Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

1. What is OSI model and how is it important in networking?

The OSI model is the one which divides the network communication as consisting of 7 different layers. These include all the layers between the lower-most physical layer and the higher level Application layer ( Datalink, Network, Transport, Session and presentation layers). What it does by categorizing so is to just distinguish the various functionalities that the protocols may offer over a network transmission. Some of the soecific protocols just try to concentrate the details till the layer necessary, thereby making it simpler for the co-existence of different protocols and different standards.

2. What are the layers that are present in the DOD and the TCP/IP models?

The TCP/IP networking model consists of the Application, transport, network, datalink and physical layers. The DOD model has the application, host-to-host, internet, network access layers - 4 in total.

3. What is the type of cable used for connecting similar devices?

The similar devices are usually connected using the cross wired cables. This reduces the noise and enable smooth communication. 1,2 pins of the cross wire and meant for sending and 3,6 points are for reception of data.

1/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

4. What are the advantages of twister pair cables?

The twisted pair has two independent wires insulated with plastic coating and interwoven with each other. This type of insulation prevents cross talk and avoids the undesirable induction effects from magnetic fields which may generate losses and corruptions. These can be used to carry signal over reasonable distances.

5. Briefly describe the RIP.

The Routing Information Protocol is one that is used to give the routing information along with the data that is being sent. This has become obsolete with emergence of large networks and the internet. However, in the local internal networks with fixed number of hop spots, the RIP can serve as an efficient way to transfer data from one point to another. The router need not do much of work in identifying the shortest route etc.

6. How does ARP differ from RARP?

The ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is meant for the identification of a remote systems physical address, when the host knows only its network address. The Reverse ARP (RARP) is used when the host wants to know its own network address when all it has is the physical address of itself.

2/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

7. What is the difference between the TCP and UDP protocols? When are they used?

The TCP is a connection oriented protocol while the UDP is not. This means that the TCP based communication is more reliable than the UDP. The sequence of acknowledgements that are associated with TCP makes it more effective for transmission of control information and other important commands. The UDP on the other hand makes it possible to have a quick transmission of data across the various systems in the network. This is used when a few packet losses are not a matter of concern (like in Live video streaming).

8. How is bit rate different from baud rate of a network?

The bit rate represents the number of bits that are transferred in one second. But the baud rate refers to the number of signals at the hardware level that are transmitted in one second. The baud rate is thus obtained by dividing the bit rate by the N (number of signal units per bit).

9. What is Remote Procedure Call (RPC)?

RPC refers to the mechanism of invoking a function that is implemented in a remote system through the network. The RPCs can be performed using many different protocols and standards. The usual standards are based on the XML based data that is being transferred across the TCP protocol from one system to another.

3/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

10. What is a subnet? What is a subnet mask?

The subnet refers to the dividing of a network based on the network addresses that are assigned. This way the security of the networks are established according to the different sub-networks and the huge network can be made easily manageable based on the divisions. The subnet mask refers to the number which identifies the significant values in the address of the systems. For example a mask of 255.255.255.0 establishes the fact that the sub-network is having only 255 systems that are distinguished by the last part of the IPV4 address.

11. What is a FTP?

The File Transfer Protocol is one that is designed to enable quick transfer of files from one system to another. The file servers that are deployed have the ports listening for incoming FTP requests. The requests for specific files from clients are then responded with the link to the file that they request.

12. What are transaction server?

Transaction server refers to the server with a database engine to which the other systems send remote procedure calls. These calls in turn will be signalling a batch execution of the SQL statement from the database. The SQL queries succeed or fail as a batch. The entire message transfer between the transaction server and a client is in the single request/reply model.

4/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

13. What is horizontal and vertical scaling?

The horizontal scaling refers to the expansion of the client or workstation base in a server/client based network. This may indicate increase in number of clients or increase of client dependency on the server - meaning a additional load on the servers. The vertical scaling on the other hand refers to server expansion in number or performance power.

14. What are sockets and ports? How many ports are available on a normal system?

Sockets represent the end points of communication. Assuming a channel of communication established between two systems, the endpoint in which each system received or sends data is referred to as sockets. Ports refer to the outlets through which the system can be connected with others. The number of ports in a normal operating system is 65536. The first 1024 ports are allocated for general usage and system functionalities.

15. What is two-tier architecture?

A 2-tier architecture refers to the server-client model of networking. Here the applications are entirely residing on the server side with minimal operations on the client side. Most of the time it is just the user interface that lies in the client side and all the computations are carried out in the server side of the application. Database server and print server are typical examples of such an architecture.

5/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

16. What is a general middleware?

The general middleware is one that is lying below the UI application and this consists of all the communicative procedures like RPCs, authentication procedures, network/OS extensions with queuing services etc. This is a platform below which a complex storage mechanism or any complex logic is implemented and over which the development of different access mechanisms takes place.

17. What is meant by beaconing?

This is the mechanism of auto-repair in the networks like the ring and FDDI. The network hotspots can detect any misled transmission or malfunctions in the network. This can again be used within the network to make it repair the condition by itself.

18. What is the difference between NETBIOS and NETBEUI?

The NETBIOS is the abstracting layer of software there hides the hardware specifics of the network from the applications. The NETBEUI refers to the user interface (NETBIOS extended User Interface) that gives access to the NETBIOS functions like sending and receiving messages through the network interface.

6/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

19. What is the difference between the hub and switch?

The hub is just a junction where the systems are integrated but there is no logically divided network. Any packet received through a hub is sent across to all the other members connected to the hub (which is then resolved using Collision detection mechanisms). It can have a max speed of 10mbps. The switch creates a logically divided network with all the systems having a logical network address for each system and the max speed achievable is 100mpbs.

20. What is network cluster?

The cluster is the network logic that combines the resources and processing powers of many systems and identifies it as a single entity. Distributed systems and Network of Workstations come under such kind. The cluster usually has a merged network identity within which there can be individually separate systems with their own identity.

21. What is attenuation? How is it overcome?

The attenuation refers to the degradation of signal strength when it is transmitted for a long distance over cables. This is overcome be placing repeaters at specific distances.

7/8

Networking Interview Questions and answers

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 September 2011 13:55 -

22. What are the different types of transparencies that NOW middleware provides you?

The different types of transparencies include namespace, failure, administration, distributed time, location , logon, access transparencies.

23. What is DHCP?

The DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol which is responsible for identifying the unused network addresses from the particular hotspot and assigning it to the specific system. This applies to the IP networks of computers where many intermediate routers.

8/8