Networks

● Network criteria
● Physical structures

● Network models

● Categories of networks

● Interconnection of Networks:

Internetwork
 Introduction
● The number of computers in use
worldwide is in the hundreds of
millions.
● The demand for connectivity among
these computers is manifested in two
specific requirements: the need for
communications software and the
need for networks.
 Cont..
● One type of network that has become
ubiquitous is the local area network
(LAN).
● LAN is to be found in virtually all
medium- and large-size office buildings.
●
 Cont..
● Wide area networks generally cover
a large geographical area, require
the crossing of public right-of-ways,
and rely at least in part on circuits
provided by a common carrier.
● WAN consists of a number of
interconnected switching nodes.
Key Elements of Internet
 Cont...
●WANs have been implemented
using one of two technologies:
Circuit switching and packet switching
 Local Area Networks

LAN is a communications network that

interconnects a variety of devices and
provides a means for information
exchange among those devices.
 Local Area Networks

LAN is a communications network that

interconnects a variety of devices and
provides a means for information
exchange among those devices.
There are several key distinctions
between LANs and WANs
 Key distinctions between LANs and
WANs
● LAN is owned by the same
organization that owns the attached
devices. For WANs, this is less often
the case, or at least a significant
fraction of the network assets is not
owned
 Cont..
● LANs come in a number of different
configurations. The most common are
switched LANs and wireless LANs.
● The most common switched LAN is a
switched Ethernet LAN, which may consist
of a single switch with a number of attached
devices, or a number of interconnected
switches.
 Internet
● The Internet evolved from the ARPANET,
which was developed in 1969 by the
Advanced Research Projects Agency
(ARPA) of the U.S. Department of
Defense.
● It was the first operational packet-
switching network.
 Internet
● The Internet evolved from the ARPANET,
which was developed in 1969 by the
Advanced Research Projects Agency
(ARPA) of the U.S. Department of
Defense.
● It was the first operational packet-
switching network.
 Cont..
● The purpose of the Internet, of course,
is to interconnect end systems, called
hosts; these include Pcs,
workstations, servers, mainframes,
and so on.
● Most hosts that use the Internet are
connected to a network, such as a local
area network (LAN) or a wide area
network (WAN).
 Cont..
● These networks are in turn connected
by routers.
● Each router attaches to two or more

networks. Some hosts, such as

mainframes or servers, connect
directly to a router rather than through
a network.
 Internetwork
● We use the term “internetwork,” or
sometimes just “internet” with a lowercase
i, to refer to an arbitrary collection of
networks interconnected to provide some
sort of host to-host packet delivery service.
● When we are talking about global
internetwork to which a large percentage of
networks are now connected, we call it the
“Internet” with a capital I
Cont..
 Cont..
● Internetwork is referred to as network of
networks.
● The nodes that interconnect the networks are
called routers. They are also sometimes called
gateways, but since this term has several other
connotations, we restrict our usage to router.