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Simple network:
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A client computera dedicated server computer, network interfaces, a connection medium, network operating system software, and either a hub or a switch.
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Network interface card ( NIC)
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Expansion card inserted into a computer to enable it to connect to a network.
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The network operating system ( NOS)
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routes and manages communications on the network and coordinates network resources.
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A server computer
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Is a computer on a network that performs important network functions for client computers, such as serving up Web pages, storing data, and storing the network operating system ( and hence controlling the network).
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Hubs
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are very simple devices that connect network components, sending a packet of data to all other connected devices.
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A switch
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has more intelligence than a hub and can filter and forward data to a specified destination on the network.
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A router
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is a communications processor used to route packets of data through different networks, ensuring that the data sent gets to the correct address.
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Contemporary digital networks and the Internet are based on three key technologies:
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client/ server computing, the use of packet switching, the development of widely used communications standards ( the most important of which is Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol, or TCP/ IP) for linking disparate networks and computers.
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Packet switching
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Is a method of slicing digital messages into parcels called packets, send-ing the packets along different communication paths as they become available, and then reassembling the packets once they arrive at their destinations
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A protocol
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is a set of rules and procedures governing transmission of information between two points in a network.
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Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/ IP)
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Dominant model for achieving connectivity among different networks. Provides a universally agreed- on method for breaking up digital messages into packets, routing them to the proper addresses, and then reassembling them into coherent messages.
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TCP refers to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP),
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which handles the movement of data between computers. TCP establishes a connection between the computers, sequences the transfer of packets, and acknowledges the packets sent.
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IP refers to the Internet Protocol ( IP)
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which is responsible for the delivery of packets and includes the disassembling and reassembling of packets during transmission.
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Application layer.
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The Application layer enables client application programs to access the other layers and defines the protocols that applications use to exchange data.
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Transport layer.
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The Transport layer is responsible for providing the Application layer with communication and packet services.
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