ASSIGNMENT 1 FRONT SHEET

Qualification BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Computing

Unit number and title Unit 2: Networking Infrastructure

Submission date 22/06/2023 Date Received 1st submission

Re-submission Date Date Received 2nd submission

Student Name Doan Do Dat Student ID BBH00653

Class SE06203 Assessor name Le Van Thuan

Student declaration

I certify that the assignment submission is entirely my own work and I fully understand the consequences of plagiarism. I understand that
making a false declaration is a form of malpractice.

Student’s signature Doan Do Dat

Grading grid

P1 P2 P3 P4 M1 M2 D1

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❒ Summative Feedback: ❒ Resubmission Feedback:

Grade: Assessor Signature: Date:

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Signature & Date:

Table of contents

I. Introductuion

II. Body

P1. Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network types and standards.

P2. Network topology & communication and Bandwidth requirements

P3. Discuss the operating principles of networking devices and server types

P4. Discuss the interdependence of workstation hardware with relevant networking software.

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III. Conclusion

IV. Evaluation

V. References

Contents
I- Introduction:....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
II- Body of the report:............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
P1. Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network types and standards....................................................................................7
- What is a network?.................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
- Network type:................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
- What is a network protocol?................................................................................................................................................................... 12
P2. Network topology & communication and Bandwidth requirements.......................................................................................................15
- What is Network Topology?................................................................................................................................................................... 15
- Discuss the Impact of topology:............................................................................................................................................................15
- Communication and Bandwidth:............................................................................................................................................................16
P3. Discuss the operating principles of networking devices and server types...........................................................................................18
- Network devices:..................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
- Server types:............................................................................................................................................................................................ 25
P4. Discuss the interdependence of workstation hardware with relevant networking software...............................................................30
- What is Interdependence?..................................................................................................................................................................... 30
- What is workstation hardware?.............................................................................................................................................................30
- What is networking software?................................................................................................................................................................31
- Discuss and explain the interdependencies of workstation hardware with networking software. Derive an example from your
discussion......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31

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M1. Compare common networking principles and how protocols enable the effectiveness of networked systems.............................32
- Compare LAN, CAN, MAN, and WAN:.................................................................................................................................................32
- Compare physical topologies and logical topologies:.........................................................................................................................33
- Compare between OSI reference model and TCP/IP reference model:..........................................................................................34
- Compare TCP and UDP:........................................................................................................................................................................ 35

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Figure 1: Network (ComputerHope, 2021)............................................................................................................................................................7
Figure 2: PAN network (Rehman, n.d.).................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Figure 3: LAN network (IT release, n.d.)..............................................................................................................................................................10
Figure 4: MAN network (Majumdar, 2019)...........................................................................................................................................................11
Figure 5: WAN network (Singh, 2023)................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Figure 6: Network Protocol Types (Contributor, 2022).....................................................................................................................................14
Figure 7: Repeater (Repeater Wikipedia, 2022).................................................................................................................................................19
Figure 8: Hub (DIPAK, 2017)................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Figure 9: Bridge (am7s.com, 2020)...................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 10: Switch (Primex, 2019).......................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 11: Router (Sandhu, 2013)........................................................................................................................................................................ 23
Figure 12: Gateway (IndiaMart, 2018)................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Figure 13: Brouter (Gupta, 2018).......................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 14: NIC (afrank99, 2011)........................................................................................................................................................................... 25

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 I- Introduction:

II- Body of the report:

P1. Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network types and
standards.
- What is a network?
A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other devices
connected to allow data sharing. An example of a network is the Internet, which connects millions of people all over
the world. (ComputerHope, 2021)

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 Figure 1: Network (ComputerHope, 2021)

- Network type:
LAN, MAN, and WAN are the three major types of networks designed to operate over the area they cover. The
difference is the geographical area they cover. LAN covers the smallest area, and MAN covers a larger area than
LAN. WAN comprises the largest of all.
There are other types of Computer Networks also, like: PAN (Personal Area Network), SAN (Storage Area
Network), EPN (Enterprise Private Network), and VPN (Virtual Private Network),…
 Personal Area Network (PAN)
PAN is a personal area network having an interconnection of personal technology devices to communicate over a
short distance. PAN has fewer users compared to other networks such as LAN, WAN, etc. PAN typically uses
some form of wireless technology. PAN involves the transmission of data between information devices such as
smartphones, personal computers, tablet computers, etc.
o Advantages:
+ Allows for communication between personal devices nearby.
+ Set up easily and quickly.
+ Using wireless technology, which eliminates the need for wires and cables.
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 + PAN is designed to be energy efficient
o Disadvantages:
+ Limited coverage area.
+ May not be suitable for large-scale data transfer or communication.
+ PAN typically has limited bandwidth.
+ May experience interference from other wireless devices. (Goyal, 2023)

Figure 2: PAN network (Rehman, n.d.)

 Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN connects network devices so that personal computers and workstations can share data, tools, and programs.
The group of computers and devices are connected by a switch, or stack of switches, using a private addressing
scheme as defined by the TCP/IP protocol. Private addresses are unique to other computers on the local network.
Routers are found at the boundary of a LAN, connecting them to the larger WAN.
o Advantages:
+ Provides fast data transfer rates and high-speed communication.
+ Easy to set up and manage.
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 + Can be used to share peripheral devices such as printers and scanners.
+ Provides increased security and fault tolerance compared to WAN.
o Disadvantages:
+ Limited geographical coverage.
+ Limited scalability and may require significant infrastructure upgrades to accommodate growth.
+ May experience congestion and network performance issues with increased usage. (Goyal, 2023)

Figure 3: LAN network (IT release, n.d.)

 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

MAN covers a larger area than that covered by a LAN and a smaller area compared to WAN. It connects two or
more computers that are apart but reside in the same or different cities. MAN is designed for customers who need

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 high-speed connectivity. The data transfer rate and the propagation delay of MAN are moderate. Devices used for
transmission of data through MAN are Modem and Wire/Cable.

o Advantages:
+ Provides high-speed connectivity over a larger geographical area than LAN.
+ Can be used as an ISP for multiple customers.
+ Offers higher data transfer rates than WAN in some cases.
o Disadvantages:
+ Expensive to set up and maintain.
+ May experience congestion and network performance issues with increased usage.
+ Have limited fault tolerance and security compared to LAN. (Goyal, 2023)

Figure 4: MAN network (Majumdar, 2019)

 Wide Area Network (WAN)

WAN is a computer network that extends over a large geographical area, although it might be confined within the bounds
of a state or country. A WAN could be a connection LAN connecting to other LANs via telephone lines and radio waves or

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limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public. The technology is high-speed and
relatively expensive. There are two types of WAN: Switched WAN and Point-to-Point WAN. WAN is difficult to design and
maintain. Similar to a MAN, the fault tolerance of a WAN is less and more congested in the network. A Communication
medium used for WAN is PSTN or Satellite Link.

o Advantages:
+ Cover large geographical areas and can connect remote locations.
+ Provides connectivity to the internet.
+ Offers remote access to resources and applications.
+ Use to support multiple users and applications simultaneously.
o Disadvantages:
+ Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
+ Offers slower data transfer rates than LAN or MAN.
+ May experience higher latency and longer propagation delays due to longer distances and multiple
network hops.
+ May have lower fault tolerance and security compared to LAN. (Goyal, 2023)

Figure 5: WAN network (Singh, 2023)

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Protocol and Standards:
- What is a network protocol?
+ A network protocol is a set of established rules that specify how to format, send and receive data so that
computer network endpoints, including computers, servers, routers, and virtual machines, can communicate
despite differences in their underlying infrastructures, designs, or standards.

+ To successfully send and receive information, devices on both sides of a communication exchange must accept
and follow protocol conventions. In networking, support for protocols can be built into the software, hardware, or
both.

+ Without network protocols, computers and other devices would not know how to engage with each other. As a
result, except for speciality networks built around a specific architecture, few networks can function, and the
Internet as we know it wouldn't exist. Virtually all network end users rely on network protocols for connectivity.
(Yasar, 2023)
- Some protocols:
1. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): TCP is a popular communication protocol that is used for
communicating over a network. It divides any message into a series of packets that are sent from source to
destination and get reassembled at the destination.
2. Internet Protocol (IP): IP is designed explicitly as an addressing protocol. It is mostly used with TCP. The IP
addresses in packets help route them through different nodes in a network until it reaches the destination. TCP/IP
is the most popular protocol connecting the networks.
3. User Datagram Protocol (UDP): UDP is a substitute communication protocol for Transmission Control Protocol
implemented primarily for creating loss-tolerating and low-latency linking between different applications.
4. Post office Protocol (POP): POP3 is designed for receiving incoming E-mails.
5. Simple mail transport Protocol (SMTP): SMTP is designed to send and distribute outgoing E-Mail.
6. File Transfer Protocol (FTP): FTP allows users to transfer files from one machine to another. Types of files
may include program files, multimedia files, text files, documents, etc.
7. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP): HTTP is designed for transferring a hypertext among two or more
systems. HTML tags are used for creating links. These links may be in any form like text or images. HTTP is

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 designed on Client-server principles, allowing a client system to connect with the server machine for making a
request. The server acknowledges the request initiated by the client and responds accordingly.
8. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): HTTPS is abbreviated as Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
Secure is a standard protocol to secure communication among two computers one using the browser and the other
fetching data from the web server. HTTP is used for transferring data between the client browser (request) and the
web server (response) in the hypertext format, the same in the case of HTTPS except that the transferring of data
is done in an encrypted format. So it can be said that https thwart hackers from interpreting or modification of data
throughout the transfer of packets. (w3schools, n.d.)

