Network Topology

Topology defines the structure of the network of how all the components are interconnected to
each other. There are two types of topology: physical and logical topology.

Physical topology refers to the actual physical arrangement of devices (computers, routers,
switches, etc.) and cables (or wireless connections) in a network while logical topology refers to
how data flows within the network. Logical topology focuses on how devices communicate and
how data is transmitted, routed, or managed within the network.

Types of Network Topology

Physical topology is the geometric representation of all the nodes in a network. There are six
types of network topology which are Bus Topology, Ring Topology, Tree Topology, Star
Topology, Mesh Topology, and Hybrid Topology.

1) Bus Topology

o The bus topology is designed in such a way that all the stations are connected through a
single cable known as a backbone cable and terminators at the end of the bus. The work
of terminators is to prevent the over flow of signals.
o Each node is ei
o When a node wants to send a message over the network, it puts a message over the
network. All the stations available in the network will receive the message whether it has
been addressed or not.
o The configuration of a bus topology is quite simpler as compared to other topologies.
o The backbone cable is considered as a "single lane" through which the message is
broadcast to all the stations.
o The most common access method of the bus topologies is CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple
Access).

CSMA: It is a media access control used to control the data flow so that data integrity is
maintained, i.e., the packets do not get lost. There are two alternative ways of handling the
problems that occur when two nodes send the messages simultaneously.

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  CSMA CD: CSMA CD (Collision detection) is an access method used to detect the
collision. Once the collision is detected, the sender will stop transmitting the data.
Therefore, it works on "recovery after the collision".
 CSMA CA: CSMA CA (Collision Avoidance) is an access method used to avoid the
collision by checking whether the transmission media is busy or not. If busy, then the
sender waits until the media becomes idle. This technique effectively reduces the
possibility of the collision. It does not work on "recovery after the collision".

Advantages of Bus topology:

 Easy to Install and Set Up: Bus topology is straightforward to set up, especially for
small networks. It uses a single central cable (the bus) to which all devices are connected.
 Cost-Effective: Requires less cable than other topologies like star or mesh, making it
cheaper to implement.
 Minimal Hardware Requirements: No need for hubs, switches, or other complex
hardware — just terminators at each end of the main cable.
 Limited failure: A failure in one node will not have any effect on other nodes.

Disadvantages of Bus topology:

 Difficult troubleshooting: It requires specialized test equipment to determine the cable
faults. If any fault occurs in the cable, then it would disrupt the communication for all the
nodes.
 Signal interference: If two nodes send the messages simultaneously, then the signals of
both the nodes collide with each other.
 Reconfiguration difficult: Adding new devices to the network would slow down the
network.
 Attenuation: Attenuation is a loss of signal leads to communication issues. Repeaters are
used to regenerate the signal.

2) Ring Topology

In Ring topology devices are connected to each other to form a ring. The node that receives the
message from the previous computer will retransmit to the next node. The data flows in one
direction, i.e., it is clockwise unidirectional.

The most common access method of the ring topology is token passing.
o Token passing: It is a network access method in which token is passed from one node to
another node.
o Token: It is a frame that circulates around the network.

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Advantages of Ring topology:
 Ring networks are moderately easy to install
 Orderly Data Flow: Data travels in a single direction, reducing the chances of packet
collisions.
 Equal Access: Every device gets equal opportunity to transmit, which avoids congestion
and ensures predictable performance.
 Easy to Identify Issues: Faults in the network are easier to locate since data flows
through each device in a fixed path.
 No Central Dependency
 Unlike star topology, the network doesn’t rely on a central hub or switch—so there's no
single point of failure from a central device.

Disadvantages of Ring topology:

 Difficult troubleshooting: It requires specialized test equipment to determine the cable
faults. If any fault occurs in the cable, then it would disrupt the communication for all the
nodes.
 Failure: The breakdown in one station leads to the failure of the overall network.
 Reconfiguration difficult: Adding new devices to the network would slow down the
network.
 Delay: Communication delay is directly proportional to the number of nodes. Adding
new devices increases the communication delay.

3) Star Topology

 Star topology is an arrangement of the network in which every node is connected to the
central hub, switch or a central computer.
 The central computer is known as a server, and the peripheral devices attached to the
server are known as clients.
 Star topology is the most popular topology in network implementation.

