Chapter 1: Computer Network

Shared Ethernet Networks implementing technical standard access to physical media by the IEEE 802.3 working group under the name MAC access (Medium Access Control). MAC uses a general technique called random access.

The Optical Switches are used to connect optical links between them. At incoming optical fibers correspond outgoing optical fibers. If the switch uses an electrical part, the switch is said optoelectronics and not only optical. These switches are based on the interconnection of switching elements, that is to say, switches which have two input gates and two output ports as shown in Figure. Connected in series, these elementary switches allow making great switches.  The design of these devices, however, poses many problems.

A Distributed computing is a model of computation that is firmly related to Distributed Systems, refers to as multiple computer systems located at different places linked together over a network and use to solve higher level computation without having to use an expensive supercomputer. Distributed system is called, When collection of various computers seems a single coherent system to its client, then it is called distributed system.

The acronym bps stands for bits per second, which is a measurement of how fast information (data) travels between two devices. When two modems converse via the telephone line, the speed of modem communications is measured in bps. (When people talk about modems, they often use the word "baud" to mean the same thing as bps, though technically the two terms are not synonymous.

Availability of different operating systems, hardware platforms and the geographical dispersion of the computing resources necessitated the need of networking in such a manner that computers of all sizes can communicate with each other, regardless of the vendor, the operating system, the hardware platform, or geographical proximity. Therefore, we may say that internetworking is a scheme for interconnecting multiple networks of dissimilar technologies. To interconnect multiple networks of dissimilar technologies use both additional hardware and software. This additional hardware is positioned between networks and software on each attached computer. Thus, system of interconnected networks is called an inter network or an Internet.

TCP/IP encapsulate upper layers using headers for the purpose of exchanging control and status information about the progress of the communication because its protocols also engage in peer talk by encapsulating data with protocol headers before submitting it to the underlying layer for subsequent delivery to the network. The data communication using TCP/IP and Ethernet as it is passed down the layers by an application on node X to node Y across the network.

The distinguishing feature of star topology is that all nodes are joined at a single point, as shown in Figure. This single point is called as a central node, hub, or switch, to which all other devices are attached directly, generally via UTP or STP. This topology is frequently used for networks in which control of the network is located in the central node. This method is optimal when the bulk of communication is between the central and outlying nodes. If traffic is high between outlying nodes, an undue switching burden is placed on the central node.

Bus Topology is multipoint electrical circuits that can be implemented using coaxial cable, UTP, or STP. Data transmission is bidirectional, with the attached devices transmitting in both directions. While generally operating at a raw data rate of 10 Mbps, actual throughput is much less.

The MAN network (Metropolitan Area Network) is a high-speed network (broadband) that covers larger geographic area such as city (tens of kilometers) or districts than local area network (LAN) but smaller than wide area network (WAN) and providing the ability to integrate multiple services through the transmission of data, voice, and video, on transmission media such as copper, fiber optics, and microwaves.

The term network is defined as a set of computers of different types, terminals, telephones, and other communication equipments, connected by data communication links, which allow the network components to work together. The network components may be located within a small area or spread over many remote locations. In any case, data communications hold the network together.