Figure 6: Network Protocol Types (Contributor, 2022)

- Some standard organizations and standards names:

 Standard organizations:
o International Standards Organization (ISO).
o International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
o Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE).
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 o American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
o Internet Research Task Force (IETF).
o Electronic Industries Association (EIA). (Reddy, 2020)
 Standards names:
o Application layer − HTTP, HTML, POP, H.323, IMAP
o Transport layer − TCP, SPX
o Network layer −IP, IPX
o Data link layer − Ethernet IEEE 802.3, X.25, Frame Relay
o Physical layer −RS-232C (cable), V.92 (modem) (Reddy, 2020)

P2. Network topology & communication and Bandwidth requirements

- What is Network Topology?
+ A network protocol is a set of established rules that specify how to format, send and receive data so that
computer network endpoints, including computers, servers, routers and virtual machines, can communicate despite
differences in their underlying infrastructures, designs or standards.
+ To successfully send and receive information, devices on both sides of a communication exchange must accept
and follow protocol conventions. In networking, support for protocols can be built into the software, hardware or
both.
+ Without network protocols, computers and other devices would not know how to engage with each other. As a
result, except for speciality networks built around a specific architecture, few networks might be able to function,
and the Internet as we know it wouldn't exist. Virtually all network end users rely on network protocols for
connectivity. (S.Gillis, 2021)

- Discuss the Impact of topology:

 Physical Topology:
o Physical topology means how network devices are physically connected. This includes the physical
connection of hubs, switches, routers, cables etc. in the network. This type of topology explains how
the network devices are plugged into each other.
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 o Some types of physical topologies:
+ Star Topology: In star topology, network components are connected to a central node such as a
router, switch or hub. The central hub behaves as a server and other devices connected to the central
hub behave as clients.
+ Linear Bus Topology: In this topology, nodes are connected to a single cable also known as a bus.
If the central cable gets any problem then all the nodes stop receiving data from other nodes.
+ Tree Topology: In tree topology, all the nodes are connected in such a way that it forms the tree
shape. There is only one connection between every two nodes. (Rehman, n.d.)

 Logical Topology:
A logical topology is a concept in networking that defines the architecture of the communication mechanism
for all nodes in a network. Using network equipment such as routers and switches, the logical topology of a
network can be dynamically maintained and reconfigured. Logical topologies contrast with physical
topologies, which refer to the physical interconnections of all devices in the network.
o Two of the most common logical topologies are:
+ Bus topology: Ethernet uses the logical bus topology to transfer data. Under a bus topology, a node
broadcasts the data to the entire network. All other nodes on the network hear the data and check if it
is intended for them.
+ Ring topology: In this topology, only one node can be allowed to transfer the data in a network at a
given time. This topology is achieved by token (the node having the token only can transmit the data
in a network) so network conflicts can be avoided.

- Communication and Bandwidth:

 Define commutation in networking: Network communication, or internetworking, defines a set of protocols
that allow application programs to talk with each other without regard to the hardware and operating systems
where they are run. Internetworking allows application programs to communicate independently of their
physical network connections. (IBM, 2021)
 Rules of communication:
o Networks can vary in size and complexity. It is not enough to have a connection, devices must
agree on “how” to communicate.
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There are three elements to any communication:
+ There will be a source (sender).
+ There will be a destination (receiver).
+ There will be a channel (media) that provides for the path of communications to occur.
o All communications are governed by protocols.
o Protocols are the rules that communications will follow.
o These rules will vary depending on the protocol.
o Individuals must use established rules or agreements to govern the conversation. The first
message is difficult to read because it is not formatted properly. The second shows the
message properly formatted
o Protocols must account for the following requirements:
+ An identified sender and receiver.
+ Common language and grammar.
+ Speed and timing of delivery.
+ Confirmation or acknowledgement requirements.
o Computer protocols must be in agreement and include the following requirements:
+ Message encoding:
 Encoding is the process of converting information into another acceptable form for
transmission.
 Decoding reverses this process to interpret the information.
+ Message formatting and encapsulation:
 When a message is sent, it must use a specific format or structure.
 Message format depends on the type of message and channel used to deliver the message.
+ Message size: Encoding between hosts must be in an appropriate format for the medium.
 Messages sent across the network are converted to bits
 The bits are encoded into a pattern of light, sound, or electrical impulses.
 The destination host must decode the signals to interpret the message.
+ Message timing: Message timing includes the following:
 Flow Control – Manages the rate of data transmission and defines how much information can
be sent and the speed at which it can be delivered.
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  Response Timeout – Manages how long a device waits when it does not hear a reply from the
destination.
 Access method - Determines when someone can send a message.
 There may be various rules governing issues like “collisions”. This is when more than
one device sends traffic at the same time and the messages become corrupt.
 Some protocols are proactive and attempt to prevent collisions. Other protocols are
reactive and establish a recovery method after the collision occurs.
+ Message delivery options: Message delivery may be one of the following methods:
 Unicast – one-to-one communication
 Multicast – one to many, typically not all
 Broadcast – one to all
Note: Broadcasts are used in IPv4 networks, but are not an option for IPv6. Later we will also see
“Anycast” as an additional delivery option for IPv6.
 Bandwidth: Network bandwidth is a measurement indicating the maximum capacity of a wired or wireless
communications link to transmit data over a network connection in a given amount of time. Typically, bandwidth
is represented in the number of bits, kilobits, megabits or gigabits that can be transmitted in 1 second.
Synonymous with capacity, bandwidth describes the data transfer rate. Bandwidth is not a measure of network
speed -- a common misconception. (Froehlich, 2021)

