Week 2 - Network Topology Configurations

Simply put, a network topology is the way computers or nodes are configured on a network. There are many different types of configurations, some being replaced over the years with more secure, fail-proof methods. I will cover a few of the most common topologies and the pros/cons of using one over the other. Ultimately, it is up to you and your company to choose the most efficient configuration for your data.

One of the most common network topologies is Star, because each computer has its own connection to a central hub, making it easier to manage. If one node goes down, the others will remain connected to the network.

• Star Pros: Easy to manage network from a single location and to troubleshoot any issues, inexpensive to set up due to less cabling, ability to add or removed computers without going offline.
• Star Cons: If the central hub goes down, all connections are lost. This is a single point of failure. They are also limited in bandwidth, which makes them expensive to maintain. 

Another common topology is Bus. The bus configuration isn't used as much these days, because it is one cable connecting all of the nodes together in one direction. However, it is easy to set up and cost effective.

• Bus Pros: easy to setup, simple layout, cost effective.
• Bus Cons: vulnerable due to using only a single cable, only half-duplex data.

The Ring topology places nodes in a circle configuration, where the data can travel in one direction or both.

• Ring Pros: packet collision reduced due to one node sending data at a time, repeaters used to prevent data loss, cost-effective.
• Ring Cons: since all nodes are connected, if one goes down the whole network can go down, limited bandwidth slows down data, network must be taken offline to reconfigure or add/remove nodes.

A Mesh topology is where every single node is interconnected with each other. 

• Mesh Pros: reliable, stable, resistant to failure, eliminates single point of failure.
• Mesh Cons: time consuming and costly to set up.

Hybrid topologies are where two or more topologies are combined in a configuration. These are quite common in large companies. For example, Star Bus uses bus as a backbone of hubs for the network, with the nodes all connected to the different hubs.

• Hybrid Pros: flexibility to modify configuration.
• Hybrid Cons: costly, becomes more complex as network grows.

Ultimately, it is up to the company and network administrator to figure out the best configuration based on the needs of its users. For more information on topologies, cabling and network topology mapping, please visit https://www.dnsstuff.com/what-is-network-topology. 

What is your favorite network topology configuration and why?