Computer Network InstallationWritten by Adrian Griffiths
Computer network installation can be daunting but with a few guidelines you can install a good network at your home or office. Networking allows computers to share peripherals, and allows one computer to backup data of another. Also networks can enable a single computer to act as an Internet access point for entire network without inconvenience of fitting a modem and telephone extension for each computer.Planning This involves defining business requirements and growth plans to build a framework for connecting computers and other equipment in organization. Good network planning eases process of a suitable network installation. Here users need to consider usage requirements and assess who will manage network. Usage, maintenance, expansion and security issues also need consideration. Hardware requirements Once planning has been done, next stage involves understanding what hardware will be required and what hardware your network will support. These can include back-up devices, uninterruptible power supplies, network printers, etc. Once this is determined you need to understand how many network points will be required. Hubs and switches should have sufficient ports for various connections. Also there should be enough scope for growth and expansion in future. Network design Here various aspects like kind of topology, network operating system, right network interface cards and cabling needs to be considered. If network is small, a basic topology like ring, bus, mesh or star may be used. But if network is complex, a hybrid of two or more technologies may need to be implemented. The location of network cables, various devices, hubs, switches, servers, printers, firewalls, routers and modems needs consideration. Building or leasing regulations that may affect cabling also need to be kept in mind. Security issues, both within organization and on Internet also need consideration.
| | Computer Network DesigningWritten by Adrian Griffiths
Computer network designing takes into account different aspects and topics. An ideal computer network design will be based on layout, capacity planning, and security plans.Computer network design requires a good understanding of topologies such as a bus, ring, star, so on. Designing a network has to follow certain rules. The set of rules governing setup of a network is called its topology. Ethernet, today, is most popular topology in use. It consists of computers and peripherals cabled together in specific ways. Ethernet is relatively cheaper, easy to set up and use, and faster. There are two types of Ethernet – Standard and Fast Ethernet. To talk of cables, you can use twisted-pair (also known as 10BaseT) or thin coax (also known as 10Base2) for your network cable. The choice, however, will depend on type of network you’re setting. You can use both types together. Twisted pair cabling is cheaper, flexible, and ideal for cabling short distances. You can use thin coax for larger networks. A network interface card (NIC) connects network computer to network cabling. While some NICs are installed inside computer others may need PCI slots. A network adapter is needed when network is supposed to support very high speed data transfer. The final piece you need to get through network design is a hub. It is used to gather groups of PCs together at a central location. The type of your network and data transfer support required will again decide type of hub network requires.
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