Advantages of Star topology

 Efficient troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is quite efficient in a star topology as
compared to bus topology. In a bus topology, the manager has to inspect the kilometers
of cable. In a star topology, all the stations are connected to the centralized network.
Therefore, the network administrator has to go to the single station to troubleshoot the
problem.
 Network control: Complex network control features can be easily implemented in the
star topology. Any changes made in the star topology are automatically accommodated.
 Limited failure: As each station is connected to the central hub with its own cable,
therefore failure in one cable will not affect the entire network.

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  Easily expandable: It is easily expandable as new stations can be added to the open ports
on the hub.
 Cost effective: Star topology networks are cost-effective as it uses inexpensive coaxial
cable.
 High data speeds: It supports a bandwidth of approx 100Mbps. Ethernet 100BaseT is
one of the most popular Star topology networks.

Disadvantages of Star topology

 A Central point of failure: If the central hub or switch goes down, then all the
connected nodes will not be able to communicate with each other.
 Hub/Switch Congestion: If many devices communicate heavily at once, it can overload
the central hub or switch, leading to slower performance.

4) Tree topology

 Tree topology combines the characteristics of bus topology and star topology.
 A tree topology is a type of structure in which all the computers are connected with each
other in hierarchical fashion.
 The top-most node in tree topology is known as a root node, and all other nodes are the
descendants of the root node.
 There is only one path exists between two nodes for the data transmission. Thus, it forms
a parent-child hierarchy.

Advantages of Tree topology

 Support for broadband transmission: Tree topology is mainly used to provide
broadband transmission, i.e., signals are sent over long distances without being
attenuated.
 Easily expandable: We can add the new device to the existing network. Therefore, we
can say that tree topology is easily expandable.
 Easily manageable: In tree topology, the whole network is divided into segments known
as star networks which can be easily managed and maintained.
 Error detection: Error detection and error correction are very easy in a tree topology.
 Limited failure: The breakdown in one station does not affect the entire network.

Disadvantages of Tree topology

 Difficult troubleshooting: If any fault occurs in the node, then it becomes difficult to
troubleshoot the problem.
 High cost: Devices required for broadband transmission are very costly.
 Failure: A tree topology mainly relies on main bus cable and failure in main bus cable
will damage the overall network.
 Reconfiguration difficult: If new devices are added, then it becomes difficult to
reconfigure.

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5) Mesh topology

 Mesh technology is an arrangement of the network in which computers are

interconnected with each other through various redundant connections.
 There are multiple paths from one computer to another computer.
 It does not contain the switch, hub or any central computer which acts as a central point
of communication.
 The Internet is an example of the mesh topology.
 Mesh topology is mainly used for WAN implementations where communication failures
are a critical concern.
 Mesh topology is mainly used for wireless networks.

Mesh topology is divided into two categories:

 Fully connected mesh topology
 Partially connected mesh topology

 Full Mesh Topology: In a full mesh topology, each computer is connected to all the
computers available in the network.
 Partial Mesh Topology: In a partial mesh topology, not all but certain computers are
connected to those computers with which they communicate frequently.

Advantages of Mesh topology:

 Reliable: The mesh topology networks are very reliable as if any link breakdown will not
affect the communication between connected computers.
 Fast Communication: Communication is very fast between the nodes.
 Easier Reconfiguration: Adding new devices would not disrupt the communication
between other devices.

Disadvantages of Mesh topology

 Cost: A mesh topology contains a large number of connected devices such as a router
and more transmission media than other topologies.
 Management: Mesh topology networks are very large and very difficult to maintain and
manage. If the network is not monitored carefully, then the communication link failure
goes undetected.

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  Efficiency: In this topology, redundant connections are high that reduces the efficiency
of the network.

6) Hybrid Topology
 The combination of various different topologies is known as Hybrid topology.
 A Hybrid topology is a connection between different links and nodes to transfer the data.
 When two or more different topologies are combined together is termed as Hybrid
topology and if similar topologies are connected with each other will not result in Hybrid
topology. For example, if there exist a ring topology in one branch of Equity bank and
bus topology in another branch of Equity bank, connecting these two topologies will
result in Hybrid topology.

Advantages of Hybrid Topology

 Reliable: If a fault occurs in any part of the network will not affect the functioning of the
rest of the network.
 Scalable: Size of the network can be easily expanded by adding new devices without
affecting the functionality of the existing network.
 Flexible: This topology is very flexible as it can be designed according to the
requirements of the organization.
 Effective: Hybrid topology is very effective as it can be designed in such a way that the
strength of the network is maximized and weakness of the network is minimized.

