Network Topologies and Networking devices

Network Topology :
The way of connecting the computers in a network is called as the topology.
Topology is defined as the logical arrangement of the nodes(computers).
Selection Criteria for topologies :
1. Budget : If a topology is unaffordable, it’s off the table no matter how
perfectly suited it might be for your situation. In any case, irrespective of what
your preferred topology is, there’ll almost always be a lower-priced alternative
that’s nearly as effective. On pricing matters, bus and ring topologies are quite
cost-effective while star, mesh, tree and hybrid topologies are expensive.
2. Hardware Resources
Certain network topologies work best with certain hardware. And vise-versa. So
before you make a decision on the topology to adopt, perform an inventory of
your current hardware.
3. Ease of Implementation
If you’ll contract a third party to install and/or maintain your network, then the
complexity of the network topology you choose is perhaps a non-issue. A
competent networking professional will have the education and experience
needed to comprehend what each topology entails and implement it
accordingly.
4. Size of Network
How many devices are going to be on your network? How geographically dispersed are they?
How far from the ‘center’ is the furthest device? Some topologies are inadequate or expensive
when applied to large networks. A topology that works perfectly for a 5-device network may
prove a disaster when applied to a 10,000-device organization.
Part of the inventorying process we referred to in point 2 should include determining the total
number of devices to be interconnected. Armed with this information, you can choose the
topology that would best serve the purpose. The tree topology works well with large networks.
The bus topology is best suited for small organizations.
5. Reliability
When it comes to reliability, network topologies aren’t created equal. If you are looking for high
reliability because you are in an industry where even brief downtime and delays are frowned
upon (e.g. banking), then network reliability is a fundamental consideration. Choose the
topology that delivers the highest reliability.
Ring topology performs pretty well under heavy loads but is prone to a single point of failure.
Star topology doesn’t depend on any node but the network will collapse if the hub fails. Mesh
and hybrid topologies score highest on the reliability front.
6. Future Expansion
If you expect your organization to grow in size in the medium to long-term, opt for a network
topology that’s readily scalable. Identify the topology that’s easy to add new nodes to, without
negatively affecting network performance or the user experience of other devices on the
network.
Types of topology:
1. Bus topology
2. Ring topology
3. Star topology
4. Mesh topology
5. Tree topology
6. Hybrid topology

