Chapter 5: Network Topologies

Chapter 5: Network Topologies

This chapter dealt with the physical layout of networks, and when you boil it down, there aren't many of those. The three basic types of network are bus (computers set up in-line, passing data down the line bucket-brigade style), ring (like a bus, but the ends are linked, so data won't always have to travel so far) and star (all of the nodes are connected to a central device of some sort, which coordinates traffic out to the individual nodes). Of the three, star is by far the most common in the modern world, which makes sense. A star network is a typical client/server network, and is also the most efficient type of network, especially considering the power of modern computers.

You still see the other types, though. Connecting an ipod to a computer temporarily creates a small bus-style network, and ISPs often use a high-speed double ring network called SONET. You'll also see what are called hybrid networks, which most commonly result from connecting two networks of different types together.

The chapter also covered what's known as a network backbone, which is another way of describing all the connectivity devices on a network. Things like hubs, switches, and routers form a network's backbone, though a more accurate term might have been “spinal cord.” They function in much the same way as a spinal cord does, passing data around the network and allowing one node to communicate with another efficiently. Also much like a spinal cod, they don't generate any information themselves most of the time; rather they just insure that existing data gets where it needs to.

The chapter also covered various types of Ethernet standards (my word we've come a long way in a short time...) and useful technologies such as Power Over Ethernet, which a friend of mine who works IT for a large medical company swears by. Apparently, PoE is great for powering touch screen terminals in medical labs.

An interesting chapter, overall. In particular, it was neat to find out about some of the ways networks have grow and changed over the years. We've come a LONG way from the old token ring networks.