Unit - I Introduction To Computer Networks: and Hybrid
Unit - I Introduction To Computer Networks: and Hybrid
UNIT -I
In computer networking, topology refers to the layout of connected devices, i.e. how the computers,
cables, and other components within network are interconnected. examples are star, bus, ring, mesh
and hybrid.
Star topology : A star topology is designed with each node connected directly to a central
network hub, switch, or concentrator. Data on a star network passes through the hub or
switch before continuing to its destination. The hub or switch manages and acts as a
repeater for the data flow.
Bus topology: Bus networks use a common backbone to connect all devices. . A device
wanting to communicate with another device on the network sends a broadcast message
onto the wire that all other devices see, but only the intended recipient actually accepts
and processes the message. The bus topology is the simplest and most common method
of interconnecting computers
Ring topology: In a ring network (sometimes called a loop), every device has exactly
two neighbors for communication purposes. All messages travel through a ring in the same
direction (either "clockwise" or "counter clockwise"). All the stations are interconnected in
tandem (series) to form a closed loop or circle. Transmissions are unidirectional and must
propagate through all the stations in the loop. Each computer acts like a repeater and the
ring topology is similar to bus or star topologies.
Mesh topology: The mesh topology is a network connects to every other, creating a
point-to-point connection between every device on the network. Unlike each of the
previous topologies, messages sent on a mesh network can take any of several possible
paths from source to destination. A mesh network in which every device connects to
every other is called a full mesh. A disadvantage is that, a mesh network with n nodes
must have n(n-1)/2 links and each node must have n-1 I/O ports (links).
television reception. In these early systems, a large antenna was placed on top of a nearby hill and
signal was then piped to the subscribers' houses.
In a n-layer architecture, layer n on one machine carries on conversation with the layer n on other
machine. The rules and conventions used in this conversation are collectively known as the layer-n
Peers
4. What are the layers in OSI Reference Model? Explain the functionalities of each layer?
The OSI Reference Model:
The OSI model (minus the physical medium) is shown in Fig. This model is based on a proposal
developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) as a first step toward international
standardization of the protocols used in the various layers (Day and Zimmermann, 1983). The
model is called the ISO-OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Reference Model because it deals
with connecting open systems—that is, systems that are open for communication with other
systems.
The OSI model has seven layers. The principles that were applied to arrive at the seven layers can
be briefly summarized as follows:
1. A layer should be created where a different abstraction is needed.
2. Each layer should perform a well-defined function.
3. The function of each layer should be chosen with an eye toward defining internationally
standardized protocols.
4. The layer boundaries should be chosen to minimize the information flow across the interfaces.
5. The number of layers should be large enough that distinct functions need not be thrown together
in the same layer out of necessity and small enough that the architecture does not become
unwieldy.
The OSI reference model divides the problem of moving information between computers over a
network medium into SEVEN smaller and more manageable problems. The seven layers are:
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Physical Layer
The physical layer is concerned with transmitting raw bits over a communication channel. It deals with
the mechanical and electrical specifications of the interface and transmission medium. The design issues
have to do with making sure that when one side sends a 1 bit, it is received by the other side as a 1 bit, not
as a 0 bit.
Network Layer
The network layer is responsible for the source-to-destination delivery of an individual packet, possibly
across multiple networks (links).
from the upper layer that, among other things, includes the logical addresses of the sender and
receiver.
Routing: When independent networks or links are connected to create internet works (network of
networks), the connecting devices (called routers or switches) route or switch the packets to their final
destination. One of the functions of the network layer is to provide this mechanism.
Transport Layer
The transport layer is responsible for process-to-process delivery of the entire message. A process is an
application program running on a host.
Session Layer
The services provided by the first three layers (physical, data link, and network) are not sufficient for
some processes. The session layer allows users on different machines to establish sessions between them.
Presentation Layer
The presentation layer is concerned with the syntax and semantics of the information
exchanged between two systems.
Translation. The processes (running programs) in two systems are usually exchanging information in
the form of character strings, numbers, and so on. The information must be changed to bit streams
before being transmitted.
Encryption. To carry sensitive information, a system must be able to ensure privacy. Encryption means
that the sender transforms the original information to another form and sends the resulting message out
over the network.
Decryption reverses the original process to transform the message back to its original form.
Compression. Data compression reduces the number of bits contained in the Information which is
important in the transmission of multimedia such as text, audio, and video.
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Application Layer
The application layer enables the user, whether human or software, to access the network. It provides user
interfaces and support for services such as electronic mail, remote file access and transfer, shared
database management, and other types of distributed information services.
Network virtual terminal: A network virtual terminal is a software version of a physical terminal, and
it allows a user to log on to a remote host
File transfer, access, and management: This application allows a user to access files in a remote host
(to make changes or read data), to retrieve files from a remote computer for use in the local computer,
and to manage or control files in a remote computer locally.
Mail services: This application provides the basis for e-mail forwarding and storage.
