Network Topologies/Common Network Types

Question 1

Logical Network Maps

Answer 1

• Specialized software
  
  • Visio, OmniGraffle, Gliffy.com
• High level views
  
  • WAN layout, application flows

• Useful for planning and collaboration

Question 2

Physical network maps

Answer 2

• Follows the physical wire and device

* Can include physical rack locations

Question 3

Wireless topologies

Answer 3

• Ad hoc networking
  
  • No pre-existing infrastructure
  • Devices communication amongst themselves
• Infrastructure
  
  • All devices communicate through an access point
  • The most common wireless communication mode

• Mesh
• Ad hoc devices work together to form a mesh
“cloud”
• Self form and self heal

Question 4

LAN - Local Area Network

Answer 4

• A building or group of buildings
  
  • High-speed connectivity
• Ethernet and 802.11 wireless
  
  • Any slower and it isn’t “local”

Question 5

WLAN - Wireless LAN

Answer 5

• 802.11 technologies
• Mobility within a building or geographic area
• Expand coverage with additional access points

Question 6

MAN - Metropolitan Area Network

Answer 6

• A network in your city
  
  • Larger than a LAN, often smaller than a WAN
• Common to see government ownership
  
  • They “own” the right-of-way

Question 7

WAN - Wide Area Network

Answer 7

• Generally connects LANs across a distance
  
  • And generally much slower than the LAN
• Many different WAN technologies
  
  • Point-to-point serial, MPLS, etc.
  • Terrestrial and non-terrestrial

Question 8

CAN - Campus Area Network

Answer 8

• Corporate Area Network
  
  • Limited geographical area
  • A group of buildings
• LAN technologies
  
  • Fiber connected, high speed Ethernet
• Your fiber in the ground
  
  • No third-party provider

Question 9

NAS vs. SAN

Answer 9

• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
• Connect to a shared storage device across the
network
• File-level access

• Storage Area Network (SAN)
  
  • Looks and feels like a local storage device
  • Block-level access
  • Very efficient reading and writing

• Requires a lot of bandwidth
• May use an isolated network and high-speed
network technologies

Question 10

PAN - Personal Area Network

Answer 10

• Personal Area Network
• Your own private network - Bluetooth, IR, NFC
• Automobile - audio output, integrate with phone
• Mobile phone - wireless headset
• Health - workout telemetry, daily reports