COMPUTER NETWORKS

Course Code: CSC 503

Semester V

TE COMPS A
2023 1
 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.
 “Computer network’’ to mean a collection of
autonomous computers interconnected by a single
technology.
 Two computers are said to be interconnected if they are
able to exchange information.
 The connection need not be via a copper wire; fiber
optics, microwaves, infrared, and communication
satellites can also be used.

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 USES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

 Business Applications:
 resource sharing. The goal is to make all programs,
equipment, and especially data available to anyone on the
network without regard to the physical location of the
resource or the user.
 Process Flow: A modern manufacturing plant, with a
computer-controlled assembly line
 Networks called VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) may be
used to join the individual networks at different sites into
one extended network.
 client-server model. It is widely used and forms the basis
of much network usage.

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 Client-Server Model

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  Communication Channel:
 email (electronic mail),
 IP telephony or Voice over IP (VoIP)
 Virtual meeting, video conferencing

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 USES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

 Desktop sharing lets remote workers see and

interact with a graphical computer screen.
 Collaborative Coding, report writing
 e-commerce (electronic commerce) and it has
grown rapidly in recent years. Airlines, bookstores,
and other retailers have discovered that many
customers like the convenience of shopping from
home.
 Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring

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 Home Applications

• Access to remote information

• Person-to-person communication
• Interactive entertainment
• Electronic commerce

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 Some forms of e-commerce.

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 In a peer-to-peer system there are no fixed clients and servers

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 DATA COMMUNICATIONS

 Telecommunication means communication over a

distance.
 Data refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating and using
the data.
 Data communication is the exchange of data between
two devices via some form of transmission medium
such as a wire or cable.

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 Data Representation

 A data communications system has five components

 I. Message . The message is the information (data) to be communicated. Popular forms of
information include text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video.
 2 Sender . The sender is the device that sends the data message. It can be a computer,
workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so on.
 3. Receiver. The receiver is the device that receives the message. It can be a computer,
workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on.
 4. Transmission medium . The transmission medium is the physical path by which a
message travels from sender to receiver..
 5. Protocol. A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communications. It represents an
agreement between the communicating devices. Without a protocol, two devices may be
connected but not communicating

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 NETWORK HARDWARE
 There is no generally accepted taxonomy into which all
computer networks fit, but two dimensions stand out as
important:
 Transmission technology and

 Scale.

 There are two types of transmission technology that are in

widespread use:
 broadcast links and point-to-point (multi-point/) links.

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 Point-to-point and Multi-point

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 Point-to-Point VS Broadcast
Point-to-Point
 A point-to-point connection
provides a dedicated link between
two devices.
 The entire capacity of the link is
reserved for transmission between
those two devices.
 Most point-to-point connections use
an actual length of wire or cable to
connect the two ends, but other
options, such as microwave or
satellite links, are also possible
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Multipoint(Broadcast)
 A multipoint (also called multi-drop)
connection is one in which more
than two specific devices share a
single link
 In a multipoint environment, the
capacity of the channel is shared,
either spatially or temporally.
 If several devices can use the link
simultaneously, it is a spatially
shared connection. If users must take
turns, it is a timeshared connection.
 Categories of Networks - Scale

 Local Area Networks (LANs)

 Short distances
 Designed to provide local interconnectivity
 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
 Provide connectivity over areas such as a city, a campus

 Wide Area Networks (WANs)

 Long distances
 Provide connectivity over large areas

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 Other types

 WLAN (Wireless LAN)

 A LAN that uses high frequency radio waves for

communication.
 Provides short range connectivity with high speed data

transmission.
 PAN (Personal Area Network)
 Network organized by the individual user for its personal use.

 SAN (Storage Area Network)

 Connects servers to data storage devices via fiber-optic cables.

 E.g.: Used for daily backup of organization or a mirror copy

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 Types of Networks

Classification of interconnected processors by scale.

Local Area Networks

Two broadcast networks

(a) Bus
(b) Ring
Metropolitan Area Networks

 A metropolitan area network based on

cable TV.
 Wide Area Networks

Relation between hosts on LANs and the subnet.

Wide Area Networks (2)

A stream of packets from sender to receiver.

 Data flow (simplex, half-duplex, and full-duplex)

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 Data Flow
 Communication between two devices can be simplex, half-duplex,
or full-duplex
 Simplex In simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, as on a one
way street. Only one of the two devices on a link can transmit; the other can
only receive. Keyboards and traditional monitors are examples of
simplex devices.
 Half-Duplex In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and
receive, but not at the same time. When one device is sending, the other can
only receive, and vice versa Walkie-talkies and CB (citizens band) radios
are both half duplex systems.
 Full-Duplex In full-duplex, both stations can transmit and receive
simultaneously One common example of full-duplex communication is
the telephone network. When two people are communicating by a
telephone line, both can talk and listen at the same time. The full-duplex
mode is used when communication in both directions is required all the
time.

