Show A network is an interconnection between various communication elements connected by various communication links for information interchange. When two or more elements are connected in a limited geographical area to share their resources and information, they are said to be in a network. We can see examples of a network in almost every field around us. But in this blog, we'll mainly focus on computer networks. We'll also study the nodes present in a network, classifications, goals, and applications of a network. Computer NetworkA computer network is a system in which multiple computers are connected to each other to share information and resources. In other words, it is a network of various communicating devices or elements connected by communication links. The communication elements can be a computer, mobile, router, switch, etc., and communication links can be an optical fibre cable, coaxial fibre cable, wireless LAN, etc. In a computer network, one process in one device is able to send/receive data to/from at least one process residing in a remote device. The internet is a network of networks. It is not managed by a single organization. NodeIn a computer network, a node is either a connection point, a redistribution point, or a communication point. In other words, a node refers to a point or joint where a connection takes place. It can be a computer or device that is part of a network. Generally, two or more nodes are needed in order to form a network connection. The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to. A node may be a data communication equipment (that can be used to establish communication, such as modem, hub, bridge, switch, etc.) or a data terminal equipment (that can be an end device, such as digital telephone, handset, printer, host computer, etc.). A physical network node is an active electronic device that is attached to a network. It is capable of sending, receiving, or forwarding information over a communication channel. Each device on a network that has a unique logical or IP (Internet Protocol) address can also be termed as a node. When connected in a network, every node in a network must have a MAC address. MAC address is a unique identifier assigned by device manufacturers to a network interface controller (NIC) for communications in a network. NIC is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network. When connected to the internet or intranet, the nodes are referred to as internet nodes. These nodes are identified by their IP addresses. Some Data Link layer devices(switches, bridges, WLAN access points, etc.) do not have an IP address. Thus, they are physical but not internet nodes. In a distributed network, nodes can be clients, servers, or peers. It may also use some virtual nodes, so as to maintain transparency. In cloud computing, each user computer that is connected to a cloud can be treated as an end node. The degree of connectivity of a node is the measure of the number of connections a node has with other nodes. Classification of Computer NetworkA computer network can be classified on the basis of communication media, functional relationships, topology, and scale of the network. Now have a look at all these classifications one by one.
Computer Networks can be broadly classified in the following two categories based on communication media:
Computer Networks can be broadly classified in the following three categories according to scale or the area of a network:
Computer Networks can be broadly classified in the following five categories based on network topology i.e based on how the nodes are connected in a network:
Computer Networks can be broadly classified in the following three categories based on functional relationship:
Goals of a Computer NetworkThe main goal of a computer network is mainly related to interconnection and information interchange. Some major goals of a computer network are as follows :
Applications of Computer NetworkA computer network can be applied to various fields some of the application areas are as follows:
This is all about computer networks and its node. Hope you learned something new today. That's it for this blog. Do share this blog with your friends to spread the knowledge. Visit our YouTube channel for more content. You can read more blogs from here. Keep Learning :) Team AfterAcademy! Which term refers to any and all communication devices used to transmit and/or store information?Information and communications technology (ICT) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems, and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, ...
What is a node in a network?A network node can be defined as the connection point among network devices such as routers, printers, or switches that can receive and send data from one endpoint to the other. Types of network nodes.
What are the 4 types of networks?The four types of wireless networks -- wireless LAN, wireless MAN, wireless PAN and wireless WAN -- differ when it comes to size, range and connectivity requirements.
What kind of communications device sends and receives data?One type of communications device that connects a communications channel to a sending or receiving device such as a com- puter is a modem. Computers process data as digital signals.
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