Network topologies

Network topologies
• A topology refers to the manner in which the
cable is run to individual workstations on the
network.
• The configurations formed by the connections
between devices on a local area network
(LAN) or between two or more LANs
• There are three basic network topologies (not
counting variations thereon): the bus, the
star, and the ring.
Types of Network Topologies

i. Bus Topology
ii. Ring Topology
iii. Star Topology
iv. Tree Topology
v. Mesh Topology
 Topology vs architecture
• It is important to make a distinction between a
topology and an architecture.
• – A topology is concerned with the
physical/logical arrangement of the network
components.
• – In contrast, an architecture addresses the
components themselves and how a system is
structured (cable access methods, lower level
protocols, topology, etc.). An example of
architecture is 10baseT Ethernet which typically
uses the star topology.
 Bus topology

• A typical bus connection

 Bus topology
• Bus topology is the simplest network
topology. In bus topology, all computers in
network are connected to a common
communication channel / wire. This wire is
called BUS. Terminators are used at both ends
of wire.
 Bus topology
• A bus topology connects each computer
(node) to a single segment trunk.
– A ‘trunk’ is a communication line, typically
coax cable, that is referred to as the ‘bus.’ The
signal travels from one end of the bus to the
other.
– A terminator is required at each end to absorb
the signal so it does not reflect back across the
bus.
• In a bus topology, signals are broadcast to all
stations. Each computer checks the address on
the signal (data frame) as it passes along the bus.
If the signal’s address matches that of the
computer, the computer processes the signal. If
the address doesn’t match, the computer takes
no action and the signal travels on down the bus.
• A bus topology is normally implemented with
coaxial cable.
• Only one computer can ‘talk’ on a network at
a time. A media access method (protocol)
called CSMA/CD is used to handle the
collisions that occur when two signals are
placed on the wire at the same time.
• The bus topology is passive. In other words,
the computers on the bus simply ‘listen’ for a
signal; they are not responsible for moving the
signal along.
 Advantages of bus topology:
– Easy to implement and extend
– Well suited for temporary networks that must
be set up in a hurry
– Typically the cheapest topology to implement
– Failure of one station does not affect others
 Disadvantages of bus topology:

• Difficult to administer/troubleshoot
• Limited cable length and number of stations
• A cable break can disable the entire network; no
redundancy
• Maintenance costs may be higher in the long run
• Performance degrades as additional computers
are added
 Star topology

• A typical star connection

 Star topology
• Star Topology is the most popular and widely
used network topology in local area networks.
In star topology, all computers are connected
with a central device known as HUB or Switch.
• The sender computer sends data to the hub.
The hub sends it to the destination computer.
So, all data communication is managed
through HUB or Switch..
 Star topology
• All of the stations in a star topology are
connected to a central unit called a hub.
– The hub offers a common connection for all
stations on the network. Each station has its own
direct cable connection to the hub. In most cases,
this means more cable is required than for a bus
topology. However, this makes adding or moving
computers a relatively easy task; simply plug them
into a cable outlet on the wall.
 Star topology
• If a cable is cut, it only affects the computer that
was attached to it. This eliminates the single
point of failure problem associated with the bus
topology. (Unless the hub itself goes down.)
• Star topologies are normally implemented using
twisted pair cable, specifically unshielded twisted
pair (UTP). The star topology is probably the most
common form of network topology currently in
use.
 Advantages of star topology:
• Easy to add new stations
• Easy to monitor and troubleshoot
• Can accommodate different wiring
 Disadvantages of star topology:
• Failure of hub cripples attached stations
• More cable required (more expensive to wire
a building for networking)
 Ring topology

• A typical ring connection

 Ring topology
• In Ring topology, each computer is connected
to the next computer such that last computer
is connected to the first. Every computer is
connected to next computer in the ring. Each
computer retransmits what it receives from
the previous computer. If a computer is not
the destination node, it will pass the message
to the next node, until the message arrives at
its destination.
 Ring topology

• A ring topology consists of a set of stations

connected serially by cable. In other words, it’s a
circle or ring of computers. There are no
terminated ends to the cable; the signal travels
around the circle in a clockwise (or anticlockwise)
direction.
• Note that while this topology functions logically
as ring, it is physically wired as a star. The central
connector is not called a hub but a Multistation
Access Unit or MAU.
 Ring topology
• Under the ring concept, a signal is transferred
sequentially via a "token" from one station to the next.
When a station wants to transmit, it "grabs" the token,
attaches data and an address to it, and then sends it
around the ring. The token travels along the ring until
it reaches the destination address. The receiving
computer acknowledges receipt with a return message
to the sender. The sender then releases the token for
use by another computer.
• Each station on the ring has equal access but only one
station can talk at a time.
 Ring topology
• In contrast to the ‘passive’ topology of the
bus, the ring employs an ‘active’ topology.
Each station repeats or ’boosts’ the signal
before passing it on to the next station.
• Rings are normally implemented using twisted
pair or fiber-optic cable
 Advantages of ring topology
• Growth of system has minimal impact on
performance
• All stations have equal access
 Disadvantages of ring topology
• Most expensive topology
• Failure of one computer may impact others
• Complex
 Tree topology

• Typical tree connection

 Tree topology
• Tree topology is the combination of two
topologies: bus and star topology. A tree
topology combines the characteristics of bus
and star topologies. It consists of groups of
computer connected as star topology. These
groups are then connected to a central
communication medium (bus cable).
 Mesh topology

• Typical mesh connection

 Mesh topology
• In a mesh topology, every device on the
network is physically connected to every other
device on the network. Therefore, data can be
sent on several possible paths from source
computer to destination computer. Mesh
topology is more reliable with better
performance. It is mostly used in wide area
networks where reliability is important.
 Mesh topology
• In a mesh topology each node has a dedicated
point-to-point link to every other device. The
term dedicated means that the link carries
traffic only between the two devices it
connects. A fully connected mesh network has
n(n-1)/2 physical channels to link n devices;
every device on the network must have n-1
I/O ports.
 Choosing a Topology
• The following factors should be considered
when choosing a topology:
• Installation
• Maintenance and troubleshooting
• Expected growth
• Distances
• Infrastructure
• Existing network
 Summary

• As a general rule, a bus topology is the cheapest

to install, but may be more expensive to maintain
because it does not provide for redundancy.
• Various topologies can be mixed on the same
network.
• The backbone between hubs might consist of
fiber optic cable while the workstations are wired
to each individual hub with UTP (unshielded
twisted pair) cable.
 Summary
• One very common example is a large Ethernet
network with multiple hubs. Usually the hubs
are located on different floors in a building or
perhaps outside in another building. Each hub
is wired in the typical star configuration.
However, the hubs are connected together
along a bus, typically referred to as a
‘backbone.’