Cisco Networking Notes

Networks Affect our Lives

NETWORK is defined as two or more computers End Devices
that are linked in order to share or exchange files To distinguish one end device from
and even to communicate electronically between another, each end device on a network has an
one another. address. It uses the address of the destination
end device to specify where to deliver the
Network Components message.
Host Roles
End Device is either the source or destination of a
All computers that are connected to a network message
and participate directly in network communication
are classified as hosts
Intermediary Devices
Hosts can be called end devices and also clients Intermediary devices connect the individual end
devices to the network.
The term hosts specifically refer to devices on
the network that are assigned a number for provide connectivity and ensure that data flows
communication purposes. across the network

This number is called the Internet Protocol (IP) connect multiple individual networks to form an
address internetwork.

Servers are computers with software. A computer

with server software can provide services
simultaneously to many different clients.

Clients are a type of Host. Clients have software

for requesting and displaying the information
obtained from the server

Client software
Example:
 Web Browser Network Media
 Chrome media provides the channel over which the
 FireFox. message travels from source to destination.

Three Types of Media to Interconnect Devices

Three common types of server software.
 Email - The email server runs email server Metal wires within cables - Data is encoded into
software. electrical impulses.
 Web - The web server runs web server Glass or plastic fibers within cables (fiber-optic
software. cable) - Data is encoded into pulses of
 File - The file server stores corporate and light.
user files in a central location. Wireless transmission - Data is encoded via
modulation of specific frequencies of
Peer-to-Peer electromagnetic waves.
peer-to-peer network.
- computers function as the servers and
clients on the network
 Cisco Networking Notes
Network Representations and
Topologies
Network Representations

Logical Topology Diagrams

Illustrate devices, ports, and the
addressing scheme of the network, as shown in
the figure. You can see which end devices are
connected to which intermediary devices and
what media is being used.

Topology Diagram
A diagram (type of “picture”) provides an
easy way to understand how devices connect in a
large network.
 mandatory documentation for anyone
working with a network.
 provide a visual map of how the network
is connected.
 Two Types: Physical and Logical.

TERMINOLOGY used to describe how each

device and media connect to each other:

Network Interface Card (NIC) - A NIC physically

connects the end device to the network. Common Types of Networks
Physical Port - A connector or outlet on a Networks of Many Sizes
networking device where the media Simple home networks let you share resources,
connects to an end device or another such as printers, documents, pictures, and music,
networking device. among a few local end devices.
Interface - Specialized ports on a networking
device that connect to individual networks. Small office and home office (SOHO) networks
Because routers connect networks, the allow people to work from home, or a remote
ports on a router are referred to as network office.
interfaces.
Businesses and large organizations use networks
Note: The terms port and interface are often used to provide consolidation, storage, and access to
interchangeably. information on network servers.

Physical Topology Diagrams The internet is the largest network in existence. In

Illustrate the physical location of fact, the term internet means a “network of
intermediary devices and cable installation. You networks”. It is a collection of interconnected
can see that the rooms in which these devices private and public networks.
are located are labeled in this physical topology.
In small businesses and homes, many computers
function as both the servers and clients on the
network. This type of network is called a peer-to-
peer network.
 Cisco Networking Notes
Small Home Networks

Small home networks connect a few computers to

each other and to the internet.

Small Office and Home Office Networks The Internet

a worldwide collection of interconnected
The SOHO network allows computers in a home networks (internetworks, or internet for short).
office or a remote office to connect to a corporate
network, or access centralized, shared resources. Intranets and Extranets
Intranet - a private connection of LANs and
WANs that belongs to an organization
Medium to Large Networks  accessible only by the organization's
members, employees, or others with
Medium to large networks, such as those used by authorization
corporations and schools, can have many
locations with hundreds or thousands of Extranet - provide secure and safe access to
interconnected hosts. individuals who work for a different organization
but require access to the organization’s data.

Medium to Large Networks Examples of Extranets:

Medium to large networks, such as those used by  A company that is providing access to
corporations and schools, can have many outside suppliers and contractors
locations with hundreds or thousands of  A hospital that is providing a booking
interconnected hosts. system to doctors so they can make
appointments for their patients
 A local office of education that is providing
LANs and WANs budget and personnel information to the
schools in its district
Network infrastructures vary greatly in terms of:
Internet Connections
 Size of the area covered
 Number of users connected Internet Access Technologies
 Number and types of services available
 Area of responsibility Home users, remote workers, and small offices
typically require a connection to an ISP (Internet
Local Area Networks (LANs) Service Provider) to access the internet.

 a network infrastructure that provides Home and Small Office Internet Connections
access to users and end devices in a small
geographical area The figure illustrates common connection options
for small office and home office users.

