Lecture 3

Network Topologies

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 Network Topologies
A topology is a specification that determines the
network's overall layout and the network's data flow
patterns.

A topology comprises the physical topology, which

describes the network's physical wiring layout or shape,
and the logical topology, which describes the paths
through which data moves.

Common topologies include the star, ring, and bus or

straight-line.

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 Physical Bus Topology
Physical bus topology is a physical topology in which network nodes are
arranged in a linear format.
Each node is connected directly to the network cable with a T-connector
or tap.
The data signal passes by the node, not through the node

Network nodes connected in a linear format.

Signals can be reflected from the ends of the wire, so terminators are
installed at both ends of the bus to impede or absorb signals.
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The advantages of a bus network are:
• Easy and inexpensive to install
• Easy to add more station without disrupting the network

The disadvantages of the bus system are:

• The whole network goes down if any part of the cable fails
• Cable failure can be difficult to isolate
• Network performance degrades under a heavy load

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 Physical Star Topology
Physical star topology is a physical topology that uses a central
connectivity device with separate physical connections to each node.

Individual nodes send data to the connectivity device and the device will
then either forward the data to the appropriate destination node or simply
pass it to all attached nodes.

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Advantages of a star network
The advantages of a star network are:
• If one cable fails, the other stations are not affected
• Reliable, market-proven system
• Centralized monitoring and management of network
• Easy to add stations without disrupting the network

Disadvantage of a star network

• May be costly to install because of the length of the cable required

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 Physical Ring Topology
Physical ring topology is a physical topology in which all network nodes
are connected in a circle.

Each node in turn reads the network signal from its upstream neighbor
and then retransmits it to its downstream neighbor, so signal quality is
High

Network nodes connected in a circle

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The advantages of a ring system are:
• Transmission of messages around the ring is relatively
simple, with messages travelling in one direction only.
• Performance is even despite many users

Disadvantages:
• Expensive to implement
• If one node breaks down, transmission between all the
other devices in the ring is disrupted.
• Problems are hard to isolate

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 Physical Mesh Topology
Physical mesh topology is a physical topology in which each node has a
direct connection to every other node.

This topology is extremely reliable, because no node can ever be isolated

from the network.

A network of interconnected nodes.

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The advantages of a mesh network are
• The topology is extremely reliable, because no node can ever be
isolated from the network
• If one node breaks down, transmission between all the other devices in
the ring is not disrupted

Disadvantages
• It is difficult to implement because the number of connections
increases exponentially with the number of nodes
• Very expensive to implement

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 Part 2

The OSI Model

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 OSI Model
The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference
model is a seven layer network model developed by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in
the early 80s for communication in open system
networks.

Why was the OSI Model developed?

To promote interoperability among/between computer
equipments from different vendors.

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 The seven layers of OSI, from the lowest to the highest, are
L1:the Physical layer, L2: the Data Link layer, L3:the
Network layer, L4: the Transport layer, L5:the Session layer,
L6: the Presentation layer, and L7: the Application layer.

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 OSI Mnemonic

From top down:

All People Seem To Need Data Processing

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 OSI Functional Blocks

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Layer Functions

Application This layer provides services that

enable application programs to
access the network and its
resources.

This is the only layer with which

users directly interact with.

Presentation This layer is responsible for

encoding data so that it can be
move on the network. (or translate
data into a form recognizable by the
lower layers of the model)

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Layer Functions

Session Establishes a connection or a

session between network devices
and then terminating it when
appropriate

Transport This layer accepts data from the

upper layers, breaks the data into
smaller units, passes the units to the
lower layers, and ensures that all
the units arrive correctly at the
other end.
Gateways can operate at this layer
and higher layers of the OSI model
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Layer Functions

Network Addresses and ensure delivery of

packets across a network.
This layer specifies how data packets
are routed from a source to a destination
through a network.
Routers and some Switches can operate
at this layer

Data Link This layer is responsible for transferring

data packets among adjacent network
nodes without errors. After sending the
packets, this layer waits for
acknowledgment from the receiving
devices.
DL layer attaches the MAC address and
makes MAC-level routing decision.
DL layer can be subdivided into two
sections: LLC- logical link Control and
MAC-Media Access Control sub layer
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Layer Functions

Data Link(Contd) The LLC control how frames are

placed on the media,
It also adds error correction and
detecting codes to the frames to
perform error checks and
corrections
(checks the CRC, and either ACK
or NACK the data).

The MAC sub layer manages the

media access method.
Bridges and some Switches operate
at this layer.

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Layer Functions

Physical This layer provides the means of

transmitting data bits over a
physical medium

This layer receives fully formatted

data packets from the Data Link
layer and places them on or off the
media.

Network adapter, Hubs and

Wireless Access Point operate at
this layer

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 THE END

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