Unit – II: Information Technology Infrastructure

• Data Communication & Computer Network – Definition, Types

• Network Topologies
• Network Devices, Wireless Networking.
• The Internet, Intranet.

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 Networks

• A network is interconnection of resources that an

organisation owns. A network is its technology
solution that helps organisation to interconnect its
hardware, software, databases, and various other
media to achieve interconnectivity between its
employees and stakeholders

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 Data Communication

• Data communication is the process of sending data

electronically from one point to another
• Data communication or data conferencing allows
two or more users to share the common data
resource either on the common computer server or
their networked computers

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 Types of Networks

• LAN: Local Area Network interconnects two or

more computers or devices within a relatively small,
well defined area, such as a room, building or a
cluster of buildings using physical wires, infrared
links or wireless devices

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• Wide Area Network: WAN is an interconnection of
two or more computers that are geographically
distributed. These are connected thro’ the
telecommunication links provided by third operators
like the BSNL, Tata

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• Some of the methods used to transmit data on WAN
are circuit switching, message switching and packet
switching.
• Circuit switching opens up a complete
predetermined transmission route and there is
uninterrupted message transmission.
• Message switching also transmits a message on a
predetermined route, but the route is not dedicated to
one message.
• In packet switching messages are divided into
packets or blocks of standard size and transmitted on a
route that is predetermined or dynamically determined.
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• VPN or Virtual Private Network that uses public
telecommunication infrastructure, such as Internet,
to provide remote offices or individual users with
secure access to their organisation’s network
• MAN is metropolitan Area Network – is a subset
of WAN, allows high speed connectivity between
LANs of different organisations in metropolitans

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• Bluetooth Technology: Blue tooth is a wireless
technology that allows digital devices such as
computers, printers, key boards, cell phones, and
palm tops to communicate with each other via low
power radio frequencies. Bluetooth is not line of
sight. It has maximum transmission speed of 720
Kbps.

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 Topologies

• Topology is the process and method of connecting

different nodes in network.
• Star Topology
• Ring Topology
• Bus Topology
• Tree Topology
• Mesh Topology
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Introduction to Computer Networks

Network Topology
The network topology
defines the way in which
computers, printers, and
other devices are
connected. A network
topology describes the
layout of the wire and
devices as well as the
paths used by data
transmissions.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Bus Topology
Commonly referred to as a
linear bus, all the devices
on a bus topology are
connected by one single
cable.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Star & Tree Topology

The star topology is the most
commonly used architecture in
Ethernet LANs.
When installed, the star topology
resembles spokes in a bicycle
wheel.
Larger networks use the extended
star topology also called tree
topology. When used with network
devices that filter frames or
packets, like bridges, switches, and
routers, this topology significantly
reduces the traffic on the wires by
sending packets only to the wires
of the destination host.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Ring Topology
A frame travels around the ring,
stopping at each node. If a node
wants to transmit data, it adds the
data as well as the destination address
to the frame.
The frame then continues around the
ring until it finds the destination node,
which takes the data out of the frame.
Single ring – All the devices on the
network share a single cable
Dual ring – The dual ring topology
allows data to be sent in both
directions.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Mesh Topology
The mesh topology
connects all devices
(nodes) to each other for
redundancy and fault
tolerance.
It is used in WANs to
interconnect LANs and
for mission critical
networks like those used
by banks and financial
institutions.
Implementing the mesh
topology is expensive and
difficult.
 Network Components
• Cable media
• Twisted pair wire (strands of copper wire)
• Coaxial cable (copper wire)
• Fibre-optic cable (of glass)
• Broadcast media
• Microwave transmission
• Satellite transmission
• Radio
• Cellular radio
• Infrared
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Channel Advantages Disadvantages
Twisted pair Inexpensive, easy to work Slow – bandwidth being
with, widely available, about 300 bps to 100 Mbps,
unobtrusive Low on security
Coaxial cable Higher bandwidth than Relatively expensive and
twisted pair, Less susceptible inflexible, Low to medium
to electromagnetic security, 56 Kbps to 200
interference Mbps

