UNIT - 4 PREPARING A PC FOR NETWORK OPERATIONS STRUCTURE

4.0 Introduction 4.1 Objectives 4.2 Local Area Networks 4.2.1 Server-based LANs 4.2.2 Peer-to- eer LANs 4.2.! "ero slot LANs 4.2.4 LAN to olo#ies 4.2.4.1 4.2.4.2 4.! 4.4 4.* Su((ar) +uestions $t%ernet &oken 'in#

Settin# u LANs

4.0

INTRODUCTION
o ular. -ost co( uter-to-co( uter

P, networks are beco(in# increasin#l)

connections occur t%rou#% a serial ort. a arallel ort. or a network ada ter. In t%is unit. )ou e/ lore wa)s to connect )our P, to ot%er co( uters. Suc% connections enable )ou to trans0er and s%are 0iles. send electronic (ail. access so0tware on ot%er co( uters. and #enerall) (ake two or (ore co( uters be%ave as a tea(. &%ere are (an) wa)s o0 interconnectin# P,s. and one t) e is LAN 1 local area network.

4.1

OBJECTIVES

At t%e end o0 t%is unit . )ou will be able to 2nderstand w%at LAN is. and its re3uire(ents ,lassi0) LAN as Server-based. Peer-to- eer. "ero slot 4istin#uis% between various t) es o0 LANs Select t%e ri#%t kind o0 LAN based on to olo#) 2nderstand $t%ernet LAN to olo#). &oken 'in# to olo#) See t%e i( ortance o0 various cablin# s)ste( suc% as 2ns%ielded &wisted Pair. 5iber O tics etc. 6et so(e idea about settin# u o0 LANs

4.2 LOCAL AREA NETWORK

A local area network 7LAN8 enables )ou to s%are 0iles. a lications. rinters. disk s ace. (ode(s. 0a/es. and ,4-'O- drives9 use client:server so0tware roducts9 send electronic (ail9 and ot%erwise (ake a collection o0 co( uters work as a tea(. In toda);s world. t%ere are (an) wa)s to construct a LAN. A LAN can be as si( le as two co( uters connected to#et%er via eit%er t%eir serial or orts. &%is is t%e si( lest and arallel robabl) t%e (ost co((on LAN toda). -an)

users connect t%eir la to to t%eir deskto co( uter 0or access to a rinter or to trans0er 0iles. &%is t) e o0 connection is usuall) called a direct cable connection. in w%ic% one co( uter is desi#nated as t%e %ost co( uter. 5i#ure 4.1 s%ows LAN and its co( onents.

THE COMPONENTS OF A LAN

A LAN is a co(bination o0 co( uters. LAN cables 7usuall)8. network ada ter cards. network o eratin# s)ste( 7NOS8 so0tware. and LAN a lication so0tware. On a LAN. eac% ersonal co( uter is called a workstation. e/ce t 0or one or (ore co( uters desi#nated as network servers. $ac% workstation and server

contains a network ada ter card. LAN cables connect all t%e workstations and servers. e/ce t in less 0re3uent cases w%en in0rared. radio. or (icrowaves are used. 5i#ure 4.1 LAN and its co( onents

WORKSTATIONS
&%e workstations are usuall) (anned b) eo le on t%eir individual deskto s , onl) b) t%e erson sittin# in 0ront o0 it <orkstations usuall) are at least inter(ediate-s eed A&-class (ac%ines wit% an =02=> or better ,P2. and t%e) (a) %ave 1- to 4- o0 'A-.

<orkstations o0ten %ave #ood-3ualit) color or #ra)scale ?6A (onitors. as well as %i#%-3ualit) ke)boards. but t%ese are c%aracteristics t%at (ake t%e( eas) to use9

A workstation also usuall) %as a relativel) ine/ ensive slow s(all %ard disk. A workstation can be diskless or disk0ul workstation diskless workstations - co( uters t%at do not %ave a disk drive o0 t%eir own. Suc% workstations rel) co( letel) on t%e LAN 0or t%eir 0ile access. &%is re3uires a NI, wit% an autoboot P'O-. &%is t) e o0 'O- causes t%e workstation to boot 0ro( 0iles stored on a network server. &%e advanta#es to t%is t) e o0 workstation are lower cost 0or %ardware and #reater securit) &%e ri(ar) disadvanta#e is t%at toda);s %i#%- er0or(ance o eratin# s)ste(s will not run e00icientl) 0ro( a network drive.

SERVERS
&%e servers are usuall) located in a secured area. like a se arate roo( or closet. Servers allow (an) eo le to s%are its resources. Servers (ust be %i#%-3ualit). %eav)-dut) (ac%ines because. in servin# t%e w%ole network. t%e) do (an) ti(es t%e work o0 an ordinar) workstation co( uter. In articular. t%e 0ile server;s %ard disk7s8 need to be durable and reliable. and #eared to t%e task o0 servin# (ulti le users si(ultaneousl) Servers usuall) are 0ast 4=> Pentiu(- or Pentiu( Pro-based co( uters. runnin# at >>-@A or 0aster and wit% 1>- or (ore o0 'A-. -ost servers usuall) %ave ine/ ensive (onitors and ke)boards. because eo le do not use t%e 0ile server console as %eavil) as t%at o0 a workstation. &%e server nor(all) o erates unattended. and al(ost alwa)s %as one or (ore 0ast. e/ ensive. lar#e %ard disks

FILE SERVERS All t%e workstations on a eer-to- eer LAN can 0unction as 0ile servers. in t%at an) drive on an) eer workstation can be s%ared wit% 7or served to8 ot%er users. On a client:server network. a 0ile server is a co( uter t%at serves all t%e workstations-- ri(aril) b) storin# and retrievin# data 0ro( 0iles s%ared on its disks.

NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEMS 7NOS8

Network O eratin# S)ste( is re3uired 0or (ana#in# various network resources. It loads into t%e co( uterBs 'A-. just like an) ot%er a ro erl). On a eer LAN. t%e reco((ended a(ount o0 'A- would be w%atever it takes to run )our a lications. w%ereas on a client:server LAN. )ou (i#%t install !2-. >4-. or (ore in )our 0ile server. <indows C* in a eer-to- eer environ(ent s%ould %ave a (ini(u( o0 1>- o0 'A-. <indows N& s%ould %ave (ore. Dou can realiAe si#ni0icant er0or(ance #ains in a Net<are server wit% a 0aster ,P2 and e/tra 'A- because o0 a rocess called 0ile on-board (e(or). NOS re3uire certain t) es o0 ,P2 c%i s - Net<are version 2. 0or e/a( le. re3uired at least a 2=> ,P2. Net<are versions ! and 4 re3uire at least a !=>. IE- LAN Server version 2 and -icroso0t LAN -ana#er version 2 re3uire t%at OS:2 1.! be runnin# on t%e server co( uter9 OS:2 1.! re3uires an =02=> or later ,P2. LAN Server !.0 re3uires t%at t%e 0ile server use OS:2 2./. w%ic% runs onl) on !=> or later ,P2s. -icro-so0t <indows N& Advanced Server !.*1 re3uires a !=>4F2* or later ,P2 and 1>- o0 'A-. &%ese are. o0 course. t%e absolute (ini(u( ,P2 re3uire(ents.. lication. So. enou#% 'A- is needed in t%e co( uter 0or t%e NOS to load and run

NETWORK ADAPTER CARD

&%e server;s network ada ter card is its link to all t%e workstations on t%e LAN. All 0ile re3uests and ot%er network co((unications enter and leave t%e server t%rou#% t%e network ada ter. All t%e network ada ters on t%e LAN use $t%ernet. &oken 'in#. A',net. or so(e ot%er low-level rotocol. A network ada ter (a) be 0aster at rocessin# (essa#es because it %as a lar#e a(ount o0 on-board (e(or) 7'A-8. because it contains its own (icro rocessor. or er%a s because t%e ada ter uses a 1>-bit or a !2-bit slot instead o0 an =-bit slot and t%us can trans0er (ore data to and 0ro( t%e ,P2 at one ti(e. !2-bit slots in server co( uters could be $ISA. ?LE. or P,I. P,I is currentl) t%e (ost co((onl) 0ound !2-bit bus t) e in t%e Pentiu( class (ac%ine

NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS NICS!

A network inter0ace card. or NI,. 0its into a slot in eac% workstation and 0ile server. 7So(e co( uters now s%i select t%eir own.8 &%e workstation sends re3uests t%rou#% t%e network ada ter to t%e server. &%e workstation t%en receives res onses t%rou#% t%e network ada ter w%en t%e server delivers all or a ortion o0 a 0ile to t%at workstation - t%e sendin# and receivin# o0 t%ese re3uests and res onses is t%e LAN e3uivalent o0 readin# and writin# 0iles on )our P,;s local %ard disk. A t) ical LAN consists o0 onl) a sin#le data c%annel connectin# its various co( uters. &%is is called a baseband network. As a result o0 t%is. onl) two network ada ters can co((unicate wit% eac% ot%er at t%e sa(e ti(e. wit% network inter0ace %ardware re0er to e(bedded on t%e (ot%erboard. but (ost network ad(inistrators

LAN CABLES
6enerall) t%ere are t%ree distinct cable t) es. &%e) are twisted air cable. coa/ial cable and 0iber-o tic cable. &%e kind o0 cable )ou use de ends (ostl) on t%e kind o0 network la)out )ou select. t%e conditions at t%e network site. and o0 course )our bud#et. TWISTED PAIR CABLE &wisted air cable is just w%at its na(e i( liesG insulated wires wit%in a

