MEDICAL COMPUTER LITERACY

MEDICAL SCHOOL PRE-CLINICAL

MSPC 202
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
NETWORKS
Medical Computer literacy
MSPC 202
Topic 4
 Networks defined
• Collection of computers and devices
connected together via communication
devices and transmission media

• Combination of hardware, software

and connecting links that transport
data/information
Example of a
Computer network
showing
the different
components

4
 Components of a Network

l Network devices: Network devices, or

networking hardware, are physical
devices that are required for
communication and interaction between
hardware on a computer network

l Types of network devices: hub, switch,

router, bridge, gateway, modem,
repeater, wireless access point
 Network Devices -functions
• Hub - connects multiple computer networking
devices together

• A Switch is a multiport device that improves

network efficiency. Also referred to as a
multiport bridge

• Routers help transmit packets to their

destinations by charting a path through the sea
of interconnected networking devices using
different network topologies
 Network Devices - functions
• Bridges are used to connect two or more
separate networks that use the same
networking language called protocol

• Gateways provide translation between

networking technologies such as Open
System Interconnection (OSI) and
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP)
 Network Devices - functions
• Modems (modulators-demodulators) are
used to transmit digital signals over analog
telephone lines

• A repeater is an electronic device that

amplifies the signal it receives
 Network Devices - functions
• Wireless Access Points (APs) are typically a
separate network device with a built-in
antenna, transmitter, and adapter. APs use
the wireless infrastructure network mode
to provide a connection point between
WLANs and a wired Ethernet LAN
 Components of a Network
l Network Resources - All forms of data,
information, and hardware devices that can
be accessed by a group of computers through
the use of a shared connection. They are also
known as shared resources

l Examples are files, data, printers, scanners,

software programs
 Computer Server

l Servers are computers and devices that

allocate resources for a network.

l Servers control access to the hardware,

software and other resources on a network
and provide a centralized storage area for
programs, data, and information

l Servers run a special operating system

designed to facilitate sharing of its resources
 Types of Servers
l File server: computer and storage device
dedicated to storing files

l Print server: a computer that manages

one or more printers

l Network server: a computer that manages

network traffic

l Database server: a computer system that

processes database queries
 Types of Servers
l Nym server: a computer that allows a subscribing
user to send and receive email messages using
assumed names without the user’s identity

l RADIUS server: authentication and accounting

system used by many internet service providers

l Staging server: temporary stage to test new or

revised web pages before they are made live
 Types of Servers
s
l Proxy servers: work in-between a client program
and an external request to filter requests, improve
performance and share connections

l FTP servers: software html application running

the file transfer protocol, which is the protocol for
exchanging files over the internet. Works like http
and smtp

l Web servers: computers that deliver/ serves up

web pages. Web servers have an IP address and a
domain name
14
 Uses of Servers
l Store data

l Center of networks

l Used in institutions to create domains for

users

l Central file storage that allows users to

work with the same set of data
 Uses of a computer server

l Provides easy backups of data

l Provides simultaneous access to and

use of data

l Sharing hardware and software

resources among users
 Why Networks?
• Facilitate communication among users
and allow them to share resources

• UG uses a computer network

connected via cables or internet to
gain access to a common server, share
programs, files and other resources.

• Has a network operations center

(NOC)
 Advantages of Networks
Reduce cost:
• Networked peripheral devices can be accessed by
any authorized user on the network
• Software site licenses for network use are less
expensive than buying a single-user version of a
product for each network user

Provide access to a wide range of services:

• Allow multiple users to access internet services
through a single internet connection
19
 Advantages of Networks
• Facilitate data sharing: provide
authorized users with access to data
stored on network servers or
workstations

• Enhances teamwork: enables people

to work together through webinars;
users working together on a single
document
 Advantages of Networks
• Improves communication & collaboration
: Computer networks allow multiple
people to be logged into the same
platform at once. They may be in several
different locations around the world, but
each person can log into their profile and
access documents or files, at their
convenience, to work on them. The
modern computer network allows for
global collaboration for teams of any size.
 Disadvantages of Networks

• Vulnerability to unauthorized
access: intrusion

• Susceptible to malicious code:

worms, ransomware, Trojan
horses and other threats
An example of an
Attack of ransomware on
hospital computer networks
 Ransomware
• A type of malicious software, or malware,
designed to deny access to a computer system
or data until a ransom is paid

• Typically spreads through phishing emails or by

unknowingly visiting an infected website

• Can be devastating to an individual or an

organization
 Network Technology terms
Category Description Examples
Geographical scope Area in which network PAN, LAN, NAN, MAN,
devices are located WAN

Organizational Structure Hierarchy of devices Client/server, peer-to-peer

connected to a network

Physical topology Physical layout and Star, bus, ring, mesh, tree
relationship between
network devices
Communication channels Technologies for cables Fiber-optic cable, coaxial
and signals that carry data cable, power line, phone
line, laser light
Bandwidth Capacity of a network for Broadband, narrowband
carrying data

Communication Protocols Transportation standards TCP/IP, NetBEUI/NetBIOS

that provide an orderly (Microsoft networking),
way to package data and AppleTalk
make sure data is not
corrupted in transit
 Terms explained…..
Client/server network:
• one or more computers configured with server
software, and other computers configured with
client software that access the servers

• Client/server is essentially a relationship between

processes running on separate computers
interconnected by a computer network. The server
process is the provider of services and the client
process a consumer, so there is a clear separation of
function, in terms of hardware and software
 Terms explained…..
Client/server network:
• Client computer/ work station is a personal
computer or laptop connected to a network

• A server computer may be required to service

dozens or even hundreds of clients at the
same time, so it typically has a faster
processor, more memory and more storage
space than a client computer
Client /Server network
 Terms explained…..
Peer-to-peer network (P2P)
• the "peers" are computer systems which
are connected to each other via the
Internet. Files can be shared directly
between systems on
the network without the need of a
central server. In other words, each
computer on a P2P network becomes a
file server as well as a client
 Terms explained…..
• P2P technology forms the basis
for file-sharing networks such as
Microsoft Networking provided
with windows

• Bandwidth: transmission
capacity of a communication
channel
 Terms explained…..
• Broadband: high bandwidth
communication system. Eg: cable

• Narrowband: communication
system with less capacity. Eg:
telephone system
 Summary
• Definition of computer networks

• Components of a computer network

• Computer servers – types and uses

• Why computer networks

 Summary
• Advantages and disadvantages of
computer networks

• Ransomware

• Network technology terms explained