P3. Discuss the operating principles of networking devices and server

types.
- Network devices:
Network devices, also known as networking hardware, are physical devices that allow hardware on a computer
network to communicate and interact with one another. For example Repeater, Hub, Bridge, Switch, Routers,
Gateway, Brouter, NIC, etc.
1. Repeater – A repeater operates at the physical layer. Its job is to regenerate the signal over the same
network before the signal becomes too weak or corrupted to extend the length to which the signal can
be transmitted over the same network. An important point about repeaters is that they not only amplify

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 the signal, they also regenerate it. When the signal becomes weak, they copy it bit by bit and
regenerate it at its star topology connectors connecting following the original strength. It is a 2-port
device.

Figure 7: Repeater (Repeater Wikipedia, 2022)

2. Hub – A hub is a multi-port repeater. A hub connects multiple wires coming from different branches.
For example, the connector in a star topology connects different stations. Hubs cannot filter data, so
data packets are sent to all connected devices. In other words, the collision domain of all hosts
connected through Hub remains one. Also, they do not have the intelligence to find out the best path
for data packets which leads to inefficiencies and wastage.
 Types of Hub:
o Active Hub: These hubs have their power supply and can clean, boost, and relay the signal
along with the network. It serves both as a repeater as well as a wiring centre. These are used
to extend the maximum distance between nodes.
o Passive Hub: These hubs collect wiring from nodes and power supply from the active hub.
These hubs relay signals onto the network without cleaning and boosting them and can’t be
used to extend the distance between nodes.

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 o Intelligent Hub: It works like an active hub and includes remote management capabilities. They
also provide flexible data rates to network devices. It also enables an administrator to monitor
the traffic passing through the hub and to configure each port in the hub.

Figure 8: Hub (DIPAK, 2017)

3. Bridge – A bridge operates at the data link layer. A bridge is a repeater, with add on the functionality of
filtering content by reading the MAC addresses of the source and destination. It is also used for
interconnecting two LANs working on the same protocol. It has a single input and single output port,
thus making it a 2 port device.
 Types of Bridges:
o Transparent Bridges: These are the bridge in which the stations are completely unaware of the bridge’s
existence i.e. whether or not a bridge is added or deleted from the network, reconfiguration of the
stations is unnecessary. These bridges make use of two processes i.e. bridge forwarding and bridge
learning.
o Source Routing Bridges: In these bridges, routing operation is performed by the source station and the
frame specifies which route to follow. The host can discover the frame by sending a special frame called
the discovery frame, which spreads through the entire network using all possible paths to the destination.

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 Figure 9: Bridge (am7s.com, 2020)

4. Switch – A switch is a multiport bridge with a buffer and a design that can boost its efficiency (a large
number of ports imply less traffic) and performance. A switch is a data link layer device. The switch can
check errors before forwarding data, which makes it very efficient as it does not forward packets that
have errors and forward good packets selectively to the correct port only. In other words, the switch
divides the collision domain of hosts, but the broadcast domain remains the same.
 Types of Switch:
o Unmanaged switches: These switches have a simple plug-and-play design and do not offer advanced
configuration options. They are suitable for small networks or use as an expansion to a larger network.
o Managed switches: These switches offer advanced configuration options such as VLANs, QoS, and link
aggregation. They are suitable for larger, more complex networks and allow for centralized management.
o Smart switches: These switches have features similar to managed switches but are typically easier to set
up and manage. They are suitable for small- to medium-sized networks.
o Layer 2 switches: These switches operate at the Data Link layer of the OSI model and are responsible
for forwarding data between devices on the same network segment.
o Layer 3 switches: These switches operate at the Network layer of the OSI model and can route data
between different network segments. They are more advanced than Layer 2 switches and are often used
in larger, more complex networks.

