Primer on Information Technology IS

Infrastructure
SahanWeerasinghe
Email:Sahan.weerasinghe@live.com
Mobile: 0772395565
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LocalTalk is a particular implementation of
the physical layer of
the AppleTalk networking system
from Apple Computer.
A token ring network is a local
area network (LAN) in which all computers
are connected in a ring or
star topology and pass one or more
logical tokens from host to host. Only a
host that holds a token can send data,
and tokens are released when receipt of
the data is confirmed.
Active networking is a communication pattern that allows packets flowing
through a telecommunications network to dynamically modify the operation of
the network. It also consists of active hardware, capable of routing or switching
as well as executing code within active packets.

Passive Networking Hardware are those parts of computer network that are
involved in data transmission in the network, but they don't change or affect
the data. The passive network hardware includes: Cables (fiber optic cable,
coaxial cables) Connectors.
 Workstation

H Data
Workstation

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S Data
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A modem is a hardware device that allows a computer to send and receive information over
telephone lines. When sending a signal, the device converts ("modulates") digital data to an
analog audio signal, and transmits it over a telephone line.

Dial on Demand Routing (DDR) is a routing technique where a network connection to a remote
site is established only when needed.

The Dial Backup port can be used as a backup line when/if the broadband connection to the
WAN port ever fails.
A heterogeneous network is a network connecting computers and other
devices with different operating systems and/or protocols.
Gateway
A gateway is a node (router) in a computer network, a key stopping point for data
on its way to or from other networks. Thanks to gateways, we are able to
communicate and send data back and forth.

A gateway is used to increase the compatibility to establish the communication

between two networks using two different protocol. A bridge always operates on
frames, and the gateway operates on packets. Bridge operates on physical layer
and data link layer whereas, a gateway can operate on all the layers of OSI model.

In enterprise networks, a network gateway usually also acts as a proxy server and
a firewall.
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frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) is a technique by which the total
bandwidth available in a communication medium is divided into a series of non-
overlapping frequency bands, each of which is used to carry a separate signal.
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) is the digital multiplexing technique. In TDM,
the channel/link is not divided on the basis of frequency but on the basis of time.
Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is a technique of multiplexing
multiple optical carrier signals through a single optical fiber channel by varying
the wavelengths of laser lights. WDM allows communication in both the directions
in the fiber cable.
A concentrator usually provides communication capability between many low-
speed, usually asynchronous channels and one or more high-speed, usually
synchronous channels.
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Workstation

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In computer networks, propagation delay is the amount
of time it takes for the head of the signal to travel from the
sender to the receiver.
A mode of data transmission in which a message is sent as a complete unit
and routed via a number of intermediate nodes at which it is stored and then
forwarded.
A mode of data transmission in which a message is broken into a number of parts
which are sent independently, over whatever route is optimum for each packet,
and reassembled at the destination.
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 OSI TCP/IP Protocol Suite
NW Internet LLC & The logical link control (LLC) data communication
MAC protocol layer is the upper sublayer of the data link layer
(layer 2) of the seven-layer OSI model. The LLC sublayer
acts as an interface between the media access control
(MAC) sublayer and the network layer.

NW Internet IP Internet Protocol (IP) is the principal set (or

communications protocol) of digital message formats and
rules for exchanging messages between computers across a
single network or a series of interconnected networks,
NW Internet ARP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a procedure for
mapping a dynamic Internet Protocol address (IP address)
to a permanent physical machine address (MAC) in a local
area network (LAN).
NW Internet ICMP ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is an error-
reporting protocol network devices like routers use to
generate error messages to the source IP address when
network problems prevent delivery of IP packets.

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 OSI TCP/IP Protocol Suite
Transport Transport TCP TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a standard that
defines how to establish and maintain a network conversation
via which application programs can exchange data.
Transport Transport UDP UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is an alternative
communications protocol to Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) used primarily for establishing low-
latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications
on the internet.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is connection oriented, whereas UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is
connection-less. This means that TCP tracks all data sent, requiring acknowledgment for each octet
(generally).
Applicatio Telnet Telnet is an application protocol used on the Internet or local
n area network to provide a bidirectional interactive text-
oriented communication facility using a virtual terminal
connection.
Applicatio FTP File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard
n Internet protocol for transmitting files between computers
on the Internet over TCP/IP connections.

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 OSI TCP/IP Protocol Suite
Applicatio SMTP SMTP is a push protocol and is used to send the mail whereas
n POP (post office protocol) or IMAP (internet message access
protocol) are used to retrieve those mails at the receiver's
side.
Applicatio DHCP The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a
n network management protocol used on UDP/IP networks
whereby a DHCP server dynamically assigns an IP address
and other network configuration parameters to each device
on a network so they can communicate with other IP
networks.
Applicatio DNS The Domain Name System is a hierarchical and decentralized
n naming system for computers, services, or other resources
connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates
various information with domain names assigned to each of
the participating entities.
Applicatio RIP Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is a
n dynamic routing protocol which uses hop count as
a routing metric to find the best path between the source
and the destination netw
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Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a security standard designed to provide wireless
networks with comparable security to that of wired networks. Shared
Key Authentication is a critical component of WEP, helping to ensure that only
authorized clients can access a network.

WPA was developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to provide more sophisticated data
encryption and better user authentication than Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), the
original Wi-Fi security standard.

Infrared wireless uses pulses of infrared light to transmit data from one device to another.
Bluetooth wireless uses radio waves on a particular frequency (2.4 gigaHertz) for data transmission
from device to device. Both Bluetooth and infrared consume considerably less power than other
wireless technologies
IP Addresses
 An IP address is an address used to uniquely identify a device
on an IP network.
 The address is made up of 32 binary bits which can be
divisible into a network portion and host portion with the
help of a subnet mask.
 32 binary bits are broken into four octets (1 octet = 8 bits)
 Dotted decimal format (for example, 172.16.81.100)
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IP Address Classes
 Class A: The first octet is the network portion. Octets 2, 3,
and 4 are for subnets/hosts
 Class B: The first two octets are the network portion. Octets
3 and 4 are for subnets/hosts
 Class C: The first three octets are the network portion. Octet
4 is for subnets/hosts
Private Address Range
Address Class Reserved Address Space
Class A 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
Class B 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
Class C 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
Network Masks
 Distinguishes which portion of the address identifies the
network and which portion of the address identifies the
node.
 Default masks:
➢ Class A: 255.0.0.0
➢ Class B: 255.255.0.0
➢ Class C: 255.255.255.0
Subnetting
 Creates multiple logical networks that exist within a single
Class A, B, or C network.
 If you do not subnet, you will only be able to use one
network from your Class A, B, or C network, which is
unrealistic
 Each data link on a network must have a unique network ID,
with every node on that link being a member of the same
network
Benefits of Subnetting
1) Reduced network traffic
2) Optimized network performance
3) Simplified management
4) Facilitated spanning of large geographical distances
 Network address translation (NAT) is a method of remapping one IP address
space into another by modifying network address information in the IP header of
packets while they are in transit across a traffic routing device.

Loopback address - An address that sends outgoing signals back to the same
computer for testing. In a TCP/IP network, the loopback IP address is
127.0.0.1, and pinging this address will always return a reply unless the firewall
prevents it.

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A virtual private network extends a private network across a public network,
and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as
if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network.
In computer networking, promiscuous mode is a mode for
a wired network interface controller or wireless network
interface controller that causes the controller to pass all
traffic it receives to the central processing unit rather than
passing only the frames that the controller is specifically
programmed to receive.