NETWORKING

CHAPTER 1

MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE

NETWORK: a group of computers and other devices (such as printers) that are connected by some type of transmission media, usually wire or cable.

STANDALONE: a computer that uses programs and data only from its local disks and that is not connected to a network.

LOCAL COMPUTER: the computer on which you are actually working (as oppossed to a remote computer).

REMOTE COMPUTER (HOST): the computer that you are controlling or working on via a network connection. (HOST) a type of computer that enables resource sharing by other computers on the same network.

PEER-TO-PEER (SIMPLEST): a simple means of networking computers using a single cable. In peer-to-peer communication no single computer has more authority than another and each computer can share files with other computers.

SERVER BASED NETWORK: a network that uses special computers, known as file servers, to process data for and gacilitate communication between the other computers on the network.

FILE SERVER: a computer that runs the network operating system and enables workstations connected to the network to share resources.

SHARED RESOURCES: these are resources such as a printer, fax or software applications that can be shared by several computers throughout a network.

CLIENT (WORKSTATION): a computer on the network that requests resources or services from another computer on a network. In some cases a client could also act as a server. The term “client” may also refer to the user of a client workstation.

NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM (NOS): the software that runs on a file server and enables the server to manage data, users, groups, security, applications, and other networking functions. The most popular NOS are Microsofts Windows NT, and novell’s netware.

CLIENT/SERVER ARCHETICURE: the model of networking in which clients (typically desktop PCs) use a central file server to share applications and data.

ADVANTAGES OF SERVER BASED OVER PEER-TO –PEER NETWORKS:

• User login accounts and passwords for anyone on a server-based network can be assigned in one place.
• Access to multiple shared resources (such as data files or printers) can be centrally granted, by a single user of groups of users
• Servers are optimized to handle heavy processing loads and dedicated to handling requests from clients.
• Because of their efficient proccessing and larger disk storage, servers can connect more than a handful of computers on a network.

WAN (USUALLY USES PHONE SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICCATIONS): a network that connects two or more geographically distinct LANs is called a wide area network.

BNC-T CONNECTOR USES THINNET RJ58

COMMON TERMS FOR ALL NETWORKS:

NODE: any computer or other device connected to a network. Any break in the coaxial cable is considered a node, wheter it contains a workstation or not.

CLIENT: a computer on a network that requests resources or services from another computer on the network. Same as a workstation.

NOS: Network Operating System, the software that runs on a file server and enables the server to manage data, users, groups, security, applications, and other networking functions.

TOPOLOGY (BUS, USES THINNNET AND THICKNET: STAR IS ETHERNET: RING IS TOKEN)

TOPOLOGY: the physical layout of a computer network.

BUS: uses coaxial cable that hasto have 50 ohms resistors on each end of the network to prevent signal bounce. Basically pictured as a straight line with computers sitting off at 90-degree intersections.

STAR: basically pictured as several workstations shooting off from a hub.

RING: this is designed with the computers intersecting a circle. Uses tokens to gain authorization to transmit data.

PROTOCOL: rules network uses to transfer data. Protocols ensure that data are transferred whole, in sequence, and without error from one node on the network to another.

DATA PACKETS: the distinct units of data that are transmitted from one computer to another through the network. Data packets are also known as datagrams, protocol data units (PDU), frames, or cells.

ADDRESSING: the scheme for assigning a unique identifying number to every workstation and device on the network. The type of addressing used depends on the networks protocols and the NOS. it is important that each computer on a network have a unique address so that dat can be transmitted reliably to and from that computer or device.

TRANSMISSION MEDIA: the means through which data are transmitted and received. Transmission media may be physical, such as wire and cable, or atmosphereic (wireless), such as radio waves. Different types are the coaxial cable, STP, UTP, fiber, infrared, and microwave.

HOW NETWORKS ARE USED:

SERVICES

• FILE / PRINT: these services refer to the capability of a file server to share data files, applications (such as word-processing programs) and dis storage space. File servers accounted for the first use of networks and main the foundation of networking today.

• COMMUNICATION SEVICES: networks use communication services to allow remote users to connect to the network (usually through a phone line and modem) or network users to connect to machines ousidethe network. Communication servers are also called “access servers”.

• MAIL SEVICES: allows users on a network to exchange and store e-mail. Many mail packages also provide routing, scheduling, notification, document management, and gateways to other mail systems.

• INTERNET SERVICES: services that enable a network to communicate with the Internet, including WorldWide Web servers and browsers, file transfer capabilities, Internet addressing schemes, security filters, and a means of directly logging in to other computers.

• MANAGEMENT SERVICES: network services that centrally administer and simplify complicated management taskes on the network. Examples of management services include license tracking, security auditing, asset management, addressing management, software idstribution, traffic monitoring, load balancing, and hardware diagnosis.

• LOAD BALANCING: distributing processing activity evenly across a network so that no since device is overwhelmed.

• HARDWARE DIAGNOSTIC AND FAILURE ALERT: this determines when a network component fails and automatically notifies the network admin through email or paging.

• ASSET MANAGEMENT: collecting and storing data on the number of types of software and hardware assets in an orginaization’s network. The data collection is automated by electronically examining each network client/worksation from a server.

• LICSENSE TRACKING: determining how many copies of a single application are currently in use on the network.

• SECURITY AUDITING: evaluating security measures currently in place on a network and notifiying the network admin if a security breach occurs.

• SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION: the process of automatically transferring a data file or program from a server to a client on a network.

BACK UP AND RESTORATION OF DATA;

This is the practice of backing up or copyuing critical files to a secure storage area, usually not on the computer or on another computer or to disk, tapes, or cd, and then restoring the data is the original files or lost deleted or damaged.

BEOMING A NETWORK PROFESSIONAL (SKILLS NEEDED, WHERE TO LOOK)

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