Fundamentals of

Technology
Chapter 1

Basic Concepts
Before examining the specifics of how data are
transmitted from one device to another, it is
important to understand the relationship
between the communicating devices.

Line Configuration
Topology
Transmission Mode
Categories of Network
Inter-networks

Line Configuration

Line configuration refers to the way two or

more communication devices attach to a link.
Line configuration defines the attachment of
communication devices to a link.
There are two possible configurations:
1. point-to-point
2. multipoint.

point-to-point configuration
A point-to-point line configuration provides a
dedicated link between two devices.
Link

Workstation

Workstation

Link

Mainframe

Workstation

Link

Workstation

Workstation

Multipoint Configuration
A multipoint line configuration is one in which
more than two specific devices share a single
link.
In a multipoint environment the capacity of the
channel is shared either spatially or temporarily.
If several devices can share the link
simultaneously, it is a spatially shared line
configuration.
If users take turns, it is a time shared line
configuration.

Multipoint Configuration

Workstation

Workstation

Link

Mainframe

Workstation

Topology

Topology refers to the way a network is laid

out, either physically or logically. Two or
more links form a topology.
The topology of network is the geometric
representation of the relationship of all the
links and linking devices called nodes to
each other.
There are five basics topologies possible:

Mesh
Star
Tree
Bus
Ring

Topology
Two relationships are possible:
peer-to-peer, where the devices share the link
equally and,

Primary-secondary, where one device controls

traffic and the others must transmit through it.

Ring and mesh topologies are more convenient

for peer-to-peer transmission.
While star and tree are more convenient for
primary-secondary.
A bus topology is equally convenient for either.

Mesh
In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated
point-to-point link to every other device.
A fully connected mesh network therefore has n(n1)/2 physical channels to link n devices.
To accommodate that many links, every device on
the network must have n-1 input/output ports.

Advantages of Mesh
The use of dedicated links guarantees that each
connection can carry its own data load, thus
providing privacy or security
Mesh topology is robust i.e. if one link becomes
unusable, it does not incapacitate the entire
system.
Point-to-point links make fault identification and
fault isolation easy.

Disadvantages of Mesh
The main disadvantages of a mesh is, that
the hardware required to connect each link
can be prohibitively expensive. For these
reasons a mesh topology is usually
implemented as a backbone connecting
the main computers of a hybrid network
that can include several other topologies.

Star Topology
In a star topology, each device has a
dedicated point-to-point link only to a
central controller called a hub.
Unlike a mesh, a star topology does not
allow direct traffic between devices.

Star Topology

Hub

The controller acts as an exchange: if one

device wants to transmit data to another, it
sends the data to the controller, which then
relays the data to the other connected device.

Tree
A tree topology is a variation of a star.
The majority of devices connect to a secondary
hub that in turn is connected to the central hub.
The central hub in a tree is an active hub that
contains a repeater.
Repeating
strengthens
transmission
and
increases the distance a signal can travel.

Tree

Hub

Hub

Hub

Hub

Advantages of a Tree Topology

The advantages and disadvantages of a tree
topology are generally the same as of a star.
The addition of secondary hubs however, brings
two further advantages.
First it allows more devices to be attached to a
single central hub and can therefore increase
the distance a signal can travel between
devices.
Second, it allows the network to isolate and
prioritize
communications
from
different
computers.

Bus Topology
A bus topology is a multipoint. One long cable
acts as a backbone to link all devices in the
network.
Nodes are connected to the bus cable by drop
lines and taps.
A drop line is a connection running between the
device and the main cable.
A tap is a connector that either splices into the
main cable or punctures its sheathing of a cable
to create a contact with the metallic core.

Bus Topology

Drop
Line

Tap
Cable End

Drop
Line

Tap

Drop
Line

Tap

Drop
Line

Tap
Cable End

Advantages of bus topology

Advantages of bus topology include ease
of installation. Backbone cable can be laid
along the most efficient path, and then
connected to the nodes by drop lines of
various lengths. In this way, a bus uses
less cabling then mesh, star or tree
topologies.

Disadvantages of bus topology

Disadvantages include difficult fault isolation and
reconfiguration. It is difficult to add new devices.
Signal reflection at the taps can cause
degradation in quality.

Ring Topology
In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated
point-to-point line configuration only with the two
devices on either side of it.
A signal is passed along the ring in one
direction, from device to device, until it reaches
its destination.
When a device receives a signal intended for
another device, it regenerates the signal and
passes along.

Ring Topology

Advantages of Ring topology

A ring is easy to install and reconfigure. Each
device is linked only to its immediate neighbors.
To add or delete a device requires moving only
two connections. In ring topology fault isolation
is simplified.

Disadvantage of Ring Topology

Disadvantage of ring topology is unidirectional
traffic. In a simple ring, a break in the ring can
disable the entire network. This can be solved by
using a dual ring.

Hybrid topology
A hybrid topology is a combination of any two or
more network topologies in such a way that the
resulting network does not have one of the
standard forms.
For example, a tree network connected to a tree
network is still a tree network, but two star
networks connected together exhibit hybrid
network topologies.
A hybrid topology is always produced when two
different
basic
network
topologies
are
connected.

Transmission Modes
The term transmission mode is used to define the
direction of signal flow between two linked
devices.
There are three types of transmission modes;
Simplex
half duplex and
full duplex.

Simplex
In simplex communication, communication is
possible only in one direction. There is one
sender and one receiver; the sender and
receiver cannot change roles.

Half duplex
Half-duplex communication is possible in both
directions between two entities but one at a time.
A walkie-talkie uses this approach. The person
who wants to talk presses a talk button on his
handset to start talking, and the other persons
handset will be in receiving mode.
When the sender finishes, he terminates it with
an over message. The other person can press
the talk button and start talking.
These types of systems require limited channel
bandwidth, so they are low cost systems.

Full duplex
In a full-duplex communication system, the two
parties the caller and the called can
communicate simultaneously, as in a telephone
system.
However, note that the communication system
allows simultaneous transmission of data, but
when two persons talk simultaneously, there is
no effective communication!
The ability of the communication system to
transport data in both directions defines the
system as full duplex.