Fibre optic cable Very high bandwidth,
relatively inexpensive, Good
security
Microwave High bandwidth, relatively
inexpensive
Difficult to work with, 500
Kbps to 25 Tbps. Can carry
50000 telephone calls
compared to 5500 on
twisted pair
Line of sight problems,
Environmental interference,
256 Kbps to 100 Mbps
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Channel Advantages Disadvantages
Radio High bandwidth, no Create electrical
wires needed, signals interference problems.
pass thro’ walls, Possibility of snooping
Inexpensive and easy to
install
Cellular Radio Low to medium Requires construction
bandwidth signals pass of towers.
thro’ walls
Infrared Low to medium Must have
bandwidth unobstructed line of
sight. Used only for 17
short distances
Introduction to Computer Networks

Networking Media
Networking media can be
defined simply as the
means by which signals
(data) are sent from one
computer to another
(either by cable or wireless
means).
Introduction to Computer Networks

Networking Devices
HUB, Switches, Routers,
Wireless Access Points,
Modems etc.
 Network Devices

• Hubs: devices that pass all traffic in both directions

between the LAN sections. They are the connection
components for different devices on the network.
Hubs forward every message that they receive to the
other sections of the LAN

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 Network Devices

• Bridges: connect two LANs or two segments of

the same LAN. They connect two LANs that use
the same data link and network protocol. They
are very useful devices for large networks and
more sophisticated than hubs and forward only
those messages that need to go to other network
segments. A typical bridge is a black box sitting
between two networks and has its own
processor, memory, s/w
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 Network Devices

• Switches: connect two or more LAN

segments that use the same data link and
network protocol. Similar to bridges, switches
operate at the data link layer of the OSI
model. They are very popular networking
devices. Switches provide (typically) ports in
multiple of four (4,8, 16….)

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 Network Devices
• Routers: connect two or more LANs that use the same or
different data link protocols but the same network protocol.
Operates at the network layer of the OSI model and forwards only
those messages that need to go to other networks. Selects optimal
network path to transmit packets. Uses a routing table. Routers also
run software to determine the best possible route. Routers also
distinguish the device addresses at the data link layer and the
internet network addresses at the network layer. Routing systems
use the internet work addresses specified in the network protocol
packet and their routing tables for routing decisions. Another
difference between a router and a bridge is that a router processes
only those messages that are addressed to it. Routers also can act
as firewalls

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 Network Devices

• Gateways: Gateways are more complex than

bridges and routers because they are an interface
between two or more dissimilar networks. An
example is that a gateway may connect three
networks one using Ethernet, another TCP/IP
and the third SNA (System Network
Architecture). The function performed by the
gateway may require h/w and s/w. Gateways can
operate at any level of the OSI model. Gateways
are also called protocol converters
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 Network Devices

• Protocols: Computing devices that are

connected to the network access and share the
network to transmit and receive data. These
components work together by adhering to a
common set of rules that enable them to
communicate with each other. The set of rules
and procedures governing transmission across a
network is a protocol. The principal functions of
protocols in a network are line access and
collision avoidance
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• Ethernet: is the most common protocol, with 75% of the
Network
networks using Ethernet. Devices
10BaseT means a network with a
speed of 10 Mbps, 100BaseT means one with 100 Mbps
speed. Gigabit Ethernet has a speed of one billion bits per
second
• TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
is a file transfer protocol that can send large files of
information across networks with assurance that data will
arrive in uncorrupted form. TCP/IP is reliable, efficient,
and allows reasonably error free transmission between
different systems and is the protocol of the Internet

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Introduction to Computer Networks

Networking Protocol: TCP/IP

Open Systems Interconnection Model

Layer1:Physical Layer
Layer2:Data Link Layer
Layer3: Network Layer
Layer4: Transport Layer
Layer5: Session Layer 28

Layer6: Presentation Layer

Layer7: Application Layer
Introduction to Computer Networks

Computer Networks
Computer network connects
two or more autonomous
computers.

The computers can be

geographically located
anywhere.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Applications of Networks
Resource Sharing
Hardware (computing resources, disks, printers)
Software (application software)
Information Sharing
Easy accessibility from anywhere (files, databases)
Search Capability (WWW)
Communication
Email
Message broadcast
Remote computing
Distributed processing (GRID Computing)
Introduction to Computer Networks

Computers: Clients and Servers

In a client/server network
arrangement, network
services are located in a
dedicated computer
whose only function is to
respond to the requests of
clients.

The server contains the

file, print, application,
security, and other
services in a central
computer that is
continuously available to
respond to client requests.
Introduction to Computer Networks

Applications
E-mail
Searchable Data (Web Sites)
E-Commerce
News Groups
Internet Telephony (VoIP)
Video Conferencing
Chat Groups
Instant Messengers
Internet Radio