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o PoE switches: These switches have Power over Ethernet capabilities, which allows them to supply power
to network devices over the same cable that carries data.
o Gigabit switches: These switches support Gigabit Ethernet speeds, which are faster than traditional
Ethernet speeds.
o Rack-mounted switches: These switches are designed to be mounted in a server rack and are suitable
for use in data centres or other large networks.
o Desktop switches: These switches are designed for use on a desktop or in a small office environment
and are typically smaller in size than rack-mounted switches.
o Modular switches: These switches have a modular design, which allows for easy expansion or
customization. They are suitable for large networks and data centres.

Figure 10: Switch (Primex, 2019)

5. Routers – A router is a device like a switch that routes data packets based on their IP addresses. The
router is mainly a Network Layer device. Routers connect LANs and WANs and have a dynamically
updating routing table based on which they make decisions on routing the data packets. The router
divides the broadcast domains of hosts connected through it.

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 Figure 11: Router (Sandhu, 2013)

6. Gateway – As the name suggests, is a passage to connect two networks that may work upon different
networking models. They work as messenger agents that take data from one system, interpret it, and
transfer it to another system. Gateways are also called protocol converters and can operate at any
network layer. Gateways are generally more complex than switches or routers. A gateway is also called
a protocol converter.

Figure 12: Gateway (IndiaMart, 2018)

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7. Brouter – Also known as the bridging router is a device that combines features of both bridge and
router. It can work either at the data link layer or a network layer. Working as a router, it is capable of
routing packets across networks and working as the bridge, it is capable of filtering local area network
traffic.

Figure 13: Brouter (Gupta, 2018)

8. NIC – NIC or network interface card is a network adapter that is used to connect the computer to the
network. It is installed in the computer to establish a LAN. It has a unique id that is written on the chip,
and it has a connector to connect the cable to it. The cable acts as an interface between the computer
and the router or modem. NIC card is a layer 2 device which means that it works on both the physical
and data link layers of the network model. (GeeksforGeeks, 2023)

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 Figure 14: NIC (afrank99, 2011)

- Server types:
1. Web Server:
 A web server powers the site. This genre of server focuses on serving web content to clients.
 Web servers simply take “GET” and “POST” requests from clients (among other verbs).
 A “GET” request is when a client simply wants to retrieve information and doesn’t have any information to
submit to the server.
 On the other hand, A “POST” request is when a client does have information to share with the server and
expects a response back. For example, filling up a form on a web server and clicking the submit button is a
“POST” request from the client to the server.
 Web servers are typically “headless” in nature. This is to preserve the memory on the server and ensure that
there’s enough to power the operating system and applications on the server.
 “Headless” means that it doesn’t run like a traditional computer, but rather just serves content. The
administrators of these servers can only connect to them through command line terminals.
 Remember that these types of servers can run any type of application just like your home computer can.
 They can also run on any operating system, as long as they obey the general “rules” of the web.
 Modern web applications usually run on a series of layers, starting with server-side scripts and programs that
process data (e.g. PHP, ASP.NET etc), and ending with client-side scripting (e.g. Javascript) that programs how
the data should be displayed.
 A web browser then renders the content accordingly to show the page.
 Some popular web servers include Microsoft IIS, Apache, Nginx etc.
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  Some Ports used for Webservers: Port 80 for HTTP (not encrypted) and Port 443 for HTTPs (encrypted).
2. Database Server:
 A database server typically operates in tandem with another type of server. This kind of server simply exists to
store data in groups.
 There are countless methods of keeping data that operate on different theories. One of the more common types
is known as “SQL” or “Structured Query Language”.
 Database programmers can create databases on these servers using scripting in the language of the database.
 Web applications usually have their server-side components connected to a Database server to grab data as
users request it.
 A good practice is to have webservers and database servers on different machines. The reason that database
servers should exist on their own is for security.
 If a hacker gains access to the main web server but not the database server, they will be able easily to retrieve
or modify the data stored in the database server.
 Some popular Database servers include MySQL, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL, Oracle Database etc.
 Some Ports used for Database Servers: Port 3306 (MySQL, MariaDB), Port 1433 (MS-SQL), and Port 1521
(Oracle DB).
3. EMail Server:
 An email server typically runs on “SMTP” or “Simple Mail Transfer Protocol”. There are other possible protocols
that newer mail servers operate on, but SMTP remains the dominant protocol.
 An email server powers mail services. These servers in themselves simply take in emails from one client to
another and forward the data to the other server.
 Data is simplified when sent through SMTP, so some information, like web formatting, is usually lost in email
transactions.
 The modern approach to email servers typically pairs them with web servers. This allows users to have a “web
client” that graphically shows the data on a web page. Some newer web applications can even mimic a home
computer email client without installing anything.
 Some Ports used for eMail Servers: Port 25 (SMTP), Port 587 (Secure SMTP), and Port 110 (POP3).
4. Web Proxy Server:
 A web proxy server can run on one of many protocols, but they all do one thing in common.

