Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women

(University of Delhi)

Introduction to Computer Networks

Part-1
B.Sc. (H) Computer Science 3rd Semester

Lecture-2

Faculty: Manish Kumar Singh

Asst. Professor (Dept. of Computer Science)
Shyama Prasad Mukherji College
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NETWORKS
A network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes)
connected by communication links. A node can be a
computer, printer, or any other device capable of sending
and/or receiving data generated by other nodes on the
network.

Topics discussed in this section:

● Distributed Processing (Motivation to develop comp. n/w)
● Network Criteria (i.e. to measure effectiveness of a network)
● Physical Structures (i.e. Topology)
● Network Models (i.e. OSI vs TCP/IP)
● Categories of Networks (i.e. LAN,WAN, MAN)
● Interconnection of Networks: Internetwork (i.e. Internet)
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 Distributed Processing
- Most networks used it
- Task is divided among multiple computers instead of one single
large computer

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 Network Criteria
▪ Network must meet a certain number of criteria
▪ The most important of the network criterions are:
1. Performance
2. Reliability
3. Security
1. Performance
■ Transit time: Amount of time required for a message to travel from one device to another
■ Response time: Elapsed time between an inquiry and a response
Performance depends on :
i. Number of users: large number slow response time.
ii. Type of transmission medium: fiber-optic cabling faster than others cables.
iii. Capabilities of the connected hardware: affect both the speed and capacity of transmission.
iv. Efficiency of the software: process data at the sender and receiver and intermediate affects
network performance.
Performance is evaluated by two contradictory networking metrics:
A. Throughput (high): a measure of how fast we can actually send data through a network
B. Delay (low)

2. Reliability
Reliability is measured by:
1. Frequency of failure
2. Recovery time of a network after a failure
3. Network’s robustness in a catastrophe: protect by good back up network
system
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 Network Criteria
3. Security
■ Protecting data from unauthorized access
■ Protecting data from damage and development
■ Implementing policies and procedures for recovery from
breaches and data losses (Recovery plan)

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 Physical Structures
I. Type of connection
▪ Network: Two or more devices connected through links
▪ Link: Communication pathway that transfers data from one device two
another
▪ Two devices must be connected in some way to the same link at the
same time. Two possible types:
A. Point-to-Point
B. Multipoint
A. Point-to-Point
■ Dedicated link between two devices
■ Entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission between those
two devices
■ Use an actual length of wire or cable

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 Physical Structures
Point-to-Point (contd.)
■ Other options, such as microwave or satellite is possible
■ Example: Television remote control

B. Multipoint (multidrop)
■ More than two devices share a single link
■ Capacity is shared
■ Channel is shared either spatially or temporally
1. Spatially shared: if devices use link at same time
2. Timeshare: if users must take turns

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 Physical Structures
II. Physical Topology
• The way a network is laid out physically
• Two or more links form a topology
• The topology of a network is the geometric representation of the relationship of
all the links and linking devices (nodes) to one another.
• Four topologies : Mesh, Star, Bus, and Ring

Figure 1.4 Categories of

topology

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 Physical Structures
1. Mesh Topology
• Every link is dedicated point-to-point link
• The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic only between the two
devices it connects
• To link n devices fully connected, mesh has:
n ( n - 1) / 2 physical channels (Full-Duplex)
Every Device on the network must have:
n - 1 ports (per device)

Figure 1.5 A fully connected mesh topology (five devices)

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 Physical Structures
Mesh Topology (CONTD.)
■ Example:
6 devices in mesh has links: n(n-1) / 2
=> number of links = 6 (6-1)/2 = 15
=> number of ports per device = n – 1 = 6 –1 = 5
■ Advantages:
1. Each connection carry its own data load (no traffic problems)
2. A mesh topology is robust
3. Privacy or security
4. Fault identification and fault isolation

▪ Disadvantages:
1. Big amount of cabling
2. Big number of I/O ports
3. Installation and reconnection are difficult
4. Sheer bulk of the wiring can be greater than the available space
5. Hardware connect to each I/O could be expensive

Note: Mesh topology is implemented in a limited fashion; e.g., as backbone of

hybrid network

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 Physical Structures
2. Star Topology
• Dedicated point-to-point to a central controller (Hub)
• No direct traffic between devices
• The control acts as an exchange
Advantages:
1. Less expensive than mesh
(1 Link + 1 port per device)
2. Easy to install and reconfigure
3. Less cabling
4. Additions, moves, and deletions required one connection
5. Robustness : one fail does not affect others
6. Easy fault identification and fault isolation

Figure 1.6 A star topology connecting four

stations
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 Physical Structures
Star Topology (CONTD.)
▪ Disadvantages
1. Dependency of the whole topology on one single point (hub)
2. More cabling than other topologies ( ring or bus)

▪ Application of Star Topology:

Used in LAN

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 Physical Structures
3. Bus Topology
• It is multipoint
• One long cable acts as a backbone
• Nodes connect to cable by drop lines and taps (to share data from cable with
connected device)
• Signal travels along the backbone and some of its energy is transformed to heat
• Limit of number of taps and the distance between taps
▪ Advantages of Bus Topology:
1. Ease of installation
2. Less cables than mesh, star topologies

Figure 1.7 A bus topology connecting three stations

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 Physical Structures
Bus Topology (CONTD.)
▪ Disadvantages:
1. Difficult reconnection and fault isolation ( limit of taps)
2. Adding new device requires modification of backbone
3. Fault or break stops all transmission
4. The damaged area reflects signals back in the direction of the
origin, creating noise in both directions
▪ Application of Bus Topology:
Used in the design of early LANS, and Ethernet LANs

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 Physical Structures
4. Ring Topology
• Each device has dedicated point-to-point connection with only the two
devices on either side of it
• A signal called token is passed along the ring in one direction from device to
device until it reaches its destination. This is known as token-passing.
• Each devices incorporates a Repeater

Figure 1.8 A ring topology connecting six

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 Physical Structures
Ring Topology (CONTD.)
Advantages:
• Easy of install and reconfigure
• Connect to immediate neighbors
• Move two connections for any moving (Add/Delete)
• Easy of fault isolation
Disadvantages:
• Unidirectional
• One broken device can disable the entire network. This weakness can be
solved by using a dual ring or a switch capable of closing off the break

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 Physical Structures
5. Hybrid Topology
• Combination of more than one topology
• Example: having a main star topology with each branch connecting several
stations in a bus topology

Figure 1.9 A hybrid topology: a star backbone with three bus

networks

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