ELEMENTARY DEPARTMENT
CONCEPT NOTES IN ICT/Robotics 5
WEEK 5 LESSON 5 - NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE:
These are some of the ways to classify networks.
Scope - refers to how physically far the computers on the network are from each other.
Architecture - describes how a network is arranged, and how resources are shared.
Topology - the way computers are arranged, depending on how they connect to each other.
Protocol - the set of rules and signals that all computers on the network use to transfer data
DIRECT POINT-TO-POINT NETWORK:
In this kind of network, two computers are connected directly with each other.
The pros of this kind of network are:
Flexibility - Only two people need to figure out what hardware and software to use, as well as the
details of how data will be exchanged.
Exclusivity - Only two people will be communicating with each other, which makes the network
very private.
Security - Because the network isn’t shared, there are only two points to check on, should there be a
leak.
The cons of this network are:
The total number of connections grows more quickly than the number of computers added to the
network. This is because one line needs to be laid out to connect a pair of computers.
Because each computer needs to be connected exclusively, the number of connections is more than
the number of computers. A network consisting of four computers, for example, will need six
connections.
If the two computers are far from each other—such as a kilometer, or hundreds of kilometers—a
long length of wire is needed, which makes the connection difficult to manage.
TYPES OF NETWORKS ACCORDING TO SCOPE:
Local Area Network (LAN) - connects a group of nodes which are physically located close to each
other, such as a group of computers within a school campus.
Two different LANs can also connect with each other, so data can be transferred from one node in
one LAN to another node in the second LAN.
Data sent from one node in one LAN will be sent to a node in another LAN, thanks to information
built into the header which tells the bridge, or router, where to send that data.
For LANs which have different protocols, a gateway is used to translate the different protocols so the
nodes in one LAN can understand the data sent by another LAN.
A packet network, or a packet-switching network, is a network which sends data this way.
Wide area network (WAN) - connects computers over a large area, such as different cities or
countries. The nodes of a WAN are connected using telephone lines, satellite links or radio waves.
The cost of sending data over a LAN is fixed, since a LAN is run by a single group, organization, or
company.
Data sent over a WAN includes the cost of transmitting data over telephone lines and satellites, and
the cost of nodes.
MAN and TAN
Networks designed only for a particular city are called metropolitan area networks (MAN), and this is
a kind of WAN.
A tiny area network (TAN) is a small LAN made up of two to four nodes and is used in homes or in a
small office. If your home has a Wi-Fi Internet connection, you’ll likely have a TAN.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks have nodes that are connected to each other using electromagnetic waves, rather than
wires; Wi-Fi is an example of a wireless network.
Devices that are next to each other, such as a computer and a printer in the same room, are connected
by infrared or microwaves.
Devices that are far from each other, such as cell phone towers and cell phones, use both radio and
microwaves.
TYPES OF NETWORK ACCORDING TO ARCHITECTURE
Network architecture - describes how a network is designed, and how the different nodes of a
network communicate with each other.
Client/Serve Network
A client/server network is a network where servers provide information and services for clients.
The server, which is made up of at least one central computer, makes information and services
available to the clients.
The client is the computer or device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, that a user uses.
Client/Serve Network
Servers can be specialized:
Print server specializes in handling print jobs.
File server stores and sends files.
Application server runs applications.
Because these servers have specific tasks, they work faster than multitasking servers.
Client/Serve Network
The Internet uses client/server architecture. The Web browser you use is the client and the HTTP server
is the server this connects to.
A client can run a specific app from the client. Google Drive is an example of a cloud app. The app along
with the files you are working on are stored in a Google server.
Peer-to-Peer Networks
In a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, all computers are both client and server. P2P network is the workgroup,
which is a set of computers on a P2P LAN environment.
PLAY UP ACTIVITY: KINDLY ANSWER THE EXERCISES ON PAGES 47-48
Prepared by:
Ms. Jessa Marie B. Quicoy, LPT
ICT/Robotics 5 Teacher