1. Host-to-Network Layer
2. Internet Layer
3. Transport Layer
4. Application Layer Fig: The TCP/IP reference model.
Host-to-Network Layer :
The TCP/IP reference model does not really say much about what happens here, except to point out
that the host has to connect to the network using some protocol so it can send IP packets to it. This
protocol is not defined and varies from host to host and network to network.
Internet Layer:
This layer, called the internet layer, is the key player that holds the whole architecture together. Its job
is to permit hosts to inject packets into any network and have they travel independently to the
destination (potentially on a different network). They may even arrive in a different order than they
were sent, in which case it is the job of higher layers to rearrange them, if in-order delivery is desired.
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The internet layer defines an official packet format and protocol called IP (Internet Protocol). The job
of the internet layer is to deliver IP packets where they are supposed to go. Packet routing is clearly
the major issue here, as is avoiding congestion. For these reasons, it is reasonable to say that the
TCP/IP internet layer is similar in functionality to the OSI network layer.
The second protocol in this layer, UDP (User Datagram Protocol), is an unreliable,
connectionless protocol for applications that do not want TCP's sequencing or flow control and wish
to provide their own. It is also widely used for one-shot, client-server-type request-reply queries and
applications in which prompt delivery is more important than accurate delivery, such as transmitting
speech or video.
The TCP/IP model does not have session or presentation layers. On top of the transport layer is
the application layer. It contains all the higher-level protocols. The early ones included virtual
terminal (TELNET), file transfer (FTP), and electronic mail (SMTP), as shown in Fig.6.2. The
virtual terminal protocol allows a user on one machine to log onto a distant machine and work there.
The file transfer protocol provides a way to move data efficiently from one machine to another.
Electronic mail was originally just a kind of file transfer, but later a specialized protocol (SMTP)
was developed for it. Many other protocols have been added to these over the years: the Domain
Name System (DNS) for mapping host names onto their network addresses, NNTP, the protocol for
moving USENET news articles around, and HTTP, the protocol for fetching pages on the World
Wide Web, and many others.
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The internet’s root Advanced Research Project Agency(ARPA) is formed with in Department of
Defense (DOD) which is a WAN.
The DOD wanted a command control network that could survive a nuclear war and developed
ARPANET in 1968.
Before the ARPANET, the networks were basically the telephone networks which operated on the
circuit switching principle, which is vulnerable(weak) , since loss of even one line or switch would
terminate all the conversations.
ARPANET used the concept of Packet switching Network having Subnet ns Host Computer. The
subnet was a datagram subnet and each subnet consists of minicomputers called IMPs( Interface
Message Processors) connected by transmission lines.
If any IMP’s are destroyed, messages could be automatically routed along alternate paths, when every
IMP is connected to other IMP’s.
The subnet was the first electronic store and forward type packet switched network. Hence each
packet was stored before it was forwarded.
There is a fast development of ARPANET in 1969 to 1972. As More networks are getting connected
to ARPANET the ARPANET protocols were not suited for running multiple networks.
so In 1974, the TCP/IP model is invented to handle communication over Internetworks.
In 1980’s LAN’s are connected to ARPANET , where finding hosts become difficult. So Domain
Naming System (DNS) was created for organizing addressing problem.
In 1983 ARPANET was stable with 200 IMP’s and hundreds of hosts, then turned to Defense
Communications Agency (DCA). The first task DCA done is separate Military portion (160 IMP’s)
into separate MILNET from ARPA.
In 1990’s ARPANET was overtaken by newer ones was shutdown and dismantled, but lives in
hearts. The MILNET continuous to operate.
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The TCP/IP model and protocols have their problems too. First, the model does not clearly distinguish
the concepts of services, interfaces, and protocols. Good software engineering practice requires
differentiating between the specification and the implementation, something that OSI does very carefully,
but TCP/IP does not. Consequently, the TCP/IP model is not much of a guide for designing new networks
using new technologies.
Second, the TCP/IP model is not at all general and is poorly suited to describing any protocol stack other
than TCP/IP. Trying to use the TCP/IP model to describe Bluetooth, for example, is completely
impossible.
Third, the link layer is not really a layer at all in the normal sense of the term as used in the context of
layered protocols. It is an interface (between the network and data link layers). The distinction between an
interface and layer is crucial and one should not be sloppy about it.
Fourth, the TCP/IP model does not distinguish between the physical and data link layers. These are
completely different. The physical layer has to do with the transmission characteristics of copper wire,
fiber optics, and wireless communication. The data link layer's job is to delimit the start and end of frames
and get them from one side to the other with the desired degree of reliability. A proper model should
include both as separate layers. The TCP/IP model does not do this.
Finally, although the IP and TCP protocols were carefully thought out and well implemented, many of the
other protocols were ad hoc, generally produced by a couple of graduate students hacking away until they
got tired. The protocol implementations were then distributed free, which resulted in their becoming
widely used, deeply entrenched, and thus hard to replace. Some of them are a bit of an embarrassment
now.
Components:
A data communications system has five components.
1. Message: The message is the information (data) to be communicated. Popular forms of information
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