Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
The structure of a network including physical arrangement of devices.
Bus topology : A Bus topology is a multi-point topology in which a single cable act as a backbone to link all the
devices in the network.
for a N nodes network:
N-1 link are sufficient in Bus topology :
Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Bus topology : A Bus topology is a multi-point topology in which a single cable act as a backbone to link all the
devices in the network.
Advantages of Bus Topology
It is easy to set up, handle, and implement.
It is best-suited for small networks.
It costs very less.
Disadvantages of Bus Topology
The cable length is limited. This limits the number of network nodes that can be connected.
This network topology can perform well only for a limited number of nodes. When the number of devices
connected to the bus increases, the efficiency decreases.
It is suitable for networks with low traffic. High traffic increases load on the bus, and the network efficiency drops.
It is heavily dependent on the central bus. A fault in the bus leads to network failure.
It is not easy to isolate faults in the network nodes.
Each device on the network “sees” all the data being transmitted, thus posing a security risk.
Figure 1.6: A bus topology
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Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Star topology : A topology in which all stations are attached to a central device (hub).
for a N nodes network:
N link are required in Star topology :
Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Star topology : A topology in which all stations are attached to a central device (hub).
Advantages of Star Topology
Due to its centralized nature, the topology offers simplicity of operation.
It also achieves isolation of each device in the network.
Adding or removing network nodes is easy, and can be done without affecting the entire network.
Due to the centralized nature, it is easy to detect faults in the network devices.
As the analysis of traffic is easy, the topology poses lesser security risk.
Data packets do not have to pass through many nodes, like in the case of a ring network. Thus, with the use of a
high-capacity central hub, traffic load can be handled at fairly decent speeds.
Disadvantages of Star Topology
Network operation depends on the functioning of the central hub. Hence, central hub failure leads to failure of the
entire network.
Also, the number of nodes that can be added, depends on the capacity of the central hub.
The setup cost is quite high.
Figure 1.5: A star topology
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Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Ring topology : A topology in which the devices are connected in a ring. Each device on the ring receives the data
unit from the previous device, regenerates it, and forwards it to the next device.
for a N nodes network:
N link are required in Ring topology :
Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Ring topology :
Advantages of Ring Topology
The data being transmitted between two nodes passes through all the intermediate nodes. A central server is not
required for the management of this topology.
The traffic is unidirectional and the data transmission is high-speed.
In comparison to a bus, a ring is better at handling load.
The adding or removing of network nodes is easy, as the process requires changing only two connections.
The configuration makes it easy to identify faults in network nodes.
Disadvantages of Ring Topology
The failure of a single node in the network can cause the entire network to fail.
The movement or changes made to network nodes affect the entire network’s performance.
Data sent from one node to another has to pass through all the intermediate nodes. This makes the transmission
slower in comparison to that in a star topology. The transmission speed drops with an increase in the number of
nodes.
There is heavy dependency on the wire connecting the network nodes in the ring.
Figure 1.7: A ring topology
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Computer Networks (Introduction)
Mesh topology : A network configuration in which each device has a dedicated point-to-point link to every other
device.
for a N nodes network:
N (N-1) / 2 links are required in Mesh topology :
Computer Networks (Introduction)
Topology
Mesh topology : A network configuration in which each device has a dedicated point-to-point link to every other
device.
Advantages of Mesh Topology
The arrangement of the network nodes is such that it is possible to transmit data from one node to many other
nodes at the same time.
The failure of a single node does not cause the entire network to fail as there are alternate paths for data
transmission.
It can handle heavy traffic, as there are dedicated paths between any two network nodes.
Point-to-point contact between every pair of nodes, makes it easy to identify faults.
Disadvantages of Mesh Topology
The arrangement wherein every network node is connected to every other node of the network, many connections
serve no major purpose. This leads to redundancy of many network connections.
A lot of cabling is required. Thus, the costs incurred in setup and maintenance are high.
Owing to its complexity, the administration of a mesh network is difficult.
Figure 1.4: A fully-connected mesh topology
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