2.9 Network Environments In this section you must be able to: Describe the characteristics and relative advantages of network and standalone environments Describe the difference between a Local area and a Wide area network Describe the elements of network environments

Standalone Systems Everyone has their own PC – processing and data are dispersed throughout the organisation Lack of centralisation leads to problems: –No standardisation – e.g. shared templates –Data redundancy/integrity problems – multiple copies of data could be changed separately –Communication between departments is not possible

What is a network? Local Area NetworkExamples Wide Area NetworkExamples A network is two or more computers with a common electrical connection! A network in one building or on one site Company, school or home networks A network covering a larger area than just one site ATM networks, lottery machines, the internet!

Advantages and Disadvantages Shared hardware, software and data – leading to savings? Easier to install applications, etc. Improved communications Centralised management of users, backups, software, etc. Dependency - server or cable failure affects everyone Security issues – can be difficult to make secure Performance - network slows down under load Difficult to manage – may require a network manager

Networking Terminology A client-server network is one that has one or more file servers storing data and applications and print servers - this is the most common type for anything but very small networks A peer-to-peer server has no server: –files and peripherals (e.g. printers) are shared between workstations on the network –all workstations may need to be switched on –suitable for small networks due to reduced cost A gateway is used to link two different networks together, e.g. to connect a LAN to the internet A bridge links together two similar networks

Client-Server or Peer-to-Peer? Choose client-server if: –you have a large network that can absorb the cost of the server –you want centralised management of users and resources –users are mobile and/or don’t always have their PCs turned on Choose peer-to-peer if: –the network is small and you can’t justify the expense of a dedicated server –you have a workforce that generally uses the same PC and works the same hours so that all workstations are on at the same time

Topologies The topology is how the computers are connected – there are 3 main ways: Ring Bus In a bus network, a single cable running the length of the network connects all of the nodes. Star Each node in a star network is connected to a central computer, usually the file server. In a ring network, the nodes are connected in a circle. In a token ring network, the information travels around the network in one direction only. A “token” travels around the network, like a train, carrying the information.

Bus Networks 13P 2S Any node can try to send a message at any time, but the bus can only carry one at a time Before a node sends a message, it must check that the bus isn’t being used – it senses the data carrier If the bus is not being used, the message can be sent – but two nodes could start at the same time, resulting in a collision of the two messages – the nodes need to detect when this happens and re-send the message This protocol is called carrier sense multiple access with collision detection – or CSMA/CD Nothin g coming ! The bus is free Boom!

Token Ring Network P1 3 S 2 So-called because a token passes around the ring to carry messages between the nodes Nodes can only send when the token passes and is empty There will be no collisions, but a node may have to wait for the empty token to arrive, so may be slower than a bus network under light loads but will slow down less when it gets busier Any breaks in the cable will affect all users

Star Networks 32 P1 S All nodes are connected directly to the server by a dedicated server – this means there are no collisions This means that if a cable is cut, only one of the nodes is affected Messages might be send by the server polling each node in turn to see whether they have a message to send, and if they have, delivering it. Logically, this is the same as a token ring!

Cabling/Connection The type of cable used can also affect the speed at which data travels around the network. There are three main types of cabling used: Slower Faster Twisted pair – this is cable with two wires next to each other, like bell or speaker wire. Co-axial cable – this has one cable in the form of a braid around the outside of the other, with a (usually plastic) spacer in between, like television aerial cable. The wire around the outside shields the inside one from interference, and allows higher transmission rates. Fibre-optic – information is sent down a glass fibre in the form of light. This is obviously faster, as light travels at the speed of light! Light is also less prone to interference and can travel further without amplification.

Glossary File serverThe main computer on the network (although big networks may have several servers) where the files are stored Print serverThe computer on the network that controls the printing – it will manage the queue where print jobs wait before they are printed Peer-to-peerA type of network that has no file server – files on the workstations can be shared with other users of the network – as long as the computer is on! IntranetProvides web-pages on a local area network, e.g. for company notices. Like a local version of the world-wide web Proxy serverA computer that fetches web-pages from the internet and distributes them to the workstations on the network.

Security What security measures do networks use? Training and user awareness Usernames and passwords Firewalls Proxy servers Auditing / audit logs Monitoring performance Access rights for users Encryption Physical methods – lock the server away

Wide Area Networks Some large organisations are national or multi- national, and data might need to be exchanged globally Large wide area networks (WANs) therefore exist to make this data transfer: –possible –secure Examples of WANs include: –airline booking systems –credit card payment systems –national lottery machines –Police National Computer

The Internet and the World Wide Web The internet and the world-wide web are not the same! The internet also supports: – –newsgroups –IRC chat –FTP - file transfer –telnet - for logging into other computers remotely Through a variety of protocols, e.g.: –TCP/IP - transfer control protocol/internet protocol –POP3 (post office protocol) and SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) –HTTP - hyper-text transfer protocol –FTP - file transfer protocol

Internet Infrastructure Consumers connect to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), e.g. Freeserve, AOL, Tiscali ISPs connect to Network Service Providers (NSPs), e.g. BT The links between the NSPs is the internet backbone Consumers ISP Other ISPs NSP Internet backbone

Connecting to the Internet PSTN (public service telephone network) –connect using a modem –allows speeds up to 56kbps ISDN (integrated services digital network) –digital phone line - dialling of number required –64kbps per channel - usually 2 channels = 128 kbps. –Connect using an ISDN or terminal adapter ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) –connect using a terminal/network adapter –“always on” - no need to dial connection –faster to download than to upload (asymmetric!) –not charged per minute (unlike PSTN and ISDN)

Synchronous and Asynchronous With synchronous transmission, the bits are sent at regular intervals governed by a clock in the computer. –This is the method usually employed by mainframe computers –The rate of transmission is governed by the speed of the clock Asynchronous transmission is used by PCs –Messages are preceded by a start message, e.g. “ready to send” –Messages have a stop message at the end –Parity bits or check digits can be added to detect errors in the communication

Network Protocol In general, a protocol is a set of rules governing communication – this term doesn’t only apply to computers, but also to diplomatic communication If both communicating parties are using the same protocol, communication is much easier An agreed protocol could include: –The transmission mode – synchronous or asynchronous –How characters are represent, e.g. ASCII or EBCDIC –Any encryption and keys used –Error detection and correction methods used, e.g. parity, check digits

Factors Affecting Transmission Rate Transmission rate will be affected by: The hardware used – e.g. how fast your network card, modem, etc., is The type of connection you’re using – e.g. PSTN, ADSL, wireless The type of cable you’re using, e.g. twisted pair, coaxial or fibre-optic The transmission mode – synchronous or asynchronous You can also make your transmission rate appear to be higher by using compression techniques to compress the data before you send it