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  They take in user requests, filter them, and then act on the user’s behalf. The most popular type of web proxy
server is designed to get around school and organizational web filters.
 Because web traffic is all through one IP address and a website that isn’t yet blocked, users can gain access to
sites that are forbidden through these filters.
 The less popular type is an organizational proxy server. This has the same effect, but it’s typically authorized by
an organization.
 It takes users’ web traffic, usually logs it for evaluation later, and sends it to the Internet.
 This puts users’ traffic together so that one computer cannot be differentiated publicly from another.
 This is done intentionally by an organization to prevent users from being targeted and usually to be able to
inspect, cache and analyze packets sent and received.
 Some Ports used for Web Proxy Servers: Port 8080, 8888 etc.
5. DNS Server:
 A DNS server, or “Domain Name Service” server, is used to translate domain names to their corresponding IP
addresses.
 This server is what your browser references when you type in a domain name and press Enter. The idea is that
users don’t have to memorize IP addresses and organizations can have a fitting name.
 Typically, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide DNS servers to their users. However, many organizations
provide this lookup service for free, as well (such as the popular Google DNS server with IP 8.8.8.8).
 Some users who are more concerned about their privacy on the web often use these alternate DNS servers.
 DNS servers are also tapped when users create a new domain name. DNS servers operate on a hierarchical
basis, so there are some more “authoritative” servers than others.
 The domain name is registered with one higher-up DNS server that other, lower-level DNS servers reference.
Usually through a process taking anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, this registration propagates across the world.
 Ports used for DNS Servers: Port 53 (both TCP and UDP).
6. FTP Server:
 FTP servers, or “File Transfer Protocol” servers, have a single purpose: to host a file exchange among users.
 These servers do not provide any type of encryption by default, so there are several secured versions of the
protocol that are often used in its place (such as sFTP which is FTP over secure SSH protocol).
 This type of server allows users to upload files to it or download files after authenticating through an FTP client.
Users can also browse the server’s files and download individual files as they wish.
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  Some Ports used for FTP Servers: Ports 20,21 for FTP or Port 22 for sFTP.
7. File Server:
 A File Server is different from an FTP server. This type of server is more modern and is typically capable of
“mapping” networked files onto drives. This means that users can use their home computer’s file browser to
look into folders.
 The main advantage of this form of server is that users can upload and download shared files. Permission to
files is controlled by the administrator.
 Usually, File Servers exist in corporate networks in a Windows Active Directory environment or Linux
environments.
8. DHCP Server:
 A DHCP Server uses the Dynamic Host Communication Protocol (DHCP) to configure the network settings of
client computers.
 Instead of having to manually configure static IP addresses and other network settings to client computers in a
large network, a DHCP server in the network configures dynamically these network settings to LAN computers.
 Port used for DHCP Servers: Port UDP 67.
9. Different Server Platforms:
 There are mainly two types of servers found in networks: Physical Servers and Virtual Servers. Here’s how
they’re alike and how they differ.
o Physical Server:
 A Physical Server is what truly serves data in the end. Operating on metal and electricity, modern
physical servers are often capable of serving far more than one user could ever want.
 These are typically housed in data centres by hosting companies to serve a variety of clients. The
only exception would be larger organizations that rely on these; in these cases, the organizations
usually own the network of physical servers.
 In the past, each server in a network (e.g. Webserver, Database Server, etc) was hosted on its
dedicated physical server. This concept is now being replaced with Virtualization technologies
whereby each server can be a virtual machine inside a bigger physical machine.
o Virtual Server:

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  A virtual server is a partitioned part of a physical server. Most “servers” online are virtual servers.
They often are given a dedicated amount of physical server resources to utilize (such as RAM, CPU,
and Storage space).
 Users can rent virtual servers for a fraction of the cost of a physical server. This is because hosting
companies typically own or rent the physical server for a wholesale price, then profit off of selling
parts of the physical machine at a time to users with smaller audiences. (Andrea, n.d.)

