Networks

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According to Milan in 2023, network technology enables data interchange between

large and small information systems within an infrastructure through the use of
communication or network protocols. With networks, there are also network topologies, this
explains how nodes are arranged in a communications or computer network. It can refer to
the physical topology of a network, which outlines how each device is physically connected
to every other device, or it can refer to the logical topology of a network, which specifies how
data travels between devices over the network. A network's overall performance and the ease
with which it may be expanded and expanded with additional devices are both influenced by
its physical and logical network structure.
In continuing, there are five types of network topologies, Star, Bus, Ring, Mesh, and
Tree. Considering that the University of the West Indies is totally dependent on its networks,
and they need to connect the St. Augustine, Mount Hope, and Debe campuses to one another
while expecting heavy usage, the recommended topology that can achieve 99.9% uptime is
the Mesh Topology.
Figure 1 Bus Topology Figure 2 Ring Topology Figure 3 Star Topology
Figure 4 Tree Topology Figure 5 Mesh Topology
A mesh topology is a type of network arrangement where all computers and network
devices are connected to each other. Even if one of the connections fails, most
communications can still be distributed using this architecture. This is a topology that
wireless networks use all the time. The primary purpose of a mesh topology is to provide
robustness, fault tolerance, and flexibility in network communication. There are two types of
this topology, full mesh and partially-connected mesh. In a full topology, each node is
connected to every other node directly, as the name would imply. This makes it possible to
send a message via numerous different paths. However, not every node in a partially-
connected mesh is connected to every other node directly. As a result, a partially-connected
mesh is an inexpensive and easier way to implement but offers fewer paths for a message to
travel than a full mesh. Additionally, the network as a whole keeps functioning normally even
in the event that one of its main computers or connections fails.
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Figure 6 on the left represents a Mesh topology

drawing where the black lines represent the wireless
connection in between the campuses represented by
the green circles and the red circles represents the
students, workers, and lectures in their respective
campus.
Figure 6 Mesh Topology 2.0 (Dookeran, 2024)
A cable is normally needed to connect the data-sending and data-receiving units in a

wired connection. With the rapid evolution of devices and wired connectivity, various
standards and connection ports have been needed over time. These range from parallel and
serial to HDMI and, more recently, USB connections. There have also been serious attempts
to standardize connection types with an international standard for a wide range of devices. As
stated in an article by Network Consultancy, wired mesh networks are less widespread,
mostly due to the cost and impracticality of connecting each node to every other node. In
contrast to its counterparts that rely on wires, wireless communications don't require any
physical infrastructure, such as cables, to establish a connection. Additionally, there are
numerous methods of obtaining connectivity, such as satellite, radio waves, Bluetooth
technology, GSM technology, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) standards, NFC (Near Field
Communication),and the various iterations of mobile connectivity, from 3G to 6G, to
mention a few. Since using radio signals to communicate, it is more easier and less
expensive, wireless mesh networks are being used more and more. In this case, an option is to
employ wireless connections across campuses after the nodes inside a particular campus are
wired.
Furthermore, there are several advantages of Mesh Topology, such as Fault