Wide Area Networks (WANs)

 a network infrastructure that provides

access to other networks over a wide
geographical area  Cable - Typically offered by cable television
service providers, the internet data signal
transmits on the same cable that delivers cable
television. It provides a high bandwidth, high
 Cisco Networking Notes
availability, and an always-on connection to the  Satellite - Satellite service can provide a
internet. connection when a wired solution is not
 DSL - Digital Subscriber Lines also provide available.
high bandwidth, high availability, and an
always-on connection to the internet. DSL runs The Converging Network
over a telephone line. In general, small office
and home office users connect using Traditional Separate Networks
Asymmetrical DSL (ADSL), which means that
the download speed is faster than the upload Multiple services ran on multiple networks.
speed.
 Cellular - Cellular internet access uses a cell
phone network to connect. Wherever you can
get a cellular signal, you can get cellular
internet access. Performance is limited by the
capabilities of the phone and the cell tower to
which it is connected.
 Satellite - The availability of satellite internet
access is a benefit in those areas that would
otherwise have no internet connectivity at all.
Satellite dishes require a clear line of sight to
the satellite.
 Dial-up Telephone - An inexpensive option Converged Networks
that uses any phone line and a modem. The This network infrastructure uses the same set of
low bandwidth provided by a dial-up modem rules, agreements, and implementation
connection is not sufficient for large data standards. Converged data networks carry
transfer, although it is useful for mobile access multiple services on one network.
while traveling.

Businesses Internet Connections

The figure illustrates common connection options

for businesses.

Reliable Networks
Network Architecture
refers to the technologies that support the
infrastructure and the programmed services and
rules, or protocols, that move data across the
network.
 Dedicated Leased Line - Leased lines are
reserved circuits within the service provider’s
Four Basic Characteristics of Network
network that connect geographically
Architecture
separated offices for private voice and/or data
networking. The circuits are rented at a
1. Fault Tolerance
monthly or yearly rate.
2. Scalability
 Metro Ethernet - This is sometimes known as 3. Quality of Service (QoS)
Ethernet WAN. In this module, we will refer to 4. Security
it as Metro Ethernet. Metro ethernets extend
LAN access technology into the WAN.
Ethernet is a LAN technology you will learn
about in a later module.
 Business DSL - Business DSL is available in
various formats. A popular choice is
Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL)
which is similar to the consumer version of
DSL but provides uploads and downloads at
the same high speeds.
 Cisco Networking Notes
Fault Tolerance experiences congestion. The focus of QoS is to
These networks depend on multiple paths prioritize time-sensitive traffic.
between the source and destination of a
message. If one path fails, the messages are
instantly sent over a different link. Having multiple
paths to a destination is known as redundancy.

Network Security

Network administrators must address two types of

Scalability network security concerns: network infrastructure
A scalable network expands quickly to support security and information security.
new users and applications. It does this without
degrading the performance of services that are Securing the network infrastructure includes
being accessed by existing users. physically securing devices that provide network
connectivity and preventing unauthorized access
The figure shows how a new network is easily to the management software that resides on
added to an existing network. These networks are them, as shown in the figure.
scalable because the designers follow accepted
standards and protocols.

This lets software and hardware vendors focus on

improving products and services without having
to design a new set of rules for operating within
the network.

Network administrators must also protect the

information contained within the packets being
transmitted over the network, and the information
stored on network attached devices.

Three Primary Requirements.

 Confidentiality - Data confidentiality means

Quality of Service that only the intended and authorized
New applications available to users over recipients can access and read data.
networks, such as voice and live video  Integrity - Data integrity assures users that the
transmissions, create higher expectations for the information has not been altered in
quality of the delivered services. transmission, from origin to destination.
 Availability - Data availability assures users of
QoS becomes a primary mechanism for timely and reliable access to data services for
managing congestion and ensuring reliable authorized users.
delivery of content to all users

With a QoS policy in place, the router can

manage the flow of data and voice traffic, giving
priority to voice communications if the network
 Cisco Networking Notes
Network Trends
Recent Trends

There are several networking trends that affect

organizations and consumers:

 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

 Online collaboration
 Video communications
 Cloud Computing

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)