10. Dedicated Server:

 A dedicated server also called a bare-metal server, is a piece of computer hardware that an organization has
exclusive use of to host their websites, data, and applications. All resources on that server, including computing
power, network bandwidth, and memory, are available for that organization’s websites and corresponding
applications.
 Organizations may start their websites on a shared hosting service, but once the site has more visitors or site
traffic suddenly spikes, they may not have the allocated bandwidth to manage all of the incoming HTTP or
HTTPS requests. For businesses that have heavily trafficked websites, or have noticed a sudden increase in
web traffic, dedicated servers allow those organizations to have full control over their bandwidth, which dictates
how many requests they can receive at one time. Having more bandwidth also improves page load speeds,
making websites more attractive to visitors and helping them meet e-commerce demands. (Beal, 2001)
11. Virtual private server:
 A virtual private server, also known as VPS, acts as an isolated, virtual environment on a physical server, which
is owned and operated by a cloud or web hosting provider. VPS hosting uses virtualization technology to split a
single physical machine into multiple private server environments that share the resources. (Google Cloud, n.d.)
12. Cloud server:
 A cloud server is a compute server that has been virtualized, making its resources accessible to users remotely
over a network. Cloud-based servers are intended to provide the same functions, support the same operating
systems (OSes) and applications, and offer similar performance characteristics as traditional physical (and
virtual) servers that run in a local data centre. Cloud servers are often referred to as virtual servers, virtual
private servers or virtual platforms.
 Cloud servers are an important part of cloud technology. The widespread adoption of server virtualization has
largely contributed to the rise and continued growth of utility-style cloud computing. Cloud servers power every

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 type of cloud computing deployment model, from infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to platform as a service
(PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). (Chai, 2022)

P4. Discuss the interdependence of workstation hardware with relevant

networking software.
- What is Interdependence?
 Interdependence is a relationship between multiple parties that depend on each other to strive. It means that
each party has something the other party need. Interdependence is a connection between subjects where one
subject’s needs can be fulfilled by the other subject’s resources. That means both subjects need each other to
fulfil their needs.
 Example: A business called City Wheels Co. is a bike rental venture that serves the city of Los Angeles. The
company leases bikes to individuals for given periods and they have locations all around the city to pick up and
deliver the bikes. First, City Wheels and its clients are interdependent since these individuals need the bikes for
transportation, the company also depends on them to earn the revenues they need to remain operational.
There’s also interdependence between bike mechanics and bike suppliers since in both cases these suppliers
depend on the company to keep their business running and City Wheels depends on them to keep its business
well-equipped to serve its clients. (My Accounting Course, n.d.)

- What is workstation hardware?

 Workstation is a high-performance computer system designed for a single user and has advanced graphics
capabilities, large storage capacity, and a powerful central processing unit. A workstation is more capable than
a personal computer (PC) but less advanced than a server (which can manage a large network of peripheral
PCs or workstations and handle immense data-processing and reporting tasks). The term workstation was also
sometimes ascribed to dumb terminals (i.e., those without any processing capacity) that connected to
mainframe computers.
 Their raw processing power allows high-end workstations to accommodate high-resolution or three-dimensional
graphic interfaces, sophisticated multitask software, and advanced abilities to communicate with other

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 computers. Workstations are used primarily to perform computationally intensive scientific and engineering
tasks. They have also found favour in some complex financial and business applications. In addition, high-end
workstations often serve a network of attached “client” PCs, which use resident tools and applications to access
and manipulate data stored on the workstation.
 The chief delineation between PCs and workstations has traditionally been the latter’s advanced graphics and
data-processing capabilities. But the advanced graphic interfaces and powerful microprocessors of high-end
PCs can make them barely distinguishable from low-end workstations. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica, n.d.)

- What is networking software?

 Network software is an umbrella term describing a wide range of software that streamlines the operations,
design, monitoring, and implementation of computer networks.
 Network software is a fundamental element of any networking system. It helps administrators and security
personnel reduce network complexities, and manage, monitor, and better control network traffic. Network
software plays a crucial role in managing a network infrastructure and simplifying IT operations by facilitating
communication, security, content, and data sharing.
 Network software offers useful benefits to organizations. It has become an important tool in facilitating round-
the-clock communication and allowing an uninterrupted exchange of information. One of the most significant
advantages of network software is its direct correlation with productivity. The centralized nature of network
software increases the productivity of the complete system. This helps reduce end-user technical support
problems. (Mohanakrishnan, 2022)

- Discuss and explain the interdependencies of workstation hardware with networking

software. Derive an example from your discussion
 For the workstation hardware, they can't independently operate, they must work under the supervision of the
network software to give the next target.
 For networking software, the data must be passed through the processors also stored to be transmitted to the
correct destination address.

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  For example, RAM will be the place where buffer memory is allocated to store information, data is about to be
transferred, without it, the data will not have a storage location if using ROM, it will waste resources, and the
CPU will help process and choose the path for information. On the other hand, the devices of the network
software will do the job of helping the data to be delivered to the correct destination using a protocol.