Disadvantages of Hybrid topology

 Complex design: The major drawback of the Hybrid topology is the design of the Hybrid
network. It is very difficult to design the architecture of the Hybrid network.
 Costly Hub: The Hubs used in the Hybrid topology are very expensive as these hubs are
different from usual Hubs used in other topologies.
 Costly infrastructure: The infrastructure cost is very high as a hybrid network requires a
lot of cabling, network devices, etc.

Factors to consider when choosing a Topology of your network

When choosing a network topology, it's important to evaluate a variety of factors to ensure that
the selected topology meets the needs of the organization or project. Below are the key factors to
consider when selecting a network topology:

1. Network Size and Scalability

 Question: How large is the network now, and how much is it expected to grow?
 Impact: Some topologies, like star and tree topologies, are more scalable and easier to
expand. For example, adding more devices in a star topology is straightforward, while a
bus topology may have limitations due to the shared medium.

2. Budget and Cost

 Question: What is the budget for setting up and maintaining the network?
 Impact: Certain topologies are more cost-effective than others. For example, a bus
topology is cheaper because it requires less cabling, while a mesh topology can be
expensive due to the need for a large number of connections and hardware (e.g., switches,
routers, cables).

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3. Performance Requirements
 Question: What are the performance expectations in terms of data transmission speed
and network load?
 Impact: Topologies like mesh and star offer better performance in high-traffic
environments since they provide multiple paths or centralized control for managing data
flows, while bus and ring topologies may experience congestion or slowdowns under
heavy loads.

4. Reliability and Fault Tolerance

 Question: How critical is network reliability, and how well should the network handle
failures?
 Impact: Topologies like mesh and hybrid are highly reliable due to redundant
connections. If a single link fails, data can be routed through alternative paths. In
contrast, a bus or ring topology has more single points of failure, making them less
resilient to failures.

5. Ease of Installation and Maintenance

 Question: How easy is it to install, configure, and maintain the network?
 Impact: Simpler topologies, like bus and star, are easier to install and maintain. Mesh
and hybrid topologies can be more complex due to the number of connections and
devices involved, making configuration and troubleshooting more challenging.

6. Cabling Requirements
 Question: What are the physical constraints of the environment, such as the amount of
cabling needed?
 Impact: Bus topology requires less cabling, while mesh and star topologies require more
cable and potentially additional networking hardware (hubs, switches). The type of
environment (office, factory, campus) may influence the choice due to cable lengths,
layout restrictions, or costs.

7. Data Traffic Patterns

 Question: How does data flow within the network? Are there centralized data centers, or
is traffic peer-to-peer?
 Impact: For peer-to-peer communication, a mesh topology may be more suitable due to
direct connections between devices. If there’s a need for centralized data handling (like in
a client-server model), star or tree topologies can be more efficient.

8. Security
 Question: How sensitive is the data being transmitted, and what are the security
requirements?
 Impact: Some topologies are easier to secure than others. For instance, star topology
centralizes control at a hub or switch, where security measures like firewalls and
monitoring can be implemented. In contrast, bus topology may be more vulnerable to
eavesdropping due to the shared communication medium.

9. Future Upgrades and Flexibility

 Question: How adaptable is the network to future upgrades or changes in technology?
 Impact: Flexibility is important for organizations that expect significant changes in the
network in the future. Hybrid and star topologies allow for easier integration of new
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 devices or technologies without major restructuring, whereas bus or ring topologies may
require extensive modifications to accommodate growth.

10. Distance and Geographic Distribution

 Question: How far apart are the devices in the network? Will the network span multiple
locations?
 Impact: The physical distance between nodes can affect the choice of topology. Tree or
hybrid topologies can help extend networks over larger distances, while bus topology
may be unsuitable due to signal degradation over long distances.

11. Bandwidth Usage

 Question: How much bandwidth is needed to support the network's activities?
 Impact: Topologies that provide multiple paths for data, such as mesh and hybrid
topologies, help avoid bottlenecks and make better use of available bandwidth, while a
shared bus topology can cause performance issues when bandwidth demand is high.

12. Environmental Constraints

 Question: Are there environmental factors, such as space, interference, or power
availability that will affect the network design?
 Impact: For environments with physical constraints, like limited space or harsh
conditions, the topology chosen must be able to adapt to these factors. Wireless
topologies or topologies that require minimal cabling may be better suited for such
environments.

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