates connection request to a TCP/IP tunnel; to increase security of a connection
  • PATCH: applied partial modifications to the specified resource

Malicious Software

• Malware: developed for the purpose of doing harm
• Types of malware:
  • Trojan Horse: disguises as a useful program to trick users into downloading and exploiting known vulnerabilities
  • Spyware: software application that covertly gathers information about users' activity and reports it to a third party
  • Virus: capability to generate copies of itself and spread file to file; it requires interaction of an individual and spreads slowly
  • Worm: a self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable codes, programs, or documents
  • Ransomware: malware that encrypts files, or even entire volumes, and forces the victim to pay a ransom to get the decryption key

Network Security

• Application Layer controls that can stand between attackers:
  • Malware scanners: anti-malware programs use many techniques to check files and applications for viruses
  • SSH: gives the ability to login to systems in a secure manner as username and password are encrypted
  • PGP: uses public-private key system and offers strong protection from email
  • S/MIME: secures email by using X.509 certificates authentication

Packet-Switched Network

• Disadvantages:
  • Potential for packet loss and delays
  • Higher complexity in routing
  • Security challenges
• Advantages:
  • Efficient use of resources
  • Scalable
  • Flexible

Circuit-Switched Network

• Disadvantages:
  • Inefficient use of resources
  • Limited scalability
  • Vulnerability to failure
• Advantages:
  • Constant dedicated bandwidth
  • No packet loss
  • Simplicity in managing connections

Physical Layer

• Operates at the bottom layer of the OSI model
• Signaling of 1's and 0's occurs at this layer
• Cabling or other transmission media is needed to transmit them
• Types of transmission media:
  • Copper transmission mediums: used in UTP and STP cables
  • Coaxial transmission medium: used in rugged indoor or outdoor cable
  • Glass/fiber transmission medium: used in fiber cables
  • Air transmission medium: used in infrared, satellite, wireless, or radio frequency (RF)-based network technology

Ethernet

• Uses a nondeterministic, unpredictable transmission approach
• Doesn't try to prevent all collisions; it merely listens and transmits
• CSMA/CD determine if there is available room to transmit
• Components of CSMA/CD:
  • Carrier sense
  • Multiple access
  • Collision detection
• IEEE PoE standards:
  • IEEE 802.3af-2003: standard that draws up to 15.4 watts of power from the PoE switch port
  • IEEE 802.3at-2009: standard that draws up to 25.5 watts of power from the PoE switch port

Test your knowledge on the components of a structured wiring system, including workstation outlets, RJ-45 connections, intermediate distribution frames (IDF), and intrabuilding distribution. Learn about the key elements that make up a structured cabling infrastructure.