Chapter 7, Problem 1RQ

Explanation of Solution

 Features of simple network:

• The client computers, server computer, network operating system software, network interfaces, hub, and a connection medium are the entities of a simple network.
• The basic responsibility of network operating system software is to control the network and its functions.
• One client computer is connected to another client computer within the same network.
• Hubs and switches function are to send packets of data to all other linked devices.
• The network helps web pages to store data and network operating system.
• The switch has the capability to select a particular destination while the hub sends a packet to all other linked devices.
• The network components links with the connection mediums such as coaxial cables, radio signals or telephone wires.
• The Microsoft Window Server, Linux and Novell Open Enterprise Server are the most commonly used network operating system software.

  Features of the Network Infrastructure for a large company:

• The large companies have many employees and several locations, the collection of hundreds of small LANs needs to be joined into a corporate-wide networking infrastructure.
• The infrastructure also has the capability to support mobile sales by using mobile employees connecting to the company website, smartphones, interior company networks using Wi-Fi networks and videoconferencing systems to provide efficient communication between managers on a global scale.
• The infrastructure includes many small LANs that are connected to other LANs and to corporate networks.
• Overall, the large company network infrastructure includes the use of a wide variety of technologies like corporate data networks to internet service, ordinary telephone service, wireless internet and cell phones.

Explanation of Solution

Principal technologies and trends:

 Some of the principal technologies and trends which have shaped contemporary telecommunications systems are as follows:

• Client/ Server computing
• Packet switching
• TCP/ IP and Connectivity

  Client/ Server computing:

• Client/ Server computing is defined as a distributed computing model where a part of the processing power is placed within cheap client computers and exist in laptops, handled devices or desktops.
• It also allows for computing to departments, factory floors, workgroups and other parts of a business that couldn’t be worked by a centralized architecture.
• The clients are linked to other clients through networks that is controlled by a network server computer.
• It has replaced by centralized mainframe computer.
• The process of the client/ server computing has no longer taken place on a central large mainframe computer.

Packet Switching:

• Messages transferring in the internet are divided into fixed size unit of data called packets.
  • Messages are divided into packets to increase the performance and reliability of the internet.
  • Ιt also improves the effectiveness of the communication line in the internet.
• Packets travel through several routers before it reaches the destination.
  • Router is a device that provides a path for the packet to reach the destination.
  • If there is a failure in one path, the router will provide an alternative route.
• Packets are directed based on the destination address present within each packet.
• Packets reach the destination in different order. So, it is collected and rearranged in the destination to get the original message, referred to as packet switching.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) and Connectivity:

• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/ Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol suite used to connect the host from different networks.
• It is a protocol stacked with five layers. They are physical layer, data link layer, network layer, transport layer, and application layer.
• In TCP/IP, the lower layer protocols support higher layer protocols.
• TCP/IP also supports low-level communication.
• TCP can integrate with IP to provide additional functionalities such as failure recovery, optimize data transmission, and so on.
• TCP is located at the transport layer and IP is located at the network layer.
• TCP is responsible for dividing the message into one or more packets in source and reassemble the packet in destination.
• IP is responsible for transmitting of packets from source to destination.