Tolerance, Scalability, High Reliability, Performance and Flexibility. Fault tolerance refers to
where a mesh topology provides excellent fault tolerance due to its redundant connections.
Communication can continue even in the event of a link or node failure thanks to data
rerouting via other routes. Secondly, scalability, because additional nodes can be added to a
mesh network without impacting the current network infrastructure, mesh networks are very
scalable, which makes them appropriate for growing networks and handling increases in data
traffic. Thirdly, high reliability, mesh topology provides great data transmission reliability
with many pathways between nodes. It increases the overall resilience of the network by
reducing the chance of single points of failure. Fourthly, performance, Networks with a
relatively small number of nodes can benefit from the high-performance communication that
mesh topology offers. Fast and effective data transmission is made possible by direct
connections between nodes, which lowers latency. Lastly, flexibility, network design and
deployment are made more flexible with mesh topology. Nodes can be positioned
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deliberately to maximize performance and coverage, and the network can adjust to
requirements or changes in topology.
Moreover, as well as there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. Some
disadvantages of mesh topology are, Complexity, Cost, Resource Consumption, Maintenance
and Limited Scalability in Fully Connected Mesh. Complexity, the design, implementation,
and management of mesh topologies can be challenging, particularly in large-scale networks
with many of nodes and connections. An excessive number of links may cause routing and
setup to become more difficult. Secondly, cost, it can be very expensive to implement a mesh
topology network, especially when it comes to infrastructure and equipment. A substantial
investment in hardware and cabling may be necessary to support numerous connections and
redundant links. Thirdly, resource consumption, networks with mesh topologies use more
bandwidth and processing power than networks with other topologies. Performance issues
with a network might arise from the overhead of keeping multiple connections and routing
methods. Next, we have maintenance, it takes cautious administration and observation to
maintain a mesh topology network and guarantee optimal performance. It can take a lot of
effort and time to troubleshoot connectivity problems and optimize routing patterns. Finally,
limited scalability in fully connected mesh, the scalability of mesh topology is maintained,
but as the number of nodes rises, fully connected mesh networks become unattainable. The
complexity and scalability issues arise from the exponential growth of connections with each
new node.
Additionally, technology networks or servers all require some sort of security
procedure to stay safe. Pankracij (2020) mentions locking your server room, physically lock
the actual servers in the server room, deploy proper exit procedures for employees with
secured access and invest in a quality video surveillance system are all methods to protecting
your networks. Firstly, making sure the server room door has enough physical or electronic
locks and that they are being used should be your first line of protection. Ultimately, your
organization's lifeblood is represented by your servers. Establish a policy requiring the server
room door to be secured whenever it is vacant and granting access to only authorized
individuals with a key or code. Secondly, to further protect your servers, make an investment
in floor-mount racks or cages or lockable wall-mount server cabinets that can be bolted
straight to the wall or floor. This will make it almost impossible for someone to hijack your
servers. Another method is where an employee departs your firm, be sure there are processes
in place to modify and deactivate their login credentials. As necessary, ensure that external
providers are informed of these procedures. Lastly, invest in a high-quality surveillance
system with round-the-clock monitoring to stop people with access to your server room from
accidently or intentionally tampering with hard drives or server information. With the most
recent technology developments, peace of mind is comparatively inexpensive. Investing in a
system that surveys and keeps an eye on all important entry points into your building is a
pretty excellent idea, especially the front lobby area and any side or rear entries.
In conclusion, after thorough research, we learnt what is a network, what is a network
topology, types of network topologies, identified the recommend topology that is best
suitable to connect St. Augustine, Mount Hope and Debe campuses that can achieve 99.9%
uptime, with the result being the Mesh topology. Following with what is a mesh topology,
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types of mesh topology and what each type is and the advantages and disadvantages of a
mesh topology. Finally, a few methods to safely secure your servers or networks was briefly
explained.
References
Consultancy, N. (2022). Understanding Mesh Networking: What is it and Why its important.
Medium.
GeeksforGeeks. (2022). Advantages and Disadvantages of Mesh Topology.
Hope, C. (2018). Mesh topology.
Javapoint. (2021). Network Topology.
Lyntia. (2021). Network Connectivity: the Ultimate Guide with Everything You Need to
Know.
Milan. (2023). Network Technology: Definition, Examples, Evolution, Impact, etc. Tech
Quintal.
P., B. (2023). Network Topology. TechTerms.
Pankracij, B. (2020). Seven Security Tips to Protect Your Server Room! Security Specialists.
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816035815

According to Milan in 2023, network technology enables data interchange between

Figure 1 Bus Topology Figure 2 Ring Topology Figure 3 Star Topology

Figure 4 Tree Topology Figure 5 Mesh Topology

Figure 6 on the left represents a Mesh topology

Figure 6 Mesh Topology 2.0 (Dookeran, 2024)

A cable is normally needed to connect the data-sending and data-receiving units in a

Furthermore, there are several advantages of Mesh Topology, such as Fault

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