M1. Compare common networking principles and how protocols enable the
effectiveness of networked systems.
- Compare LAN, CAN, MAN, and WAN:
LAN CAN MAN WAN
Cover a very small Cover a small geographical Cover a large geographical Cover a very large
geographical area such as a area such as a university area such as a city geographical area such as a
small office or home network campus or school building country or a continent
Mainly used for resource Used for both resources and Mainly used for data sharing Mainly used for data sharing
sharing data sharing
Owned by a single entity or a Owned by a single organization Can be owned by a single Can be owned by a single or
person or company or multiple organizations multiple organizations and
and companies companies
Provide the fastest data Provide fast data transfer Provide average data Provide normal data transfer
transfer speed speed transfer speed speed
Need only a few networking Need many networking Need expensive and Need sophisticated
equipments equipment dedicated networking networking equipment
equipment
Easy to set up and manage Normal to set up and manage Hard to set up and manage Very hard to set up and
manage
Do not need a dedicated Need a dedicated network Need a dedicated team of Need many teams of
network engineer engineer network engineers network engineers
Experience very less Experience less congestion Experience normal Experience more congestion
congestion congestion
(ComputerNetworkingNotes, 2022)

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 - Compare physical topologies and logical topologies:

Physical Topology Logical Topology

Depicts the logistics of the network concerned with the

Depicts the physical layout of the network.
transmission of data.

There is no interference and manipulation involved

The layout can be modified based on needs.
here.

It can be arranged in star, ring, mesh and bus topologies. It exists in bus and ring topologies.

This has a major impact on the cost, scalability and This has a major impact on the speed and delivery of
bandwidth capacity of the network based on the selection data packets. It also handles flow control and ordered
and availability of devices. delivery of data packets.

It is the actual route concerned with transmission. It is a high-level representation of data flow.

The physical connection of the network. Data path followed of the network.

(yashchuahan, 2020)

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 - Compare between OSI reference model and TCP/IP reference model:

Parameters OSI Model TCP/IP Model

TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control

Full Form OSI stands for Open Systems Interconnection.
Protocol/Internet Protocol.

Layers It has 7 layers. It has 4 layers.

Usage It is low in usage. It is mostly used.

Approach It is vertically approached. It is horizontally approached.

Delivery of the package is guaranteed in OSI Delivery of the package is not guaranteed in
Delivery
Model. TCP/IP Model.

Replacement of tools and changes can easily be Replacing the tools is not easy as it is in OSI
Replacement
done in this model. Model.

Reliability It is less reliable than TCP/IP Model. It is more reliable than OSI Model.

(harleenk_99, 2023)

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 - Compare TCP and UDP:

Transmission Control
Basis User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
Protocol (TCP)

TCP is a connection-oriented UDP is the Datagram-oriented protocol.

protocol. Connection orientation
means that the communicating
Type of Service devices should establish a
connection before transmitting data
and should close the connection after
transmitting the data.
This is because there is no overhead
for opening a connection, maintaining a
connection, or terminating a
connection. UDP is efficient for
broadcast and multicast types of
network transmission.

TCP is reliable as it guarantees the

The delivery of data to the destination
Reliability delivery of data to the destination
cannot be guaranteed in UDP.
router.

TCP provides extensive error-

checking mechanisms. 
Error checking mechanism           UDP has only the basic error-checking
                       It is because it provides flow control mechanism using checksums.
and acknowledgement of data.

An acknowledgement segment is
Acknowledgement No acknowledgement segment.
present.

Sequencing of data is a feature of

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). There is no sequencing of data in UDP.
Sequence This means that packets arrive in If the order is required, it has to be
order at the receiver. managed by the application layer.

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 Transmission Control
Basis User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
Protocol (TCP)

TCP is comparatively slower than UDP is faster, simpler, and more

Speed
UDP. efficient than TCP.

There is no retransmission of lost

Retransmission of lost packets is
Retransmission packets in the User Datagram Protocol
possible in TCP, but not in UDP.
(UDP).

TCP has a (20-60) bytes variable UDP has an 8 bytes fixed-length

Header Length
length header. header.

Weight TCP is heavy-weight. UDP is lightweight.

Uses handshakes such as SYN, It’s a connectionless protocol i.e. No

Handshaking Techniques
ACK, SYN-ACK handshake

Broadcasting TCP doesn’t support Broadcasting. UDP supports Broadcasting.

TCP is used by HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, UDP is used by DNS, DHCP, TFTP,
Protocols
SMTP and Telnet. SNMP, RIP and VoIP.

Stream Type The TCP connection is a byte stream. UDP connection is a message stream.

Overhead Low but higher than UDP. Very low.

Applications This protocol is primarily utilized in This protocol is used in situations

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 Transmission Control
Basis User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
Protocol (TCP)

where quick communication is

situations when a safe and
necessary but where dependability is
trustworthy communication procedure
not a concern, such as VoIP, game
is necessary, such as in email, on the
streaming, video, and music streaming,
web surfing, and in military services.
etc.

(5, 2023)

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