Local Area Networks (LANs) utilize various topologies, each with its specific use cases and characteristics. The choice of topology often depends on factors like network size, objectives, budget, and desired reliability. Here’s a brief description of the common topologies used in LANs:
1. Star Topology
- Description: In a star topology, all nodes are connected to a central hub or switch. Each node has a dedicated connection to this central point.
- Basic Use: Ideal for small to medium-sized networks where reliability and ease of troubleshooting are important. It’s widely used in home and office networks due to its simplicity and ease of setup.
2. Bus Topology
- Description: In a bus topology, all nodes are connected to a single central cable, called the bus or backbone. Terminators are used at both ends of the bus.
- Basic Use: Suited for small networks with limited nodes. It’s simple and cost-effective but less common in modern setups due to its limitations in scalability and fault tolerance.
3. Ring Topology
- Description: Ring topology connects each node to exactly two other nodes, forming a single continuous pathway for signals in a ring.
- Basic Use: Useful in networks where data transmission is predictable and uniformly distributed. It’s less common than star topology but can be found in some WANs or school networks.
4. Mesh Topology
- Description: In mesh topology, nodes are interconnected with multiple pathways. In full mesh, every node is connected to every other node; in partial mesh, some nodes are interconnected while others are not.
- Basic Use: Used in networks where reliability is crucial, such as in military or emergency services. Full mesh is often used in small networks due to its high redundancy, while partial mesh is more scalable and cost-effective.
5. Tree Topology
- Description: Tree topology combines characteristics of star and bus topologies. It has a hierarchical structure with a root node, intermediate nodes (hubs), and leaf nodes.
- Basic Use: Suitable for large networks like universities or enterprise campuses. It allows for efficient and manageable network expansion.
6. Hybrid Topology
- Description: Hybrid topology combines two or more different topologies. For instance, a combination of star and bus topologies.
- Basic Use: Used in large-scale organizations or environments where the requirements are complex and varied. It provides flexibility in meeting specific network demands and scalability.
Considerations
The choice of LAN topology affects network performance, scalability, cost, and maintenance requirements. Star topology is currently the most popular for LANs due to its balance of performance, cost, and ease of management. Hybrid topologies are becoming more common in complex and large-scale network environments where a single topology cannot meet all requirements.
Extra
The shape of networks