Management

UNIT 4 NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES

Structure 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 Introduction Objectives Components of a Network Types of Networks Advantages of Using Intranet and Internet The Layered Architectures and Communication Protocol Client/Server Architecture Summary Self-Assessment Exercises References and Suggested Further Readings

Networking Technologies

4.1 INTRODUCTION

There are many networks in the world, some are natural, and some are man-made. There is a network of veins and arteries in the body and there is a network of railroads. But these days when we say networks, we mean data communication networks. Data communication is the movement of computer data from one computer to another. The data may travel as an electrical or an optical signal on transmission systems. Such systems are called data communication networks or simply network. The networking helps us in getting the information fast. If we look around, we can identify many applications that use networks. One of the prime examples is the railway reservation system. This system uses networks to find out the availability of a seat for a passenger. The passenger may be at station A and he can make a reservation from station B to station C. You may recall that when the reservation was not automated, a telegram was sent to station B to make a reservation. The telegram system worked most of the time, but occasionally it did not reach or it reached after the seats were all reserved. In either case, the passenger could not be informed. These scenarios have become history. Networks have changed the life for better.

4.2

OBJECTIVES

After reading this unit, you should be able to • Identify the components of a network; • Describe different types of data communication networks; • Distinguish LAN and WAN, and Internet and Intranet; • State the advantages of Internet and Intranet; • Identify the seven layers of the OSI model of network architecture; • Explain the TCP/IP communication...