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 Physical Topology
 The term physical topology refers to the way in
which a network is laid out physically.
 Two or more devices connect to a link; 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 (usually called nodes) to one another.

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 MESH:
 A mesh topology is the one where every node is connected to every other node
in the network.
 In a full mesh topology , every computer in the network has a connection to
each of the other computers in that network.
 The number of connections in this network can be calculated using the
following formula (n is the number of computers in the network): n(n-1)/2

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  Advantages of a mesh topology
 Can handle high amounts of traffic, because multiple devices can
transmit data simultaneously.
 A failure of one device does not cause a break in the network or
transmission of data.
 Adding additional devices does not disrupt data transmission
between other devices.

 Disadvantages of a mesh topology

 The cost to implement is higher than other network topologies,
making it a less desirable option.
 Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time
consuming.
 The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the
high costs and potential for reduced efficiency.
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 STAR Topology:
 A star network star topology is one of the most common
network setups. In this configuration, every node connects to a
central network device, like a hub, switch , or computer. The
central network device acts as a server and the peripheral devices
act as clients
 . Depending on the type of network card used in each computer
of the star topology, a coaxial cable or a RJ-45 network cable is
used to connect computers together.

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  Advantages of star topology
 Centralized management of the network, through the use of the central
computer, hub, or switch.
 Easy to add another computer to the network.
 If one computer on the network fails, the rest of the network continues to
function normally.
 The star topology is used in local-area networks (LANs), High-speed
LANs often use a star topology with a central hub
 Disadvantages of star topology
 Can have a higher cost to implement, especially when using a switch or
router as the central network device.
 The central network device determines the performance and number of
nodes the network can handle.
 If the central computer, hub, or switch fails, the entire network goes
down and all computers are disconnected from the network

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 BUS TOPOLOGY :

a line topology, a bus topology

is a network setup in which each computer
and network device are connected to a single
cable or backbone
.

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  Advantages of bus topology
 It works well when you have a small network.
 It's the easiest network topology for connecting computers or
peripherals in a linear fashion.
 It requires less cable length than a star topology.

 Disadvantages of bus topology

 It can be difficult to identify the problems if the whole network
goes down.
 It can be hard to troubleshoot individual device issues.
 Bus topology is not great for large networks.
 Terminators are required for both ends of the main cable.
 Additional devices slow the network down.
 If a main cable is damaged, the network fails or splits into two.
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 RING:

 A ring topology is a network configuration in which device

connections create a circular data path. In a ring network, packets
of data travel from one device to the next until they reach their
destination. Most ring topologies allow packets to travel only in one
direction, called a unidirectional ring network. Others permit data
to move in either direction, called Bidirectional .
 The major disadvantage of a ring topology is that if any individual
connection in the ring is broken, the entire network is affected. Ring
topologies may be used in either local area networks (LANs) or wide area
networks (WANs).

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 Network Criteria

 Performance
 Depends on Network Elements
 Measured in terms of Delay and Throughput
 Reliability
 Failure rate of network components
 Measured in terms of availability/robustness
 Security
 Data protection against corruption/loss of data due to:
 Errors
 Malicious users

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 Network Software
• Protocol Hierarchies
• Design Issues for the Layers
• Connection-Oriented and Connectionless
Services
• Service Primitives
• The Relationship of Services to Protocols
NETWORK Models
Network Software
 Network Software
Protocol Hierarchies

Layers, protocols, and interfaces.

 Figure A heterogeneous network made of four WANs and two LANs

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 1-3 THE INTERNET

The Internet has revolutionized many aspects of our daily

lives. It has affected the way we do business as well as the
way we spend our leisure time. The Internet is a
communication system that has brought a wealth of
information to our fingertips and organized it for our use.

Topics discussed in this section:

Organization of the Internet
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

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 Figure Hierarchical organization of the Internet

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 PROTOCOLS

A protocol is synonymous with rule. It consists of a set of

rules that govern data communications. It determines
what is communicated, how it is communicated and when
it is communicated. The key elements of a protocol are
syntax, semantics and timing

Topics discussed in this section:

 Syntax
 Semantics
 Timing

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 Elements of a Protocol

 Syntax
 Structure or format of the data
 Indicates how to read the bits - field delineation
 Semantics
 Interprets the meaning of the bits
 Knows which fields define what action
 Timing
 When data should be sent and what
 Speed at which data should be sent or speed at which it is
being received.

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