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

Star topology

I always like to define a star topology as a network where all devices connect to a central point. I have seen numerous materials that refer to a central hub, and while this is correct terminology, I find some people get fixated on the word hub. That central point could be a hub device, it could be a switch, it could be a router, or it could be a server. Most likely, it will be a switch. You might be puzzled at my inclusion of a server in that list. While it is unusual, it can be done given the right hardware and software. I have also found that some materials draw a star topology with a device that looks like a server in the middle, and that becomes a fixation too.

In Figure 5.5, I have placed a switch as the central device, as this is the most common implementation:

Figure 5.5: Star topology

Quite often you will see star topologies illustrated the way I have done...