rotective casin#. wit% a s eci0ied nu(ber o0 twists er 0oot. &wistin# t%e wires reduces t%e e00ect o0 electro(a#netic inter0erence on t%e si#nals bein# trans(itted. S%ielded twisted air 7S&P8 re0ers to t%e a(ount o0 insulation around t%e cluster o0 wires and t%ere0ore its noise i((unit). &%e uns%ielded twisted air 72&P89 it is t%in. c%ea and o0ten used 0or tele %one wirin#. It is t%e cablin# s)ste(. t%at can be used 0or $t%ernet or &oken 'in# networks and ot%er t) es o0 co((unications. It is not suitable 0or carr)in# %i#% s eed data. COA"IAL CABLE ,oa/ial cable is 0airl) revalent in )our ever)da) li0e9 )ou o0ten 0ind it connected to t%e backs o0 television sets and audio e3ui (ent. &%in and t%ick. o0 course. re0er to t%e dia(eter o0 t%e coa/ial cable. Standard $t%ernet cable 7&%ick $t%ernet8 is as t%ick as )our t%u(b. &%in $t%ernet 7so(eti(es called &%innet or ,%ea erNet8 cable is sli#%tl) narrower t%an )our little 0in#er. &%e t%ick cable %as a #reater de#ree o0 noise i((unit). re3uires a va( ire ta and a dro cable to connect to a workstation. &%innet is wired directl) to t%e back o0 eac% co( uter on t%e network. and #enerall) installs (uc% (ore easil) t%an &%icknet. but it is (ore rone to si#nal inter0erence and %)sical connection roble(s. FIBER-OPTIC CABLE 5iber-o tic cable uses ulses o0 li#%t rat%er t%an electricit) to carr) in0or(ation. It is t%ere0ore co( letel) resistant to t%e electro(a#netic inter0erence t%at li(its t%e len#t% o0 co er cables. Attenuation 7t%e weakenin# o0 a si#nal as it traverses

t%e cable8 is also less o0 a

roble(. allowin# 0iber to send data over %u#e

distances at %i#% s eeds. It is. %owever. ver) e/ ensive and di00icult to work wit%. S licin# t%e cable. installin# connectors. and usin# t%e 0ew available dia#nostic tools 0or 0indin# cable 0aults are skills t%at ver) 0ew eo le %ave.

SELECTING A LAN
A0ter )ou identi0) t%e need 0or a LAN. )ou (ust select t%e t) e o0 network )ou want. &%e 0actors a00ectin# t%e decision include cost. current and e/ ected (a/i(u( nu(ber o0 users. and t%e t) e o0 work. &%ere are (an) t) es o0 LANs like Server-based LANs. Peer-to- eer LANs. "ero slot LANs.

4.2.1

SERVER-BASED LAN#

A network in w%ic% t%e workstations connect onl) to servers is called a client:server network or server-based network or server-based LAN . A server is a s)ste( t%at rovides services to t%e re3uestin# s)ste(s called t%e client.

LAN can %ave di00erent t) es o0 servers suc% as 0ile servers. rint servers. #rou ware servers etc. de endin# on t%e t) e o0 services t%e) rovide In order to establis% co((unication between servers and clients. a network o eratin# s)ste( 7NOS8 is re3uired. A t) ical e/a( le o0 NOS bein# Novell Netware.

Network servers can be eit%er dedicated or non-dedicated Server-based LANs are ower0ul and secure &%e otential disadvanta#e is t%at t%e) are ver) e/ ensive and co( le/ to ad(inister.

4.2.2

PEER-TO-PEER LAN#

Peer-to- eer networks %ave beco(e (ore o ular as t%e so0tware beca(e (ore reliable and ersonal co( uters beca(e (ore ower0ul. Peer-to- eer (eans co( uter to co( uter. In a eer-to- eer network. an) co( uter can access an) ot%er co( uter to w%ic% it is connected and %as been #ranted access ri#%ts. $ssentiall). ever) co( uter 0unctions as bot% a server and a client.

Peer-to- eer networks can be as s(all as two co( uters. or as lar#e as %undreds o0 units &%e) (a) or (a) not use a LAN card or network inter0ace card 7NI,8. 5or (ore t%an two stations. or w%en %i#%er data trans0er s eeds are desired. NI,s s%ould be used.

Peer-to- eer networks are (ore co((on in s(all o00ices or wit%in a de art(ent in a lar#er or#aniAation. &%e advanta#e o0 a eer-to- eer network is t%at )ou don;t %ave to dedicate a co( uter to be a 0ile server. -ost eer-to- eer networks allow )ou to s%are racticall) an) device attac%ed to an) co( uter. &%e otential disadvanta#es to a eer-to- eer network are t%at t%ere is t) icall) less securit) and less control.

4.2.$

%ERO SLOT LAN#

"ero slot LANs 7"SL8 is variation o0 t%e eer-to- eer network It is c%ea er in cost t%an eer-to- eer t) e &%e) use serial or arallel ort to co((unicate. &%e) do not need a s ecial LAN ada ter card. so e/ ansion slots are not re3uired. &%e) rovide all LAN 0acilitiesG 0ile and rinter s%arin#. electronic (ails and so on. @owever. t%e) can onl) su ort a 0ew workstations &%e (ain advanta#e o0 "SLs is t%e low cost

&%e (ain disadvanta#e bein# its er0or(ance - data trans0er is slow. take u lot o0 rocessin# ower

4.$

LAN TOPOLOGIES

A to olo#) is si( l) a descri tion o0 t%e wa) t%e workstations and servers are %)sicall) connected. $ac% workstation on t%e network is connected wit% cable or so(e ot%er (ediu( to t%e ot%er workstations and to one or (ore servers.