1. Bus Topology :
Definition:
The bus topology is a network in which nodes are directly connected to the
common cable called as bus.
The bus topology is used for small network. On a typical bus network a
simple cable is used without additional electronics to amplify the signal or
pass it along from computer to computer. Therefore, bus is a passive
topology.
This long cable called bus is used as backbone to all the nodes. The tap is a
connector that connects the node to the metallic core of the bus via a drop
line.
Working :
When one computer sends a signal on the cable, all the computers on the
network receive the information. However, only the one with the address
that matches with the destination address stored in the message accepts
the information while all the others reject the message.
 Speed of bus topology is slow because only one computer can send a
message at a time. A computer must wait until the bus is free before it
transmit.
 The bus topology requires a proper termination at both the ends of
the cable in order to avoid reflections.
 Without termination when the signal reaches the end of the cable, it
returns back and travels back on the cable. This can be avoided by terminating
the bus on both ends in 50ohm load.
 As the terminators absorbs the electrical energy and avoid
reflections.
 As the signal travels across the bus, some of the energy is converted
into heat. This will weaken the signal. This will limit the number of taps and
the distance between them. Hence, topology can not be used for large
network.
 If common cable fails, all network fails. It is very difficult to isolate
fault if occurs in any node.
Advantages of bus topology
1. Easy installation, each cable needs to be connected with backbone cable.
2. Less cables required than Mesh and star topology
Disadvantages of bus topology
1. Difficultly in fault detection.
2. Not scalable as there is a limit of how many nodes you can connect with
backbone cable.
Ring Topology:
Definition: A ring topology is a network topology in which each node
connects exactly to two other nodes to form a single closed pathway for
signal through each node.
 Data travels from node to node with each node having an access
to every packet. Rings are used in high performance networks where
large bandwidth is necessary e.g. time sensitive features such as video
and audio.
 The message flow around the ring in one direction. There is no
termination because there is no end to the ring.
Advantages of Ring topology :
In this data flows in one direction which reduces the chance of packet
collisions.
In this topology additional workstations can be added after without
impacting performance of the network and Equal access to the resources.
It is cheap to install and expand and Minimum collision.
Speed to transfer the data is very high in this type of topology.
Due to the presence of token passing the performance of ring topology
becomes better than bus topology under heavy traffic.
Easy to manage and Ring network is extremely orderly organized where
every device has access to the token and therefore the opportunity to
transmit.
Disadvantages of Ring topology :
Due to the Uni-directional Ring, a data packet (token) must have to pass
through all the nodes.
If one workstation shuts down, it affects whole network or if a node goes
down entire network goes down.
It is slower in performance as compared to the bus topology
3. Star Topology:
Definition : Star topology is a network topology, in which each individual
piece of a network is connected to a central node called as a hub or
switch.
 In star topology, all the connections are made via the central
hub.
 Each computer on a star network communicates with a central
hub. The hub then resends the message either to all the computers in
a broadcast star network. It will resend the message only to the
destination computer in a switched star network. This type of
hub is usually called multiport repeater. Active hubs require external
power suppy.
When star topology is suitable?
1. If the centralised network control is expected.
2. If high reliability is important than cost
3. If the network is to be expanded frequently.
Advantages of this topology :
•If N devices are connected to each other in a star topology, then the number of cables
required to connect them is N. So, it is easy to set up.
•Each device requires only 1 port i.e. to connect to the hub.

Disadvantages:
•If the concentrator (hub) on which the whole topology relies fails, the whole system
will crash down.
•The cost of installation is high.
•Performance is based on the single concentrator i.e. hub.
Mesh Topology :
Mesh topology is a network setup where each computer and network
device is interconnected with one another. This topology setup allows for
most transmissions to be distributed even if one of the connections goes
down. It is a topology commonly used for wireless networks. Below is a
visual example of a simple computer setup on a network using a mesh
topology.
Advantages of a mesh topology
Manages high amounts of traffic, because multiple devices can transmit
data simultaneously.
A failure of one device does not cause a break in the network or
transmission of data.
Adding additional devices does not disrupt data transmission between other
devices.
Disadvantages of a mesh topology
The cost to implement is higher than other network topologies, making it a
less desirable option.
Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time consuming.
The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the high costs
and potential for reduced efficiency.
Tree topology :
A tree topology is a special type of structure where many connected
elements are arranged like the branches of a tree. For
example, tree topologies are frequently used to organize the computers
in a corporate network, or the information in a database.
Advantages of Tree Topology :
This topology is the combination of bus and star topology.
This topology provides a hierarchical as well as central data arrangement of the nodes.
As the leaf nodes can add one or more nodes in the hierarchical chain, this topology provides high
scalability.
The other nodes in a network are not affected, if one of their nodes get damaged or not working.
Tree topology provides easy maintenance and easy fault identification can be done.
A callable topology. Leaf nodes can hold more nodes.
Supported by several hardware and software vendors.
Point-to-point wiring for individual segments.

Disadvantages of Tree Topology :

This network is very difficult to configure as compared to the other network topologies.
Length of a segment is limited & the limit of the segment depends on the type of cabling used.
Due to the presence of large number of nodes, the network performance of tree topology becomes a
bit slowly.
If the computer in first level is erroneous, next level computer will also go under problems.
Requires large number of cables compared to star and ring topology.
As the data needs to travel from the central cable this creates dense network traffic.
The Backbone appears as the failure point of the entire segment of the network.
Treatment of the topology is pretty complex.
The establishment cost increases as well.
If the bulk of nodes are added in this network, then the maintenance will become complicated.