Study Notes On Network Topologies For UGC NET Exam Paper-1

• Network topology is the way of arranging a network or how links and nodes are set up to relate with each other.
• It also refers to how various nodes, devices, and connections on ones' network are physically or logically arranged in relation to each other.
• There are plenty of ways in which a network can be arranged, all with different pros and cons, and some are more useful in certain circumstances than others.
• There are many different types of network topology and all are suitable for different purposes, depending on the overall network size and your objectives.

Star Topology

• Star topology is the most commonly networked topology.
• It is laid out in a way that every node is connected to one central hub in the network through a coaxial, twisted-pair or fibre-optic cable.
• The central node acts as a server and manages data transmission.
• All information from nodes has to pass through a central node to reach the destination.
• Central node functions as a repeater, which helps prevent data loss.
• From a single location, the entire network is managed thus, it's very convenient.
• If one node goes down others will continue to function because each of the nodes is independently connected to the central hub.
• This feature makes the star topology a stable and secure network layout.
• Further, devices can be added and removed or modified without the need of taking the entire network offline.
• It uses little cabling to fully connect the network.
• But one flipside of star topology is if the central hub goes down then the rest of network can't function. Therefore, the central hub must be kept in good health for the smooth functioning of the entire network.
• Also, it is expensive to set up and operate because all technical specifications and bandwidth and performance of the network are also limited by the central node’s configurations.

Bus Topology

• In bus topology, all the devices on a network run along a single cable running in one direction from one end of the network to the other of the network.
• Bus topology is also called as “line topology” because of the above feature.
• Date flows along the route of cable in only one direction.
• It is a good and cost-effective choice for smaller networks because all devices are connected in a simple layout through which all devices are connected via a single cable. 
• More nodes can be added by joining additional cables in the network.
• But, this is vulnerable due to single cable use if sometimes cable experience some sort of failure. It will lead to the whole system going down.
• If the cable experiences a failure, the whole network goes down, which can be time-consuming and expensive to restore, which can be less of an issue with smaller networks.

Ring Topology

• In this form of topology, nodes are arranged in a circle or like a ring.
• The date can travel either in one direction or in both directions with each device having exactly two neighbours.
• To reduce the risk of packed collusion, only one station is permitted to send data at a time. this makes the ring topology to work efficiently in transmitting data without any errors.
• Ring topology is prone to failure when the network is not managed properly.
• If the data is moving in one direction only and one node goes down it will take the entire network with it.
• All the devices on the network share bandwidth therefore the addition of more devices can contribute to overall communication delays.

Tree Topology

• In this, central node functions like a trunk for the network with nodes going outward like branches of tree.
• Two connected nodes share only one mutual connection because those connected to the central hub are connected linearly to other nodes.
• It is used for the wide-area network to support many spread out devices because the structure is both extremely flexible and scalable.
• Just like the star topology, the entire network healths depends on the root node in a tree topology structure. If the central hub fails, the various node branches will become disconnected, though connectivity within—but not between—branch systems will remain.

Mesh Topology

• A mesh topology is an intricate and elaborate structure of a network where each computer and network device is interconnected with one another
• This topology setup allows for most transmissions to be distributed even if one of the connections goes down.
• It is reliable and stable, and the interconnectivity of nodes makes the network resistant to failure. For Example: If one device goes down, it will not affect the entire network.
• But, it is time-consuming and labour-intensive because each interconnection between nodes requires a cable and configuration once deployed.

Hybrid Topology

• This form of topology combines two or more different topology structures.
• Example: tree topology- it integrates the bus and star layouts.
• It is re most commonly found in larger companies where individual departments have personalized network topologies adapted to suit their needs and network usage

We hope you all understood the Network Topologies for Paper-1 for UGC NET Exam 2023.

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Team BYJU'S Exam Prep