Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By : Gordon Davies
Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By: Gordon Davies

Overview of this book

A network is a collection of computers, servers, mobile devices, or other computing devices connected for sharing data. This book will help you become well versed in basic networking concepts and prepare to pass Microsoft's MTA Networking Fundamentals Exam 98-366. Following Microsoft's official syllabus, the book starts by covering network infrastructures to help you differentiate intranets, internets, and extranets, and learn about network topologies. You’ll then get up to date with common network hardware devices such as routers and switches and the media types used to connect them together. As you advance, the book will take you through different protocols and services and the requirements to follow a standardized approach to networking. You’ll get to grips with the OSI and TCP/IP models as well as IPv4 and IPv6. The book also shows you how to recall IP addresses through name resolution. Finally, you’ll be able to practice everything you’ve learned and take the exam confidently with the help of mock tests. By the end of this networking book, you’ll have developed a strong foundation in the essential networking concepts needed to pass Exam 98-366.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Section 1: Network Infrastructure
7
Section 2: Network Hardware
11
Section 3: Protocols and Services
18
Section 4: Mock Exams
19
Mock Exam 1
20
Mock Exam 2

Logical versus physical topology

At this point, you might be wondering what a topology actually is, so I think it is probably best that we clear that up first and foremost. In relation to networks, a topology can be thought of as a map that details how the network fits together and how the data travels. Topologies can be classed as either physical or logical. A physical topology describes how the devices are connected together, whereas a logical topology describes how the data travels from device to device. This can be quite difficult for people to understand, so what I would like you to do is think about getting to work, home, or the local shopping center. My journey is like this:

  1. Cycle to the local train station.
  2. Train from the local train station to the destination station.
  3. Tram from the destination train station to the tram stop close to work.
  4. Walk from the tram stop to...